Oncolytics Biotech Inc. (ONCY)

[onco_investor]

Greenville Sun Article/Facebook news story

http://www.greenevillesun.com/story/308827

Source: The Greeneville Sun

Published: 11:27 AM, 03/31/2010 Last updated: 11:44 AM, 03/31/2010
BY LISA WARREN

STAFF WRITER

Todd Clendenon, a Greeneville man, whose battle with cancer recently became widely known through Facebook, received word Tuesday evening that he has been accepted into a clinical drug trial.

According to Joshua Stone, a family friend and creator of the Facebook page about Clendenon's situation, Clendenon was told by research physicians at the University of Texas' Cancer Therapy and Research Center, in San Antonio, that he would be accepted into the clinical trial to test a new drug that is awaiting approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA.)

Clendenon, 28, was diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma of the mouth about two years ago.

He and his wife, Barbara, are the parents of two young children, a daughter, Madison, 7, and a son, Benjamin, 9 months.

Most recently, Clendenon has undergone treatment at the University of Tennessee Medical Center in Knoxville.

However, he was told that the cancer has spread to his lungs, which, according to Stone, made him eligible for this clinical trial study.

The drug, which was developed by Oncolytics Biotech, Inc., is being tested in clinical trials at research centers in San Antonio and New York City, Stone said.

Stone said that Clendenon was initially told by the research physicians in San Antonio that he would not be eligible for the clinical trial because the size of his tumor was larger than allowed under the pre-determined criteria for the study.

However, Clendenon was advised by Stone's father, Greeneville physician Dr. Mike Stone, to go to San Antonio for further evaluation by the physicians there.

Clendenon traveled to San Antonio last week and underwent the additional testing, which confirmed that the size of the tumor did not meet the criteria for the study.

However, the physicians said that the company that developed the drug could give final approval to his acceptance in the study.

Stone said that his father, Dr. Mike Stone, who is Clendenon's primary care phyisician, contacted the CEO of Oncolytics Biotech, Inc., and explained to him Clendenon's medical condition. The CEO agreed to discuss the situation and make a final determination.

After three hours of deliberation, Stone said, the biotech company agreed to accept Clendenon into its clinical drug trial.

The Clendenons received word last Tuesday evening about the decision.

Clendenon is scheduled to start the clinical trial treatment on Monday.

The clinical trial is a combination gene therapy and conventional medicine therapy, phase two study of the newly-developed drug Reolysin.

It is used in combination with paclitaxel and carboplatin in patients with head and neck carcinoma, according to the Web site clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCToo753038.

Debbie Overacker, Clendenon's mother who is with him in San Antonio, said this morning that the treatment may require eight sessions of treatment, each session given over two to three weeks at a time.

She said that her son has said that "he is a tool in the hands of God," and that he appreciates all of the prayers and support that he is receiving from everyone.


For more information and stories, see today's edition of The Greeneville Sun.

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http://www2.tricities.com/tri/news/local/article/facebook_helps_save_a_life/43837/

Facebook story on the same patient.