Cancer Drugs Poised to Improve as New Developments Help Previous Therapies Target Better - Seite 3

Whether that level of interest translates to groups like Oncolytics Biotech Inc. (ONCY-ONC) and pelareorep is yet to be seen. However, with partnerships in place with Pfizer Inc., Roche Holding AG, Bristol-Myers Squibb, and Merck & Co. for combinations with major drugs already approved on the market, there's plenty of potential for a mega-deal based on positive study results in the future.

Oncolytics Biotech is currently studying pelareorep's potential with Merck's Keytruda in targeting metastatic pancreatic cancer, through a partnership with Merck and Northwestern Medicine's Feinberg School of Medicine. The phase 2 study incorporates up to 30 patients.

With Keck Medicine of USC, Oncolytics is involved with another study involving Keytruda combination efficacy for multiple myeloma. The phase 2 study involves 22 patients, and will incorporate existing safety data in combination with Keytruda.

Oncolytics is also targeting multiple myeloma through a potential combination with Opdivo from Bristol-Myers Squibb and Emory University, in a phase 1 study. The study involves 40 to 50 patients, and so far at the top dose, there has been a 100% response rate.

"Having worked with pelareorep in multiple myeloma and understanding its ability to act as a potentiator of checkpoint blockade, I'm very excited to work with the Oncolytics team on this study," said Dr. Craig Hofmeister, Associate Professor, Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology Emory University School of Medicine. "Pelareorep has proven its ability to create an inflamed phenotype and its potential for upregulation of PD-1 on tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes. My hope is this study leads not only to an effective combination dosing schedule but provides quantitative data describing the expression of PD-1, along with correlative studies that reveal the roles of both immune-mediated and direct cytotoxic myeloma cell killing."

ANTI-CANCER ASSETS MOVING FORWARD

To date, Oncolytics Biotech's pelareorep has been involved with 1,100 patients treated, of which over 900 were administered intravenously—So far, no maximum tolerated dose (MTD) has been reached.

Oncolytics Biotech has established a commercial scale manufacturing agreement with SAFC (part of Merck Millipore Sigma). The final formulation was produced at 100 liter-scale under cGMP—which is more than 50,000 standard doses per production run. When stored frozen, the liquid formulation is stable for at least five years (with stability testing ongoing).