Oncolytics Biotech® ASCO Abstracts Highlight Pelareorep's Potential in Pancreatic Cancer and Immunotherapeutic Mechanism of Action

Core Insights - Oncolytics Biotech Inc. presented two abstracts at the 2024 ASCO Annual Meeting, focusing on the potential of pelareorep in treating metastatic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) and its immunotherapeutic mechanism [1][2] Group 1: Study Details - The GOBLET study's cohort 5 will evaluate pelareorep combined with modified FOLFIRINOX (mFOLFIRINOX) with and without atezolizumab in newly diagnosed metastatic PDAC patients [1][4] - The study employs a Simon two-stage design, with Stage 1 involving 15 evaluable patients per treatment arm [4][5] - Co-primary endpoints include objective response rate and safety, with secondary endpoints assessing progression-free and overall survival [4][5] Group 2: Funding and Enrollment - The GOBLET cohort is funded by a US$5 million grant from the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (PanCAN) [2] - Enrollment for this cohort is expected to begin in the current quarter [2] Group 3: Mechanism of Action - Pelareorep stimulates a proinflammatory response, enhancing both innate and adaptive immune responses, which may improve treatment outcomes [2][10] - The second abstract highlights pelareorep's ability to expand tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs), correlating TIL expansion with tumor response [2][10] Group 4: Clinical Implications - Previous studies indicated that the combination of pelareorep with gemcitabine, nab-paclitaxel, and atezolizumab achieved tumor response rates nearly three times higher than historical results [2] - If the mFOLFIRINOX combination yields similar positive outcomes, a broader range of metastatic PDAC patients may benefit from pelareorep-based therapy [2] Group 5: Future Directions - The GOBLET study aims to further investigate TIL expansion as a potential biomarker for clinical activity in patients treated with pelareorep [2][10] - Oncolytics is advancing towards registrational studies in metastatic breast cancer and pancreatic cancer, both of which have received Fast Track designation from the FDA [12][13]