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Oncolytics Biotech (ONCY) Update / Briefing Transcript
2025-07-22 18:00
Summary of Oncolytics Biotech Key Opinion Leader Webinar Company and Industry - **Company**: Oncolytics Biotech - **Industry**: Oncology, specifically focusing on pancreatic cancer and other gastrointestinal cancers Core Points and Arguments 1. **Introduction of Pelareorep**: Pelareorep is an oncolytic virus that selectively targets cancer cells and is administered intravenously, making it easier for widespread application compared to other oncolytic viruses that require intratumoral administration [6][7][8] 2. **Efficacy in Pancreatic Cancer**: Pelareorep has shown strong efficacy signals in pancreatic cancer, with a 62% overall response rate observed in clinical studies, which is significantly higher than traditional chemotherapy combinations [15][34] 3. **Unmet Need in Pancreatic Cancer**: Pancreatic cancer is the 10th most common cancer but the second leading cause of cancer death, highlighting the urgent need for effective treatments [10][11] 4. **Current Treatment Landscape**: Standard treatments include gemcitabine and FOLFIRINOX, with limited overall survival rates. Pelareorep combined with chemotherapy has shown improved survival rates compared to historical controls [12][13][22] 5. **Safety Profile**: Over 1,100 patients have been treated with Pelareorep, showing a favorable safety profile with mild side effects such as flu-like symptoms, indicating it is well-tolerated [66][70] 6. **Combination Therapy Potential**: Pelareorep can be combined with various chemotherapy regimens and checkpoint inhibitors, enhancing its therapeutic potential across multiple cancer types [86] 7. **Goblet Trial**: The Goblet trial is a significant study evaluating Pelareorep in combination with gemcitabine, nab-paclitaxel, and atezolizumab, showing promising early results [34][35] 8. **Biomarker Insights**: Tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte expansion has been identified as a potential biomarker correlating with treatment response, suggesting a mechanism of action that enhances immune response [40][41] Other Important but Possibly Overlooked Content 1. **Durability of Response**: The durability of responses in patients treated with Pelareorep is a notable characteristic, indicating potential long-term benefits [15] 2. **Mechanism of Action**: Pelareorep induces endoplasmic reticulum stress in pancreatic cancer cells, leading to apoptosis, which supports its mechanism of action [20] 3. **Future Directions**: There is a strong interest in exploring Pelareorep in registration-enabling studies for first-line treatment in pancreatic cancer, given the promising efficacy and safety data [57][69] 4. **Cross-Tumor Potential**: Pelareorep has demonstrated efficacy across various tumor types, including breast and colorectal cancers, indicating its potential as a versatile therapeutic agent [86] This summary encapsulates the key insights and discussions from the Oncolytics Biotech webinar, focusing on the promising role of Pelareorep in treating pancreatic cancer and its potential applications in other cancers.
Theriva™ Biologics Announces Presentation of Data from VCN-01 Retinoblastoma Phase 1 Clinical Trial at ASCO 2025 and Investigator Meeting to Review Topline Data from the VIRAGE Phase 2b Trial of VCN-01 in Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer
GlobeNewswire· 2025-05-27 12:00
Core Insights - Theriva Biologics is set to present safety and clinical outcomes from a Phase 1 study of VCN-01 in refractory retinoblastoma patients at the ASCO Annual Meeting in Chicago on May 31, 2025 [1][3] - The company will also review topline data from the VIRAGE Phase 2b clinical trial of VCN-01 in first-line metastatic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) during the ASCO conference [1][4] Company Overview - Theriva Biologics is a diversified clinical-stage company focused on developing therapeutics for cancer and related diseases, particularly in areas with high unmet medical needs [1][9] - The company's lead candidate, VCN-01 (zabilugene almadenorepvec), is an oncolytic adenovirus designed to selectively replicate within tumor cells and degrade tumor stroma, enhancing the efficacy of co-administered therapies [5][9] Clinical Study Details - The Phase 1 clinical study evaluated the safety and tolerability of two intravitreal injections of VCN-01 in patients with intraocular retinoblastoma who were refractory to other treatments [1][6] - The study was conducted at Sant Joan de Déu Barcelona Children's Hospital, and the results are expected to provide insights into the long-term efficacy of VCN-01 in this pediatric cancer population [3][6] Expert Commentary - Guillermo Chantada, an expert in retinoblastoma, highlighted VCN-01's promising safety profile and its potential to address treatment failures in refractory cases [3] - The oncolytic virus specifically targets tumor cells and is of particular interest due to its non-chemotherapeutic nature, which may reduce the risk of treatment-induced malignancies in children [3] Market Context - Retinoblastoma is the most common type of eye cancer in children, with an incidence rate of approximately 1 in 14,000 to 1 in 18,000 live newborns [8] - The average age of diagnosis is around 2 years, and the disease poses significant challenges in preserving life and preventing severe treatment-related complications [8]