CALGARY, April 18, 2016 /PRNewswire/ - Oncolytics
Biotech® Inc. ("Oncolytics" or the
"Company") (TSX: ONC) (OTCQX: ONCYF) (FRA: ONY) today
announced that two poster presentations covering preclinical work
in multiple myeloma and colorectal cancer are being made by the
Company's research collaborators at the 2016 American Association
of Cancer Research annual meeting being held from April 16th to 20th, 2016 in
New Orleans, LA.
"Both multiple myeloma and colorectal cancer are target
indications for later-stage clinical testing of
REOLYSIN®," said Dr. Brad
Thompson, President and CEO of Oncolytics. "These important
preclinical findings continue to advance our understanding of how
REOLYSIN® interacts with the immune system and how
immunomodulatory interventions could improve its cancer cell
killing capabilities."
The first abstract/poster is titled "Successful oncolytic
virotherapy in a bortezomib resistant syngeneic mouse model of
multiple myeloma: implications for translation significance," and
was authored by Thirukkuamaran, et al. Using the VK*MYC bortezomib
resistant transplantable multiple myeloma mouse model, the authors
demonstrated that mice harboring bortezomib insensitive multiple
myeloma tumors significantly responded to reovirus treatment. These
data are supportive of previous and ongoing preclinical and
clinical work in this indication and the Company is currently
enrolling patients in a Phase 1b study of REOLYSIN® in
combination with bortezomib in patients with relapsed or refractory
multiple myeloma.
The second abstract/poster is titled "Toll like receptor 3 as an
immunotherapeutic target for Kras mutated colorectal
cancer," and was authored by Goel, et al. The authors hypothesized
that effective expression of toll like receptors 3 ("TLR3") would
dampen the infection potential of reovirus through the mounting of
an innate immune response. Using a xenograft model with HCT116
colorectal cancer cells, those with TLR3 downregulated cells showed
improved control of tumor growth with reovirus treatment compared
to those expressing TLR3 (p=0.04). Down regulation of the host
immune response improved virus mediated cell cytotoxicity and the
findings could result in improved and beneficial killing of cancer
cells by reovirus.
About Oncolytics Biotech Inc.
Oncolytics is a
Calgary-based biotechnology
company focused on the development of oncolytic viruses as
potential cancer therapeutics. Oncolytics' clinical program
includes a variety of later-stage, randomized human trials in
various indications using REOLYSIN®, its proprietary
formulation of the human reovirus. For further information about
Oncolytics, please visit: www.oncolyticsbiotech.com.
This press release contains forward-looking statements,
within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of
1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, as amended. Forward-looking statements, including the
Company's expectations related to preclinical work and the
Company's belief as to the potential of REOLYSIN® as a
cancer therapeutic, involve known and unknown risks and
uncertainties, which could cause the Company's actual results to
differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements.
Such risks and uncertainties include, among others, the
availability of funds and resources to pursue research and
development projects, the efficacy of REOLYSIN® as
a cancer treatment, the tolerability of REOLYSIN®
outside a controlled test, the success and timely completion of
clinical studies and trials, the Company's ability to successfully
commercialize REOLYSIN®, uncertainties related to the
research, development and manufacturing of pharmaceuticals, changes
in technology, general changes to the economic environment and
uncertainties related to the regulatory process. Investors should
consult the Company's quarterly and annual filings with the
Canadian and U.S. securities commissions for additional information
on risks and uncertainties relating to the forward-looking
statements. Investors should consider statements that include the
words "believes", "expects", "anticipates", "intends", "estimates",
"plans", "projects", "should", or other expressions that are
predictions of or indicate future events or trends, to be uncertain
and forward-looking. Investors are cautioned against placing undue
reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company does not
undertake to update these forward-looking statements, except as
required by applicable laws.
SOURCE Oncolytics Biotech Inc.
