On March 7, 2025 Oncolytics Biotech Inc. (NASDAQ: ONCY) (TSX: ONC), a leading clinical-stage company specializing in immunotherapy for oncology, reported on highlights and financial results for Q4 and year-end 2024 (Press release, Oncolytics Biotech, MAR 7, 2025, View Source [SID1234651015]). With its lead candidate, pelareorep, demonstrating strong efficacy signals in breast, pancreatic, and anal cancer, the company is strategically advancing toward registrational studies that could redefine treatment landscapes in multiple high-need indications. All dollar amounts are expressed in Canadian currency unless otherwise noted.
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"With multiple clinical trials surpassing expectations in 2024, 2025 is shaping up to be a defining year for Oncolytics. Our top priority is HR+/HER2- metastatic breast cancer, in which two randomized trials involving over 100 patients have shown substantial clinical benefit for patients receiving pelareorep and paclitaxel compared to paclitaxel monotherapy," said Wayne Pisano, Chair of Oncolytics’ Board of Directors and Interim CEO. "We believe that if we can approximate the benefit we saw in BRACELET-1 in our planned registrational study, the progression-free survival benefit alone would support an accelerated approval submission. When adding pancreatic and anal carcinoma to the list of addressable indications where we have generated compelling efficacy signals, pelareorep could have a meaningful impact for a multitude of patients and generate value for our shareholders."
Fourth Quarter and Subsequent Highlights
GOBLET gastrointestinal cancer data continue to demonstrate pelareorep’s potential across multiple indications. Oncolytics presented two posters at the 2025 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) (Free ASCO Whitepaper) Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium in San Francisco in January (link to the PR).
•Promising Data in Anal Cancer with 33% Response Rate, Including a Durable 15+ Month Complete Response: In the ongoing GOBLET study, Oncolytics’ pelareorep combination therapy achieved a 33% objective response rate (ORR), including a complete response lasting over 15 months, in twelve evaluable patients with second-line or later unresectable squamous cell carcinoma of the anal canal treated with pelareorep and atezolizumab (link to the poster). This encouraging signal in a very tough-to-treat disease further supports pelareorep’s potential in solid tumors. The success criteria in Stage 1 of this Simon two-stage design were previously met; enrollment into Stage 2 of this cohort has begun and will add 18 additional evaluable patients. Data from Stage 2 is expected to determine if there is an efficacy signal sufficient to proceed to a registration-enabling study.
•Encouraging Progress in Pancreatic Cancer Cohort with Safety Milestone Cleared: GOBLET Cohort 5, with funding from the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (PanCAN), is treating newly diagnosed metastatic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma patients with pelareorep + modified FOLFIRINOX with and without atezolizumab. The protocol-specified safety run-in phase has been completed, and the results were presented at the ASCO (Free ASCO Whitepaper) GI meeting in January of this year (link to the poster). Following a review of the safety run-in data, an independent Data Safety Monitoring Board recommended that the study continue, and the Paul Ehrlich Institute (PEI), Germany’s medical regulatory body, approved this recommendation. Accordingly, enrollment into Stage 1 of this Simon two-stage study, consisting of 30 evaluable patients, has resumed and is ongoing.
Ongoing plans to initiate a registration-enabling study in HR+/HER2- metastatic breast cancer. Oncolytics continues to engage with regulators, key opinion leaders, and other relevant stakeholders to finalize the clinical plan for and initiate a large phase 2 study that has the potential to be registration-enabling. We expect a progression-free survival (PFS) readout approximately two years after enrollment begins. The final BRACELET-1 data showed robust improvements for patients receiving pelareorep and paclitaxel compared to paclitaxel monotherapy in terms of PFS, overall survival (OS), 24-month OS rate, and confirmed objective response rate (link to the PR). These data substantiate the results from IND-213, in which median overall survival was nearly doubled in HR+/HER2- metastatic breast cancer patients who received pelareorep combined with paclitaxel compared to paclitaxel alone. If a PFS benefit comparable to the results seen in BRACELET-1 is observed in the registration-enabling study, the company expects to file for accelerated approval with the FDA.
Financial Highlights
•As of December 31, 2024, the Company reported $15.9 million in cash and cash equivalents. The Company has a projected cash runway through key milestones and into the third quarter of 2025.
•The net loss for the fourth quarter of 2024 was $8.0 million, compared to a net loss of $3.9 million for the fourth quarter of 2023. The basic and diluted loss per share was $0.10 in the fourth quarter of 2024, compared to a basic and diluted loss per share of $0.05 in the fourth quarter of 2023.
•Research and development expenses for the fourth quarter of 2024 were $4.6 million, compared to $4.7 million for the fourth quarter of 2023. The decrease was primarily attributable to lower personnel-related expenses related to lower cash annual short-term incentive awards. This decrease was partially offset by increased expenditures related to our clinical trials and share-based compensation expense.
•General and administrative expenses for the fourth quarter of 2024 were $3.9 million, compared with $4.2 million for the fourth quarter of 2023. The decrease was primarily due to lower personnel-related expenses and lower cash annual short-term incentive awards. The decrease was partly offset by higher share-based compensation expense.
•Net cash used in operating activities for the twelve months ended December 31, 2024, was $27.0 million, compared to $28.4 million for the twelve months ended December 31, 2023. The decrease reflected non-cash working capital changes, partly offset by higher net operating activities in 2024.
Anticipated Milestones
•H1 2025: Finalize protocol for the adaptive registration-enabling trial for pelareorep, gemcitabine, nab-paclitaxel, and atezolizumab in first-line pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma with the Global Coalition for Adaptive Research (GCAR) and submit it to the FDA
•H2 2025: First patient enrolled in registration-enabling study evaluating pelareorep and paclitaxel in advanced or metastatic HR+/HER2- breast cancer
•H2 2025: Initial efficacy results from Cohort 5 of the GOBLET study investigating pelareorep combined with modified FOLFIRINOX with or without atezolizumab in newly diagnosed metastatic pancreatic cancer
Webcast and Conference Call
Management will host a conference call for analysts and investors at 8:30 a.m. ET today, March 7, 2025. To access the call, please dial (888) 510-2154 (North America) or (437) 900-0527 (International), and if needed, provide Conference ID: 48422. To join the conference call without operator assistance, please click here. A live webcast of the call will also be available by clicking here or on the Investor Relations page of Oncolytics’ website, available by clicking here, and will be archived for three months. A dial-in replay will be available for one week and can be accessed by dialing (888) 660-6345 (North America) or (289) 819-1450 (International) and using replay code: 48422#.