Oncolytics Biotech® to Present New Clinical Trial Data at ASCO Showing Pelareorep’s Unique Immune Activation Capabilities

On May 23, 2025 Oncolytics Biotech Inc. (NASDAQ: ONCY) (TSX: ONC), a leading clinical-stage company specializing in immunotherapy for oncology, reported new data from the Phase I/II GOBLET clinical trial in a poster presentation at the 2025 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) (Free ASCO Whitepaper) Annual Meeting (Press release, Oncolytics Biotech, MAY 23, 2025, View Source [SID1234653359]). The presentation highlights pelareorep’s mechanism of action in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), offering new insights into how this immunotherapy stimulates multiple arms of the immune system and primes tumors for treatment.

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"For the first time, we’re able to map the cascade of immune responses stimulated by pelareorep," said Thomas Heineman, M.D., Ph.D., Chief Medical Officer for Oncolytics Biotech. "It starts with the expansion of anti-reovirus T cells, followed by the upregulation of chemokines that mediate the expansion of pre-existing TIL clones in the blood. These T cells can now return to the tumor and attack it, resulting in a reduction in tumor size. Pelareorep-mediated upregulation of chemokines also makes the tumor microenvironment immunologically active and able to actively recruit cancer-specific T cells to the tumor. These findings deepen our understanding of pelareorep’s ability to convert immunologically cold tumors into immunologically active ones that may benefit from pelareorep-based combination therapy."

Abstract Number: 2562
Title: Role of pelareorep in activating anti-tumor immunity in PDAC.
Presentation Type: Poster
Session Title: Developmental Therapeutics – Immunotherapy
Session Date and Time: June 2, 2025, 1:30 – 4:30 p.m. CT

A copy of the ASCO (Free ASCO Whitepaper) presentation will be available on the Media page of Oncolytics’ website (LINK) following the conclusion of the meeting.

Highlights from the poster and abstract include:
•Pelareorep initiates the expansion of reovirus-specific T cells that are associated with favorable clinical responses at week 24
•Pelareorep increases cytokines and chemokines associated with altering the TME to allow anti-viral and anti-tumor T cells to attack the tumor
•The presence of TIL clones in the blood before treatment and the expansion of these clones in the blood post-treatment are associated with favorable clinical responses
•Previously reported efficacy results from GOBLET Cohort 1, which is evaluating the therapeutic regimen of pelareorep, nab-paclitaxel, gemcitabine, and atezolizumab (Tecentriq) in first-line metastatic PDAC patients, showed a 62% overall response rate, an 85% disease control rate, and a 45% 12-month survival rate

About GOBLET
The GOBLET (Gastrointestinal tumOrs exploring the treatment comBinations with the oncolytic reovirus peLarEorep and anTi-PD-L1) study is a phase 1/2 multiple indication study in advanced or metastatic gastrointestinal tumors. The study is being conducted at 17 centers in Germany and is being managed by AIO-Studien-gGmbH. The primary endpoints of the study are objective response rate (ORR) and/or disease control rate assessed at week 16 and safety. Key secondary and exploratory endpoints include additional efficacy assessments and evaluation of potential biomarkers. The study comprises five treatment groups:

1.Pelareorep in combination with atezolizumab, gemcitabine, and nab-paclitaxel in 1st line advanced/metastatic pancreatic cancer patients;

2.Pelareorep in combination with atezolizumab in 1st line MSI (microsatellite instability)-high metastatic colorectal cancer patients;

3.Pelareorep in combination with atezolizumab and TAS-102 in 3rd line metastatic colorectal cancer patients

4.Pelareorep in combination with atezolizumab in 2nd line advanced and unresectable anal cancer patients; and

5.Pelareorep in combination with modified FOLFIRINOX with and without atezolizumab in newly diagnosed metastatic PDAC patients.

Any cohort meeting pre-specified efficacy criteria in Stage 1 may be advanced to Stage 2 and enroll additional patients.