On October 12, 2026 Oncolytics Biotech Inc. (Nasdaq: ONCY) ("Oncolytics" or the "Company"), a clinical-stage immunotherapy company developing pelareorep, reported an update on its intellectual property strategy, outlining progress on new method of use patents and plans to expand its portfolio with composition of matter protection for a modified "next generation" pelareorep. These initiatives build on the Company’s existing manufacturing patent protection through 2044 and are intended to extend protection for specified therapeutic uses and future innovations into the late 2040s, subject to patent issuance and applicable patent terms.
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A new method of use patent covering pelareorep as an immunotherapy for the treatment of cancer has been issued in several countries, and the Company expects the corresponding U.S. patent to issue in the near term. This patent is part of Oncolytics’ strategy to protect pelareorep’s therapeutic applications alongside the proprietary processes used to manufacture it.
Oncolytics has three patent application families pending, including multiple method of use patents. The expanding portfolio addresses certain combination therapies, including pelareorep in connection with immunotherapies and targeted therapies, reflecting the Company’s strategy to develop pelareorep across complementary cancer treatment approaches.
This quarter, the Company expects to convert one of these pending applications into a U.S. application submitted with a request for Track One prioritized examination. This application is directed to the use of pelareorep as a therapy that induces immunologic responses. The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office’s Track One program provides prioritized examination with a goal of reaching a final disposition within approximately 12 months after prioritized status is granted. The program can accelerate examination and provide earlier clarity on the scope of potential patent protection, supporting clinical development and partnering decisions. Prioritized examination does not guarantee patent allowance.
In parallel, Oncolytics is working with an academic partner on a modified form of pelareorep that the Company refers to as "next generation" pelareorep. The Company expects this work to support the addition of a new composition of matter patent to its portfolio, with the potential for up to 20 years of patent protection measured from the applicable filing date. The modified pelareorep is being developed with the expectation that it could provide enhanced efficacy, which will require confirmation through further studies.
"We are expanding our patent portfolio to protect how pelareorep is manufactured, how it is used to treat cancer, and the innovations that could define its next generation," said Jared Kelly, Chief Executive Officer of Oncolytics. "Our existing manufacturing protection through 2044 provides a strong foundation. The additional method of use patents and potential new composition of matter protection are intended to extend that foundation into the late 2040s and support the long-term development and commercial potential of pelareorep."
The Company expects the new method of use patents, once issued, to provide protection for their covered therapeutic applications into the late 2040s. The scope and duration of protection will depend on the claims ultimately granted, applicable filing dates and jurisdiction-specific patent rules. The anticipated composition of matter patent would provide a separate layer of protection for the modified pelareorep.
About Pelareorep
Pelareorep is an intravenously delivered, systemically active, investigational immunotherapy with a dual mechanism of action that selectively replicates in tumor cells while activating both innate and adaptive anti-tumor immune responses, including the upregulation of key inflammatory cytokines resulting in the formation of tertiary lymphoid structures and the expansion of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes. It has been administered to over 1,200 patients, and clinical studies have demonstrated pelareorep’s potential to enhance the activity of checkpoint inhibitors and other anti-cancer therapies across multiple solid tumor types.
(Press release, Oncolytics Biotech, OCT 12, 2026, View Source [SID1234673326])