On November 9, 2026 Oncolytics Biotech Inc. (Nasdaq: ONCY) ("Oncolytics" or the "Company"), a clinical-stage immunotherapy company developing pelareorep, reported translational data in heavily pretreated relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma patients, which will be presented at the 68th American Society of Hematology (ASH) (Free ASH Whitepaper) ("ASH") Annual Meeting and Exposition.
Schedule your 30 min Free 1stOncology Demo!
Discover why more than 1,500 members use 1stOncology™ to excel in:
Early/Late Stage Pipeline Development - Target Scouting - Clinical Biomarkers - Indication Selection & Expansion - BD&L Contacts - Conference Reports - Combinatorial Drug Settings - Companion Diagnostics - Drug Repositioning - First-in-class Analysis - Competitive Analysis - Deals & Licensing
Schedule Your 30 min Free Demo!
Title: Pelareorep induces innate and adaptive antiviral immune activation in relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma: Single-cell analysis from a Phase 1b/2 trial
Abstract Number: 2183
Presentation Type: Poster
Presentation Date: Saturday, December 12, 2026
Highlights from the abstract include:
•The Phase 1b/2 trial evaluated bortezomib ("BOR"), dexamethasone ("DEX"), and pembrolizumab ("Pemb") in Cohort 1 and pelareorep plus BOR, DEX, and Pemb in Cohort 2 in patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma. Patients had a median of four prior lines of therapy, with a range between three and eleven.
•Myeloid cells demonstrated enhanced antigen-presenting activity, including increased CD80 expression and reduced FCGR2B expression, suggesting an improved ability to stimulate antitumor T cell responses.
•Multiple myeloma cells exhibited increased apoptotic and p53 signaling and reduced MYC pathway activity, indicating direct biological effects on tumor cells alongside immune activation.
•There were notable increases in populations of CD8 effector memory ("CD8 EM") T cells, as well as upregulation of genes linked to T cell activation, antiviral activity, and cytotoxic function.
•Patients who showed a clinical response to treatment displayed greater expansion of CD8 EM T cells, in addition to lower levels of CD8 T cell exhaustion and terminal differentiation compared to non-responders.
"These changes are consistent with pelareorep’s mechanism of action and ability to remodel the tumor microenvironment, specifically its ability to activate TLR3-mediated antiviral signaling," said Thomas Heineman, MD, PhD, Chief Medical Officer of Oncolytics. "These single-cell sequencing data provide evidence that pelareorep can enhance immunological activity within the tumor microenvironment, demonstrating its potential immunotherapeutic activity and supporting further evaluation in combination with other immune-based treatments."
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, NOV 9, 2026, View Source [SID1234674482])