On March 28, 2019 Oncolytics Biotech Inc. (NASDAQ: ONCY) (TSX: ONC), currently developing pelareorep, an intravenously delivered immuno-oncolytic virus, reported the publication of an article highlighting the synergistic effect of oncolytic immunotherapy in combination with a proteasome inhibitor in the treatment of multiple myeloma (Press release, Oncolytics Biotech, MAR 28, 2019, View Source [SID1234534709]). The article, entitled, "Oncolytic immunotherapy and bortezomib synergy improves survival of refractory multiple myeloma in a preclinical model," co-authored by Oncolytics’ President and Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Matt Coffey was published in the March 12 edition of Blood Advances.
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The article demonstrates that the combination of reovirus and bortezomib can overcome drug resistance, a major hurdle in the treatment of multiple myeloma. Further, the combination modifies the tumor microenvironment to overcome the immune suppressive environment caused by multiple myeloma cells in the bone marrow. This combination promotes a pro-inflammatory signal within the tumor microenvironment, upregulates the PD-L1/PD-1 axis and enhances immune cell infiltration. Collectively, this suggests the possibility of synergies and increased efficacy with the addition of checkpoint blockade to the combination.
"We’d like to thank our collaborators for this influential work which provides further evidence that the combination of pelareorep with a proteasome inhibitor can synergistically overcome drug resistance and drive enhanced tumor killing and superior overall survival in animal models," said Dr. Rita Laufle, Chief Medical Officer of Oncolytics. "Importantly, the combination engages the immune system in a manner that converts tumor indications that have not been responsive to checkpoint blockade to those that are responsive, by both reversing the immune suppressive aspects of the tumor microenvironment while increasing immune cell trafficking to the tumor and generating new anti-tumor memory T cells. These findings are consistent with our clinical observations that proteasome inhibition, in combination with reovirus, primes the tumor for checkpoint blockade and further validates our combination studies in this and other indications, including our most advanced indication, metastatic breast cancer."
Blood Advances is a semimonthly, peer-reviewed medical journal published by the American Society of Hematology (ASH) (Free ASH Whitepaper). A copy of the paper can be found on our website: View Source
About Pelareorep
Pelareorep is a non-pathogenic, proprietary isolate of the unmodified reovirus: a first-in-class intravenously delivered immuno-oncolytic virus for the treatment of solid tumors and hematological malignancies. The compound induces selective tumor lysis and promotes an inflamed tumor phenotype through innate and adaptive immune responses to treat a variety of cancers and has been demonstrated to be able to escape neutralizing antibodies found in patients.