On September 14, 2021 Seneca Therapeutics, Inc. ("STI"), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the development of targeted oncolytic immunotherapeutics for cancer based on Seneca Valley Virus (SVV-001), reported the successful development of a novel SVV-001 Patient Screening Test (Press release, Seneca Therapeutics, SEP 14, 2021, View Source [SID1234587680]). The test uses a unique set of genes to predict sensitivity to SVV-001 in tumor cells obtained from patient samples. The SVV-001 Patient Screening Test can be used on Formalin-Fixed-Paraffin-Embedded (FFPE) tumor blocks allowing for patient screening using previous biopsies. The SVV-001 Patient Screening Test will identify which cancer patients will benefit from SVV-001 treatment either as monotherapy or in combination with other immune therapies like checkpoint inhibitors. The SVV-001 Patient Screening Test can also be used to identify types of cancer patients that will benefit from SVV-001. The test can be used to screen patients for products in the SVV-001 based Armed Construct Cancer Gene Therapy Portfolio currently in development. The selection of patients using the SVV-001 Patient Screening Test will be applicable whether the patient is treated with either the Intra-tumoral or Intravenous route of administration. The SVV-001 Patient Screening Test will be available through CLIA laboratories.

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"Using the SVV-001 Patient Screening Test to select patients, it will be possible to identify and select cancer patients that will benefit from SVV-001 therapy either as monotherapy, combination therapy with check point inhibitors or therapy using SVV-001 Armed Constructs," said Dr. Paul Hallenbeck, CSO, President and Founder of Seneca Therapeutics. "We are excited that this pre-screening test offers the ability to selectively identify which patients will likely benefit from SVV-001."

Seneca Therapeutics is also using the SVV-001 Patient Screening Test to identify relevant cancer patient populations that could benefit from SVV-001 therapy. The company recently screened nearly 300 sarcoma samples and determined that more than 94% were sensitive to SVV-001 therapy. The work to screen other cancers for SVV-001 sensitivity is ongoing.