#USA #San Diego #pancreatic cancer #Oncolytics Biotech #pelareorep

Oncolytics Biotech Continues Progress in Oncology Trials for 2025

Oncolytics Biotech® Inc. (NASDAQ: ONCY) (TSX: ONC) is making significant strides in its 2025 pipeline regarding pancreatic and anal cancer treatments. With a focus on immunotherapy, their drug pelareorep is showing promise in challenging cancer types, paving the way for new treatment options.

Key Developments 2025

In February 2025, Oncolytics announced a major regulatory win, having received approval from Germany's Paul-Ehrlich-Institute (PEI) to continue its pancreatic cancer trial (GOBLET Cohort 5). This follows a successful safety review, allowing them to fully enroll the study cohort involving 30 patients across two treatment arms. As a therapeutic agent, pelareorep, when used alongside modified FOLFIRINOX and potentially combined with the atezolizumab checkpoint inhibitor, is gearing up for further evaluation.

“We're achieving critical milestones that boost our confidence as we advance our pipeline,” said Wayne Pisano, Interim CEO. “The feedback from regulators enables us to move ahead, while our new data presentations reinforce pelareorep’s strong efficacy in difficult-to-treat cancer forms.”

ASCO GI 2025 Data Presentation

The 2025 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium revealed new clinical data demonstrating pelareorep's promising efficacy in pancreatic and anal cancer patients. Results noted that those receiving pelareorep in combination with atezolizumab exhibited notably better responses than specified in existing literature on treatments against anal cancer.

Pelareorep has previously shown a robust efficacy signal when paired with chemotherapies like gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel, with the latest data endorsing its favorable safety profile when combined with modified FOLFIRINOX. This combination could usher in new application avenues for the drug, further solidifying its standing in the oncology space.

Looking Ahead

As Oncolytics enters a pivotal year, the company anticipates additional catalysts in 2025, such as further data readouts from its ongoing gastrointestinal cancer trials and discussions with regulatory agencies that could hasten developments in the field. These advancements point towards a future where pelareorep could potentially enable registration studies not just in oncology but for breast cancer as well.

“We're optimistic about 2025,” added Pisano. “With compelling results and promising regulatory collaborations, we believe we’re on track to provide critical advancements for patients in need.”

GOBLET Study Overview

The GOBLET study involves novel treatments for patients with advanced gastrointestinal cancers and is being conducted at 17 centers across Germany. Co-primary endpoints of the study include response rates and safety, with key secondary assessments evaluating additional efficacy parameters and exploring future biomarkers.

The GOBLET Cohort 5 specifically focuses on newly diagnosed metastatic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma patients, examining the combination therapy’s safety and tolerability in detailed analyses, setting the stage for rapid next stages upon successful completion. A total of fifteen evaluable patients are set for the initial phase, which could expand significantly based on initial outcomes.

Company Overview

Oncolytics Biotech has been at the forefront of cancer treatment innovation, developing pelareorep, an immunotherapeutic agent designed for intravenous delivery. This agent has evidenced promising outcomes across multiple studies, highlighting its role in converting