Full Press Release Details
Collaborators Present
Phase II Sarcoma Trial Results at ASCO Annual Meeting
CALGARY, AB, --- June 1, 2009
- Oncolytics Biotech Inc. (TSX: ONC, NASDAQ: ONCY) announced that interim
results of a Phase II study of intravenous REOLYSIN in
patients with sarcomas metastatic to the lung were presented May 30, 2009 at the
American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) annual meeting. The
meeting is being held in Orlando, Florida from May 29 to June 2,
presentation, entitled "A
Phase II Study of Intravenous REOLYSIN (Wild-type Reovirus) in the Treatment of
Patients with Bone and Soft Tissue Sarcomas Metastatic to the Lung" was
delivered by Dr. Monica Mita, the study principal investigator at the Institute
of Drug Development (IDD), the Cancer Therapy and Research Center at the
University of Texas Health Science Center, (UTHSC), San Antonio,
interim results demonstrate that the treatment has been well tolerated, with 15
of 36, or 42% of evaluable patients experiencing stable disease (SD) for more
than 16 weeks, including five patients who have had SD for more than 24
weeks. One patient had SD for more than 80
weeks. Oncolytics reported on May 12, 2009, that full enrolment of 52
patients was completed, at which time nine patients were continuing on
data are very encouraging, both in terms of efficacy in patients with sarcoma,
and in those with other tumor histologies in whom the IDD group are
investigating various REOLYSIN regimens," said Dr. Frank Giles, Director, IDD,
and Deputy Director, CTRC at UTHSCSA.
REOLYSIN results presented
additional poster presentations covering positive results of REOLYSIN trials
were also presented at the ASCO meeting on May 30, 2009.
Johann de Bono and colleagues delivered a poster presentation entitled "A Phase I Study of the Combination
of Intravenous Reolysin (REO) and Gemcitabine (GEM) in Patients (pts) with
Advanced Cancer." The results, which were previously
announced in March 2009, demonstrated that the combination of REOLYSIN and
gemcitabine was well tolerated, and resulted in disease control for a majority
of the patients. Of the ten patients evaluable for response, two
patients (breast and nasopharyngeal) had partial responses (PRs) and/or clinical
responses and five patients had SD for 4-8 cycles, for a total disease control
rate (CR (Complete Response)+PR+SD) of 70%.
Sanjay Goel and colleagues delivered a poster entitled "Dose Escalation and Pharmacodynamic
Study of Intravenous Administration of REOLYSIN, a Live Replication Competent
RNA Virus in Patients with Advanced Solid Tumors." The
results, which were previously announced in June 2007, demonstrated that
REOLYSIN was well tolerated. Of 18 patients treated in the trial,
eight demonstrated SD or better as measured by Response Evaluation Criteria in
Solid Tumors (RECIST) including a patient with progressive breast cancer who
experienced a PR (34% shrinkage in tumor volume).
posters will be available today on the Oncolytics website at www.oncolyticsbiotech.com
Oncolytics Biotech Inc.
is a Calgary-based biotechnology company focused on the development of oncolytic
viruses as potential cancer therapeutics. Oncolytics' clinical
program includes a variety of Phase I/II and Phase II human trials using
proprietary formulation of the human reovirus, alone and in combination with
radiation or chemotherapy. For further information about Oncolytics,
please visit www.oncolyticsbiotech.com
press release contains forward-looking statements, within the meaning of Section
21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Forward-looking
statements, including the implication of the materials presented at this meeting
with respect to REOLYSIN, the Company's expectations related to the results of
trials investigating delivery of REOLYSIN, and the Company's belief as to the
potential of REOLYSIN as a cancer therapeutic, involve known and unknown risks
and uncertainties, which could cause the Company's actual results to differ
materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Such risks and
uncertainties include, among others, the availability of funds and resources to
pursue research and development projects, the efficacy of REOLYSIN as a cancer
treatment, the success and timely completion of clinical studies and trials, the
Company's ability to successfully commercialize REOLYSIN, uncertainties related
to the research and development of pharmaceuticals, uncertainties related to the
regulatory process and general changes to the economic environment. Investors
should consult the Company's quarterly and annual filings with the Canadian and
U.S. securities commissions for additional information on risks and
uncertainties relating to the forward- looking statements. Investors are
cautioned against placing undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The
Company does not undertake to update these forward-looking statements, except as
required by applicable laws.
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