Research Publication On Immune Response To REOLYSIN During A Phase I Clinical Trial

Main Category: Cancer / Oncology
Also Included In: Clinical Trials / Drug Trials
Article Date: 18 Mar 2008 - 1:00 PDT

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Dr. Kevin Harrington and team at The Institute of Cancer Research, London, U.K. published the results of their work characterizing immune system responses to administration of intravenous REOLYSIN® in a Phase I clinical trial. The paper, entitled "Characterization of the Adaptive and Innate Immune Response to Intravenous Oncolytic Reovirus (Dearing Type 3) during a Phase I Clinical Trial" appears online in the March 6, 2008 issue of Gene Therapy.

"This important work further defines the relationship between viral therapy and human immune response, and supports the development of our ongoing Phase II clinical trial program." said Dr. Brad Thompson, President and CEO of Oncolytics.

The investigators conducted a detailed analysis of the immune effects of intravenous viral therapy by collecting and analyzing immune response to the presence of the virus. The results suggest that reovirus may stimulate the immune system to mount a dynamic immune response to the presence of virus, increasing the potential to significantly enhance the efficacy of oncolytic virotherapy. About a third of those patients also showed increases in NK (natural killer) cells following therapy. The data support the development of interventions aimed at blunting the patient's immune response, although preclinical data also suggest that maintaining a baseline level is necessary to restrict systemic spread/toxicity of the virus.

About Oncolytics Biotech Inc.

Oncolytics 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 REOLYSIN®, its proprietary formulation of the human reovirus, alone and in combination with radiation or chemotherapy. For further information about Oncolytics, please visit http://www.oncolyticsbiotech.com