CEO Discusses Development

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Oncolytics Chairman, President and CEO, Dr. Brad Thompson, told Knobias on Thursday, "The reovirus works by exploiting a set of mutations in the RAS pathway, a signaling pathway in the cell. Approximately two thirds of all human cancer cells may have mutations along the RAS pathway and could become targets for our REOLYSIN(R) therapy."

"Currently, we are testing REOLYSIN in seven Phase I and Phase II studies in the U.S. and the U.K. The U.S. National Cancer Institute has also shown interest in REOLYSIN, and has signed a clinical trial agreement to test REOLYSIN in multiple clinical trials. In May 2007, the NCI submitted a protocol to the FDA to begin a Phase II trial of REOLYSIN for metastatic melanoma."

Dr. Thompson explained, "A small number of companies in North America and Europe are developing viruses as cancer therapeutics, however the reovirus has certain advantages. Several of the most important include: One, it is a replication competent virus, meaning that once it enters a cancer cell, it will replicate until it bursts the cancer cell, releasing thousands of progeny virus particles which then proceed to infect and kill nearby cancer cells; Two, the reovirus is non-pathogenic, meaning it does not cause disease in humans. With more than 130 patients treated in clinical studies to date, toxicities have generally been mild (grade 1 or 2) and have included fatigue, fever and other flu-like symptoms; Three, we have successfully manufactured REOLYSIN at 40-litre capacity and are currently developing manufacturing capacity at the 100-litre (or commercial) level; Four, the reovirus can be combined with radiation or chemotherapy to achieve a synergistic effect; Five, recent studies have demonstrated that the reovirus can kill cancer cells directly, but they may also educate the immune system to kill cancer cells over time."
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