Wednesday, May 14, 2008

Oncolytics Biotech Inc. Announces U.K. Phase II Clinical Trial Investigating REOLYSIN® in Combination with Paclitaxel and Carboplatin

CALGARY, AB, --- May 14, 2008 - Oncolytics Biotech Inc. (“Oncolytics”) (TSX:ONC, NASDAQ:ONCY) announced today that that it has received a letter of approval from the U.K. Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) for its Clinical Trial Application (CTA) to begin a Phase II clinical trial using intravenous administration of REOLYSIN® in combination with paclitaxel and carboplatin in patients with advanced head and neck cancers. The principal investigator is Dr. Kevin Harrington of The Institute of Cancer Research and The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust.

“Interim data recently presented from our U.K. Phase I dose escalation trial of REOLYSIN® in combination with paclitaxel and carboplatin indicated strong and durable responses in patients with advanced head and neck cancers,” said Dr. Brad Thompson, President and CEO of Oncolytics. “We believe it is important to further explore these findings by conducting a Phase II trial in this specific patient population.”


This trial is a 14 patient, single arm, open-label, dose-targeted, non-randomized, multi-centre trial of REOLYSIN® given intravenously in combination with a standard dosage of paclitaxel and carboplatin. Patients with a variety of advanced cancers, including head and neck cancers, will continue to be treated in the ongoing U.K. combination paclitaxel and carboplatin trial.


Eligible patients include those with advanced or metastatic head and neck cancer that are refractory to standard therapy or for which no curative standard therapy exists. The primary objective of the Phase II trial is to measure tumour responses and duration of response, and to describe any evidence of antitumour activity. The secondary objective is to determine the safety and tolerability of REOLYSIN® when administered in combination with paclitaxel and carboplatin to patients with advanced or metastatic head and neck cancer.

No comments: