Interesting article worth checking out from McClatchy Newspapers.
Viruses aren't always the bad guys. Sure, they can cause colds, measles, AIDS and other miseries. But with some tinkering, these tiny organisms may become a new and better way to treat cancer.
...researchers are working with a harmless virus that sits in the lungs and intestines of most people. It's called a "reovirus," short for respiratory enteric orphaned virus. A Canadian company, Oncolytics Biotech, fiddles with reovirus genes to produce Reolysin, a virus that attacks a wide variety of cancers.
Read the full article here.
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Oncolytics Biotech Inc. Announces U.S. Phase 2 Clinical Trial Investigating Reolysin in Combination with Paclitaxel and Carboplatin
CALGARY, June 20 - Oncolytics Biotech Inc. ("Oncolytics") announced today that following U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) review, the Company is initiating a U.S. Phase 2 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. Monica Mita of the Cancer Therapy and Research Center, University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio, Texas (CTRC at UTHSCSA).
"REOLYSIN® is one of the more exciting targeted agents under development in oncology," said Dr. Frank Giles, Director of the Institute for Drug Development. "Our investigators within the CTRC at UTHSCSA are very excited to begin studying potential synergy with standard cytotoxic agents and are eager to expand our studies into other tumor types and utilizing other chemotherapy partner regimens."
This trial is a 14-patient, single arm, open-label, dose-targeted, non-randomized trial of REOLYSIN® given intravenously in combination with a standard dosage of paclitaxel and carboplatin.
Eligible patients include those with advanced or metastatic head and neck cancers that are refractory to standard therapy or for which no curative standard therapy exists. The primary objective of the Phase 2 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 cancers.
"REOLYSIN® is one of the more exciting targeted agents under development in oncology," said Dr. Frank Giles, Director of the Institute for Drug Development. "Our investigators within the CTRC at UTHSCSA are very excited to begin studying potential synergy with standard cytotoxic agents and are eager to expand our studies into other tumor types and utilizing other chemotherapy partner regimens."
This trial is a 14-patient, single arm, open-label, dose-targeted, non-randomized trial of REOLYSIN® given intravenously in combination with a standard dosage of paclitaxel and carboplatin.
Eligible patients include those with advanced or metastatic head and neck cancers that are refractory to standard therapy or for which no curative standard therapy exists. The primary objective of the Phase 2 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 cancers.
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Oncolytics Biotech Inc. to Present at BIO 2008 International Convention
CALGARY, June 12 - Oncolytics Biotech Inc., announced today that Dr. Brad Thompson, President and CEO of Oncolytics, will participate in two separate presentations at the BIO 2008 International Convention.
Dr. Thompson is scheduled to provide a corporate overview of the Company on Tuesday, June 17th at 3:30 p.m. PT at the BIO Business Forum.
On Wednesday, June 18th at 4:00 p.m. PT, Dr. Thompson is also scheduled to participate as an invited speaker as part of a panel discussion entitled "Canada: Your Global Partner for Cancer Research Innovation."
The Conference, which is expected to draw approximately 20,000 attendees, will be held at the San Diego Convention Center June 17th to June 20th, 2008.
Dr. Thompson is scheduled to provide a corporate overview of the Company on Tuesday, June 17th at 3:30 p.m. PT at the BIO Business Forum.
On Wednesday, June 18th at 4:00 p.m. PT, Dr. Thompson is also scheduled to participate as an invited speaker as part of a panel discussion entitled "Canada: Your Global Partner for Cancer Research Innovation."
The Conference, which is expected to draw approximately 20,000 attendees, will be held at the San Diego Convention Center June 17th to June 20th, 2008.
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Oncolytics Biotech Inc. Announces Start of Enrolment in Phase 1/2 Ovarian Cancer Clinical Trial with Reolysin
CALGARY, June 10 - Oncolytics Biotech Inc. ("Oncolytics") announced today that patient enrolment has started in a Phase 1/2 clinical trial for patients with metastatic ovarian, peritoneal and fallopian tube cancers using concurrent intravenous (IV) and intraperitoneal (IP) administration of REOLYSIN®, Oncolytics' proprietary formulation of the human reovirus. The National Cancer Institute (NCI), part of the National Institutes of Health, is sponsoring the trial under its Clinical Trials Agreement with Oncolytics, while Oncolytics will provide clinical supplies of REOLYSIN®. The Principal Investigator is Dr. David E. Cohn, Associate Professor, Division of Gynecologic Oncology at The Ohio State University College of Medicine in Columbus, Ohio.
"REOLYSIN® is an exciting agent to investigate in patients with ovarian cancer," said Dr. Cohn. "Targeting a specific alteration commonly present in these tumors will hopefully lead to efficacy with minimal toxicity."
"We are looking forward to working closely with the NCI to examine the effects of using REOLYSIN® with two concurrent methods of administration," said Dr. Brad Thompson, President and CEO of Oncolytics. "Our REOLYSIN® clinical program has now expanded to include ten Phase 1/2 or Phase 2 trials in the U.S. and the U.K. using REOLYSIN® as a monotherapy or in combination with radiation or chemotherapy."
In the Phase 1 portion of the trial, patients will receive a constant dose of IV REOLYSIN® on days 1-5 every 28 days, as well as an escalating dose of IP REOLYSIN® on days 1-2 every 28 days. In the Phase 2 portion of the study, patients will receive a constant dose of IV REOLYSIN® on days 1-5 every 28 days as well as the Maximum Tolerated Dose (MTD) of IP REOLYSIN® from the Phase 1 portion.
The primary objectives of the Phase 1 trial are to determine the safety and tolerability of intravenous and intraperitoneal administration of REOLYSIN®, and the MTD of IP REOLYSIN® when used with a fixed dose of IV REOLYSIN®. The primary objective of the Phase 2 trial is to determine the objective response rate of treatment with IV and IP REOLYSIN® in patients with recurrent, platinum-refractory ovarian, peritoneal and tubal carcinomas. The Phase 1/2 trial is expected to enroll up to 70 patients.
The American Cancer Society estimates that more than 22,000 women will be diagnosed with ovarian cancer in the U.S. in 2008, and more than 15,000 will die from it.
"REOLYSIN® is an exciting agent to investigate in patients with ovarian cancer," said Dr. Cohn. "Targeting a specific alteration commonly present in these tumors will hopefully lead to efficacy with minimal toxicity."
"We are looking forward to working closely with the NCI to examine the effects of using REOLYSIN® with two concurrent methods of administration," said Dr. Brad Thompson, President and CEO of Oncolytics. "Our REOLYSIN® clinical program has now expanded to include ten Phase 1/2 or Phase 2 trials in the U.S. and the U.K. using REOLYSIN® as a monotherapy or in combination with radiation or chemotherapy."
In the Phase 1 portion of the trial, patients will receive a constant dose of IV REOLYSIN® on days 1-5 every 28 days, as well as an escalating dose of IP REOLYSIN® on days 1-2 every 28 days. In the Phase 2 portion of the study, patients will receive a constant dose of IV REOLYSIN® on days 1-5 every 28 days as well as the Maximum Tolerated Dose (MTD) of IP REOLYSIN® from the Phase 1 portion.
The primary objectives of the Phase 1 trial are to determine the safety and tolerability of intravenous and intraperitoneal administration of REOLYSIN®, and the MTD of IP REOLYSIN® when used with a fixed dose of IV REOLYSIN®. The primary objective of the Phase 2 trial is to determine the objective response rate of treatment with IV and IP REOLYSIN® in patients with recurrent, platinum-refractory ovarian, peritoneal and tubal carcinomas. The Phase 1/2 trial is expected to enroll up to 70 patients.
The American Cancer Society estimates that more than 22,000 women will be diagnosed with ovarian cancer in the U.S. in 2008, and more than 15,000 will die from it.
Monday, June 9, 2008
Oncolytics Biotech, Inc. Files Form F-10
Oncolytics Biotech, Inc. filed Form F-10 with the United States Securities and Exchange Commision. See the text here.
Oncolytics Biotech Starts Patient Enrolment in U.K. Phase II Clinical Trial Investigating Reolysin in Combination With Paclitaxel and Carboplatin
CALGARY, Canada, June 5 -- Oncolytics Biotech Inc. ("Oncolytics") announced today that that it has started patient enrolment in 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. This trial is a 14-patient, single arm, open-label, dose-targeted, non-randomized trial of REOLYSIN® given intravenously in combination with a standard dosage of paclitaxel and carboplatin. Eligible patients include those with advanced or metastatic head and neck cancers 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.
Monday, June 2, 2008
Oncolytics Biotech Inc. Collaborators Present Positive Phase II Sarcoma Trial Results at ASCO Annual Meeting
CALGARY, Canada, June 2/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 yesterday at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) annual meeting. The 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 and her team at the Institute of Drug Development (IDD), the Cancer Therapy and Research Center at the University of Texas Health Science Center, (UTHSC), San Antonio, Texas.
The interim results demonstrate that the treatment has been well tolerated to date, with 8 of 16 evaluable patients experiencing stable disease for periods ranging from two to more than ten, 28-day cycles. As previously announced by Oncolytics, the third patient treated in the study was demonstrated to have stable disease by RECIST criteria for more than six months as measured by CT scan. A PET scan taken at the same time showed that any residual mass was metabolically inert.
"These very encouraging data have increased our commitment to the thorough investigation of this exciting, unique, truly targeted agent," said Dr Francis Giles, Director of the IDD at UTHSC.
"We feel privileged to participate in this study and to be able to offer this therapeutic option to our patients," said Dr. Mita. "Patients have tolerated the treatment well and seem to have disease control up to several months, which is encouraging for patients with advanced refractory sarcoma." A copy of the poster will be available on the Oncolytics' website today.
The interim results demonstrate that the treatment has been well tolerated to date, with 8 of 16 evaluable patients experiencing stable disease for periods ranging from two to more than ten, 28-day cycles. As previously announced by Oncolytics, the third patient treated in the study was demonstrated to have stable disease by RECIST criteria for more than six months as measured by CT scan. A PET scan taken at the same time showed that any residual mass was metabolically inert.
"These very encouraging data have increased our commitment to the thorough investigation of this exciting, unique, truly targeted agent," said Dr Francis Giles, Director of the IDD at UTHSC.
"We feel privileged to participate in this study and to be able to offer this therapeutic option to our patients," said Dr. Mita. "Patients have tolerated the treatment well and seem to have disease control up to several months, which is encouraging for patients with advanced refractory sarcoma." A copy of the poster will be available on the Oncolytics' website today.
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