Oncolytics Biotech Develops Promising Treatment as Pancreatic Cancer Incidence Rises

Pancreatic cancer is increasingly affecting not just older adults but also younger individuals and women. Alarmingly, a study found that in the U.S., the incidence of pancreatic cancer among those under 55 is rising more rapidly than in older populations. Currently the third leading cause of cancer deaths, it is expected to become the second by 2030, surpassing colorectal cancer.

This year alone, 66,440 Americans will be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, a record number for this deadly disease, and approximately 51,750 Americans are expected to die from it this year. The five-year survival rate remains a dismal 13%, largely due to late-stage diagnoses when the cancer has already metastasized.

Given these grim statistics, significant research is being directed towards earlier detection and more effective treatments. The global pancreatic cancer market is projected to reach $7.4 billion by 2032, growing at a CAGR of 13.7% during the forecast period.

Oncolytics Biotech Inc. (NASDAQ: ONCY), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company specializing in immunotherapeutics, is developing pelareorep, an intravenously delivered immunotherapeutic agent showing promising results in phase 1 and 2 studies for pancreatic cancer. Pelareorep works by inducing anti-cancer immune responses and promoting an inflamed tumor phenotype, effectively turning “cold” tumors “hot.” This process helps the immune system recognize and kill cancer cells while remodeling the tumor microenvironment to allow immune cell access. When combined with existing treatments like chemotherapy, pelareorep has demonstrated the potential to extend survival times.

Currently, pelareorep is being tested in the GOBLET study, a phase 1/2 multiple-indication study in advanced or metastatic gastrointestinal cancers conducted at 17 centers in Germany. The study aims to investigate the safety of the drug combination and improvements in tumor size. Recently, the GOBLET study expanded to include a new cohort to test pelareorep and modified FOLFIRINOX (mFOLFIRINOX) with or without atezolizumab (Tecentriq®) in newly diagnosed metastatic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) patients. Supported by a $5 million Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (PanCAN) Therapeutic Accelerator Award, the new cohort is testing the objective response rate (ORR) and safety.

Oncolytics Biotech recently dosed the first patient in this expanded cohort, marking a significant milestone. Dr. Thomas Heineman, Chief Medical Officer at Oncolytics, noted that the combination of pelareorep, atezolizumab, gemcitabine, and nab-paclitaxel in pancreatic cancer patients more than doubled tumor response rates compared to earlier chemotherapy trials. This combination received Fast Track Designation from the FDA and is expected to be evaluated in an adaptive registration-enabling trial through the Global Coalition for Adaptive Research (GCAR).

If pelareorep proves effective, it could broaden the population of metastatic pancreatic cancer patients who could benefit from pelareorep-based therapies. Dr. Matt Coffey, President and CEO of Oncolytics, emphasized the company’s commitment to advancing multiple pelareorep programs toward registration track studies and expanding its potential as a backbone immunotherapy for various tumor types.

Photo by National Cancer Institute on Unsplash.