Summary
Oncolytics Biotech is a Canadian development-stage biopharmaceutical company that focuses on the discovery and development of pharmaceutical products for cancer treatment, specifically with the aim of weakening tumour defence mechanisms. Malignant (cancerous) tumours can perform many unique cellular processes that differentiate them from normal cells which prevents tumour cell defeat by the immune system. Oncolytics Biotech aims to use immunotherapeutics - a branch of biological therapies that use synthetic substances to activate the immune system for stronger responses. This approach proposes many new treatments (most of which are currently being tested in phase II clinical trials) that will support the immune system in a more powerful fight against cancer.
Oncolytics Biotech represents a new type of medicine known as precision medicine in which the company takes the patient's genome into account during drug production to reduce the chance of immunological rejection, resulting in a higher success rate. The company's lead product is Pelareorep. Simply put, Pelareorep is an oncolytic virus that causes tumour cells to burst and activates multiple immune system entities. It is delivered intravenously and specifically targets cells that are Ras-activated, a cellular pathway that allows rapid division. While approximately 1/3 of cancers are Ras-activated, the remaining 2/3 cannot be made to burst, which means not all patients can be treated using Pelareorep.
Oncolytics Biotech has decided to embark on a co-developmental journey with Merck KGaA and Pfizer to combine Pelareorep with Paclitaxel, a chemotherapy medication, and Avelumab, an anti-cancer antibody medication. This combination is being tested because oncolytic viruses, such as Pelareorep, have the potential to enhance existing cancer treatments like Paclitaxel and Avelumab, leading to the elimination of resistant cancer cells and reducing cancer relapses. Currently, Oncolytics Biotech is conducting experiments on breast cancer cells using Pelareorep and Pfizer's drug Bavencio (Avelumab).