RE:ONCY pelareorep + CAR-T therapy as explained by Mayo ClinicThe Mayo Clinic study is published in Science Translational Medicine, a prestigious peer reviewed journal, and was posted here beforehand with the release of ONCY's press release. The press release can be found on ONCY's website.
SAN DIEGO, Calif. and CALGARY, AB, April 14, 2022 /CNW/ -- Oncolytics Biotech® Inc. (NASDAQ: ONCY) (TSX: ONC) today announced the publication of preclinical data demonstrating the synergistic anti-cancer activity of pelareorep combined with chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy in solid tumors. The paper, entitled "Oncolytic virus-mediated expansion of dual-specific CAR T cells improves efficacy against solid tumors in mice," was published in Science Translational Medicine in collaboration with researchers at several prestigious institutions, including the Mayo Clinic and Duke University. Preclinical studies published in the paper evaluated the persistence and efficacy of pelareorep-loaded CAR T cells ("CAR/Pela therapy") in multiple murine solid tumor models. The effects of combining CAR/Pela therapy with a subsequent intravenous dose of pelareorep ("pelareorep boost") were also investigated. Key data and conclusions from the paper include:
- The persistence and anti-cancer activity of CAR T cells improved drastically when loaded with pelareorep. Compared to either treatment alone, treatment with CAR/Pela therapy led to statistically significant survival benefits in murine skin and brain cancer models.
- CAR/Pela therapy followed by a pelareorep boost led to enhanced efficacy in murine skin and brain cancer models and tumor cures in >80% of treated mice in each model.
- Loading CAR T cells with pelareoep led to improved cancer cell targeting and prevented antigen escape in vivo by generating CAR T cells with dual specificity that target their designed antigen and the native T cell receptor antigen. These results indicate that CAR/Pela therapy may provide longer-lasting therapeutic benefits compared to treatment with CAR T cells alone.
https://www.oncolyticsbiotech.com/press-releases/detail/570/oncolytics-biotech-announces-publication-of-preclinical
In summary - the efficacy of pelareorep-loaded CAR T cells was augmented when the murine subjects received a subsequent intravenous dose (boost) of pelareorep, and overall demonstrated the ability of pelareorep-loaded CAR T cells to overcome the three most significant barriers to effective CAR T therapy by dramatically increasing CAR T cell persistence, reversing immunosuppressive TMEs, and reducing antigen escape.