Oncolytics Biotech Inc ONCY

RE:RE:RE:Breast cancer treatment: perspectives on the oncolytic virus

[Noteable]

March 19, 2024 - Clinical evidence involving the checkpoint inhibitor pembrolizumab + chemotherapy demonstrates effectiveness in triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) pointing towards the benefit of adding an oncolytic virus, like ONCY's pelareorep, to further enhance the above effective doublet in both TNBC and ER+/HER2 negative breast cancer.

"Patients were either treated with pembrolizumab and chemotherapy before and after surgery, or with a placebo. Researchers measured the lack of cancer signs in tissue samples, also known as a pathological complete response (PCR) rate" Patients were either treated with pembrolizumab and chemotherapy before and after surgery, or with a placebo. Researchers measured the lack of cancer signs in tissue samples, also known as a pathological complete response (PCR) rate.

Prof Javier Corts, the director of the International Breast Cancer Centre in Barcelona, Spain, said there was a “statistically significant increase” in PCR rate among those treated with pembrolizumab.

About 24.3% of patients had no cancer cells remaining in the breast or lymph nodes compared with 15.6% of patients treated with a placebo."

"Treating a common form of breast cancer with pembrolizumab, as well as chemotherapy, before and after surgery could be effective regardless of the patient’s age or if they have gone through the menopause, researchers found. 

They trialled the drug on women with early-stage breast cancer that is at high risk of recurring or spreading further, and that is oestrogen-receptor positive (ER positive) and HER2 negative."

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2024/mar/19/breast-cancer-drug-may-help-thousands-more-women