Biotech Companies Making Strides in Pancreatic Cancer Treatment and Early Detection

USA News Group Commentary Issued on behalf of Oncolytics Biotech Inc.

VANCOUVER, BC, May 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- USA News Group – Hope is rising in the fight against one of the deadliest cancers in the world, as a new study recently claimed that a blood test can accurately detect early-stage pancreatic cancer with 97% accuracy. According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, up to 10% of patients who receive an early diagnosis become disease-free after treatment, meaning the earlier it's detected, the better the patient's chances to survive. The American Cancer Society estimates that about 66,440 people (34,530 men and 31,910 women) will be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in the USA this year, projecting about 51,750 people will succumb to the disease. Working diligently behind the scenes, several biotech drug developers are making progress in new treatments, including recent updates from Oncolytics Biotech Inc. (NASDAQ: ONCY) (TSX: ONC), Candel Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: CADL), ABVC BioPharma, Inc. (NASDAQ: ABVC), CytomX Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: CTMX), and Amgen Inc. (NASDAQ: AMGN).

Pelareorep, an intravenously delivered immunotherapeutic agent being developed by Oncolytics Biotech Inc. (NASDAQ: ONCY) (TSX: ONC), is gaining momentum as a potential treatment for multiple cancers, especially breast cancer and pancreatic cancer. In late 2022, the FDA granted pelareorep Fast Track Designation for treating pancreatic cancer, following promising clinical results. Now Oncolytics has recently announced a preliminary collaboration with the Global Coalition for Adaptive Research (GCAR), with the purpose of commencing planning activities for the evaluation of pelareorep in the treatment of first-line metastatic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), as part of GCAR's anticipated master protocol for metastatic pancreatic cancer.

GCAR's activities are already underway to finalize the seamless Phase 2/3 master protocol design that will evaluate multiple investigational therapies for pancreatic cancer treatment. Thus, the intent of the pelareorep study will be to produce registration-enabling data.

"We are thrilled to collaborate with GCAR and are honored that pelareorep has been selected as the first therapeutic for evaluation in GCAR's planned adaptive trial in pancreatic cancer patients," said Dr. Matt Coffey, President and Chief Executive Officer of Oncolytics. "We believe this opportunity presents a strategic and efficient pathway forward for the development of pelareorep to address an urgent need for pancreatic cancer patients. GCAR's anticipated trial design seeks to cut registrational study time and reduce trial costs, speeding up the journey to potentially deliver effective cancer treatment sooner."