{"id":417588,"date":"2021-01-20T07:03:16","date_gmt":"2021-01-20T12:03:16","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.marketnewsdesk.com\/?p=417588"},"modified":"2021-01-20T07:03:16","modified_gmt":"2021-01-20T12:03:16","slug":"oncorus-announces-publication-of-preclinical-data-demonstrating-potent-systemic-antitumor-activity-of-its-clinical-stage-oncolytic-herpes-simplex-viral-immunotherapy-product-candidate-oncr-177","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.marketnewsdesk.com\/index.php\/oncorus-announces-publication-of-preclinical-data-demonstrating-potent-systemic-antitumor-activity-of-its-clinical-stage-oncolytic-herpes-simplex-viral-immunotherapy-product-candidate-oncr-177\/","title":{"rendered":"Oncorus Announces Publication of Preclinical Data Demonstrating Potent Systemic Antitumor Activity of its Clinical Stage Oncolytic Herpes Simplex Viral Immunotherapy Product Candidate ONCR-177"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

\n — Preclinical findings show that ONCR-177\u2019s systemic antitumor immunity is driven by its\u00a0<\/em>
\n five complementary immunomodulatory transgene payloads and retention of \u03b3<\/em>
\n 34.5 —<\/em>\n <\/p>\n

— Complete and durable tumor regression and protective antitumor memory observed in multiple syngeneic tumor models —<\/em><\/p>\n

— Preclinical safety data and preliminary readout from the ongoing Phase 1 study support Oncorus\u2019 proprietary safety strategies — <\/em><\/p>\n

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. , Jan. 20, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Oncorus, Inc. (Nasdaq: ONCR), a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company developing next-generation, systemically active viral immunotherapies to transform outcomes for cancer patients, announced today the recent publication of preclinical data supporting the clinical development of its lead oncolytic Herpes Simplex Virus (oHSV) clinical candidate, ONCR-177. In the paper, entitled, \u201cONCR-177, an Oncolytic HSV-1 Designed to Potently Activate Systemic Antitumor Immunity\u201d (Haines, et al., 2020), published<\/a> online in the journal Cancer Immunology Research<\/em>, ONCR-177 demonstrated potent and durable antitumor activity in multiple immune-competent tumor models. The preclinical findings demonstrate that the activity of ONCR-177, an intratumorally administered viral immunotherapy engineered for systemic activity currently in a Phase 1 study, is driven by Oncorus\u2019 unique combination of five complementary immunomodulatory transgene payloads in addition to its retention of \u03b334.5. A herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) gene, \u03b334.5 allows the virus to replicate in the presence of host antiviral immune responses. ONCR-177\u2019s safety strategies and their ability to enhance oHSV tolerability without impeding potency were previously characterized in a paper published<\/a> by Oncorus in September 2020 in Molecular Therapy<\/em> on ONCR-159, the unarmed version of ONCR-177, (Kennedy et al., 2020) titled, \u201cDesign of an Interferon-Resistant Oncolytic HSV-1 Incorporating Redundant Safety Modalities for Improved Tolerability.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are pleased to share these encouraging preclinical findings, which supported our advancement of ONCR-177 into clinical development last year. These data give important insight into how our proprietary engineering of ONCR-177 may enable systemic activity without compromising safety, and position us to advance our mission to realize the full potential of this therapeutic class for cancer patients,\u201d said Theodore (Ted) Ashburn, M.D., Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer at Oncorus. \u201cWe believe viral immunotherapies as a class are a proven modality and represent the most promising approach in development today to activate multiple arms of the immune system and improve outcomes for cancer patients.\u201d<\/p>\n

Oncorus is conducting a Phase 1 study to evaluate the safety and tolerability of ONCR-177 as well as to evaluate preliminary antitumor activity in patients with solid tumors (NCT04348916<\/a>) as a monotherapy and in combination with Merck\u2019s anti-PD-1 therapy, KEYTRUDA\u00ae<\/em><\/sup> (pembrolizumab) via a clinical trial collaboration and supply agreement signed<\/a> with Merck in July 2020. Oncorus expects to report initial interim data from the monotherapy dose escalation part of this trial in the second half of 2021 with addition data readouts through the second half of 2022.<\/p>\n

Christophe Qu\u00e9va, Ph.D., Oncorus\u2019 Chief Scientific Officer and Senior Vice President, Research, commented, \u201cWe have designed our proprietary oHSV Platform to safely maximize the impact of viral immunotherapies to foster the development of a potent systemic antitumor activity. With our Phase 1 study of ONCR-177 now well underway, we look forward to the potential of these preclinical findings translating into improving patient outcomes.\u201d<\/p>\n

In addition to ONCR-177, Oncorus plans to nominate a second intratumorally administered oHSV clinical candidate to specifically target cancers of the central nervous system, including glioblastoma multiforme, in the second half of 2021 (ONCR-GBM). In the first half of 2021, Oncorus plans to nominate intravenously administered Synthetic Coxsackievirus A21 and Synthetic Seneca Valley Virus clinical candidates from its Synthetic Virus Platform for difficult-to-inject tumors such as those of the lung.<\/p>\n

\n Preclinical Data Highlights<\/strong>\n <\/p>\n

Highlights from Oncorus\u2019 preclinical data described in these papers include:<\/p>\n