Oncolytics Biotech issued new U.S. patent

Oncolytics Biotech Inc. has announced that it has been granted U.S. Patent 7,264,798 entitled "Sensitization of Chemotherapeutic Agent Resistant Neoplastic Cells with a Virus."

The claims describe a method of using reovirus to prevent Ras-activated cancers from developing drug resistance to chemotherapeutic agents.

"Recent research conducted by the U.S. National Cancer Institute (NCI) and Cornell University demonstrated that administering reovirus in combination with various chemotherapeutic agents potentiates, or enhances tumour-killing, thus preventing the cancer cells from developing drug resistance," said Dr. Matt Coffey, Chief Scientific Officer.

"This patent complements the combination REOLYSIN(R) and chemotherapy clinical program that we are pursuing in the U.K."

Oncolytics is a Calgary-based biotechnology company focused on the development of oncolytic viruses as potential cancer therapeutics. Oncolytics' clinical program includes a variety of Phase I and Phase II human trials using REOLYSIN(R), its proprietary formulation of the human reovirus, alone and in combination with radiation or chemotherapy.