Oncolytics begins enrollment in 2-Arm carboplatin Phase II randomized study for pancreatic cancer

Feb 17 2011

Oncolytics Biotech Inc. announced today that enrollment has begun in a 2-Arm randomized Phase II study of carboplatin, paclitaxel plus REOLYSIN^® versus carboplatin and paclitaxel alone in the first line treatment of patients with recurrent or metastatic pancreatic cancer. The Principal Investigator is Dr. Tanios Bekaii-Saab, Medical Director of Gastrointestinal Oncology at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center - Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute. The Cancer Therapy Evaluation Program, Division of Cancer Treatment and Diagnosis, U.S. National Cancer Institute (NCI), which is part of the National Institutes of Health, is sponsoring the trial under its Clinical Trials Agreement with Oncolytics, while Oncolytics will provide clinical supplies of REOLYSIN.

"Pancreatic cancer has seen very little progress over the last few decades," said Dr. Tanios Bekaii-Saab, principal investigator. "This clinical trial will allow us to evaluate a promising new treatment for pancreatic cancer with the goal of improving long-term survival for patients who typically have a poor prognosis."

The study is an open-label, multi-institution, 2-Arm Phase II randomized study of patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer. Patients will be randomized to receive either carboplatin, paclitaxel plus REOLYSIN (Arm A) or carboplatin and paclitaxel alone (Arm B). Patients in both arms will receive treatment every three weeks (21-day cycles). Patients in both arms will be receiving standard intravenous doses of paclitaxel and carboplatin on day one only. In Arm A, patients will also receive intravenous REOLYSIN at a dose of 3x10¹⁰ TCID₅₀ on days one through five. Tumor response assessment will be done by CT scan and conducted every eight weeks. Patients that progress on carboplatin and paclitaxel (Arm B) will have REOLYSIN added. If patients experience significant toxicity related to carboplatin and/or paclitaxel they may continue with single agent REOLYSIN.

The primary objective of the trial is to assess improvement in progression-free survival with REOLYSIN, carboplatin and paclitaxel relative to carboplatin and paclitaxel alone in patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer. The primary endpoint is progression free survival in both arms. Secondary endpoints include overall response rate and overall survival. The study is expected to enroll approximately 70 patients.