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Oncolytics Biotech (R) Announces Study to Investigate Combination of Pelareorep and Avelumab in Metastatic Breast Cancer in Collaboration with Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, and Pfizer
Phase 2 BRACELET-1 study to evaluate Oncolytics' systemically delivered oncolytic virus, pel...
About this update from Oncolytics Biotech Inc.
[{"type":"text","content":"Oncolytics Biotech (R) Announces Study to Investigate Combination of Pelareorep and Avelumab in Metastatic Breast Cancer in Collaboration with Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, and PfizerPhase 2 BRACELET-1 study to evaluate Oncolytics' systemically delivered oncolytic virus, pelareorep, in combination with paclitaxel and anti-PD-L1 antibody avelumab SAN DIEGO, CA and CALGARY, AB / ACCESSWIRE / June 5, 2019 / Oncolytics Biotech® Inc. (NASDAQ: ONCY) (TSX: ONC), currently developing pelareorep, an intravenously delivered immuno-oncolytic virus, today announced that the company has entered into an agreement with Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, a leading science and technology company, which operates in the US and Canada as EMD Serono, and Pfizer Inc. (NYSE: PFE). The agreement is to co-develop pelareorep in combination with paclitaxel and avelumab*, a human anti-PD-L1 antibody, for the treatment of hormone-receptor positive, human epidermal growth factor 2-negative (HR+ / HER2-) metastatic breast cancer. Oncolytics and Pfizer will share costs associated with the phase 2 clinical trial. \"Our co-development agreement with Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany and Pfizer reflects a growing interest in the potential synergistic effect of oncolytic viruses and immune checkpoint inhibitors and provides yet another point of validation for our technology,\" said Dr. Matt Coffey, President and Chief Executive Officer of Oncolytics Biotech. \"We believe pelareorep has broad applicability to boost the effectiveness of a range of checkpoint inhibitors across multiple cancer indications. We are excited to work with Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, and Pfizer and look forward to quickly developing the program to evaluate the efficacy and safety in metastatic breast cancer and potentially examining pelareorep in combination with other immunotherapies.\" \"We look forward to working with Oncolytics to assess the potential synergies of avelumab with their oncolytic virus platform to treat metastatic breast cancer.\" said Chris Boshoff, M.D., Ph.D., Senior Vice President and Chief Development Officer, Oncology, Pfizer. \"Through our collaboration with Oncolytics, we continue to advance our strategy to develop innovative immunotherapy combinations tackling the most challenging cancers,\" said Kevin Chin, Vice President, Global Clinical Development, Immuno...