Oncolytics Biotech® Announces Publication Demonstrating Pelareorep Creates Immune Responses in Liver Cancer That Make Tumors Susceptible to Immunotherapy
Key Highlights
- ➤PNAS publication shows pelareorep converts liver cancer tumors from immunologically cold to active
- ➤Pelareorep infection dramatically increased PD-L1, ICOSL, and CD8+ T-cell density
- ➤Findings suggest checkpoint inhibitors and other therapies could become effective in liver cancer
- ➤Oncolytics Biotech (ONCY) says liver cancer is not an indication it currently intends to pursue
Expert Statements
Thomas Heineman, Chief Medical Officer of Oncolytics Biotech
“This publication provides additional evidence that pelareorep alters the tumor microenvironment in traditionally challenging indications.”
Thomas Heineman, Chief Medical Officer of Oncolytics Biotech
“The ability to enable chemotherapy, checkpoint inhibitors, RAS inhibitors, and other treatments to be viable in cancers that have previously been untreatable is helping to drive our business development conversations.”
Thomas Heineman, Chief Medical Officer of Oncolytics Biotech
“While liver cancer is not an indication we intend to pursue at this time, the data align with our narrative that pelareorep works in challenging tumor types and can be considered a backbone immunotherapy that can improve the activity of many cancer treatments, while maintaining a favorable safety profile.”
SAN DIEGO, Sept. 29, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Oncolytics Biotech(®) Inc. (Nasdaq: ONCY) (“Oncolytics” or the “Company”), a clinical-stage immunotherapy company developing pelareorep, today announced data published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences show pelareorep’s ability to change an immunologically inactive liver cancer tumor microenvironment into one that is immunologically active and potentially susceptible to immune-based therapy. The academic paper titled “MicroRNA-driven regulation of immunosuppressive microenvironment in hepatocellular carcinoma” was published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences on September 28, 2026 (link to the paper). Pelareorep is an investigational, systemically active immunotherapy that promotes potentially protective immune responses, including the upregulation of key inflammatory cytokines resulting in the formation of tertiary lymphoid structures and the expansion of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes.
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