Equity Insider News Commentary
Issued on behalf of Oncolytics Biotech Inc.
VANCOUVER, BC, June 12,
2025 /CNW/ -- Equity Insider News
Commentary – The 2025 ASCO Annual Meeting has wrapped,
leaving behind a wave of cautious optimism across the oncology
landscape. From advances in immunotherapy and CAR T-cell strategies
to new applications in AI, diagnostics, and even exercise-based
interventions, this year's gathering spotlighted a broad array of
promising approaches. However, looming over the scientific
excitement are concerns about proposed U.S. budget cuts, including
a potential 40% reduction in funding for the National Cancer
Institute (NCI). As public investment comes under pressure,
many are turning to the private sector to carry the load — with
recent moves by companies like Oncolytics Biotech Inc.
(NASDAQ: ONCY) (TSX: ONC), Anixa Biosciences, Inc. (NASDAQ:
ANIX), Iovance Biotherapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: IOVA),
Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: REGN), and
ImmunityBio, Inc. (NASDAQ: IBRX).
The rising global burden of cancer is driving urgent demand for
next-generation therapies. By 2030, annual case counts are expected
to climb 20%, with projections pointing to a 75% surge by 2050,
according to Statista. Market researchers anticipate
oncology spending will scale to match: ResearchAndMarkets
forecasts the sector hitting US$866.1
billion by 2034, growing at a 10.8% CAGR, while Vision
Research Reports places the market for cancer treatments even
higher — surpassing US$903.81 billion
at a 10.9% CAGR.
Oncolytics Biotech Inc. (NASDAQ: ONCY) (TSX: ONC), just
announced a major leadership transition that could mark a pivotal
chapter in its clinical and corporate trajectory. The company has
appointed Jared Kelly as Chief
Executive Officer and member of the Board, a move that brings in a
seasoned biotech dealmaker known for high-value M&A and
immuno-oncology strategy.
Kelly most recently played a central role (as General Counsel)
in the $2 billion sale of Ambrx
Biopharma to Johnson & Johnson. Prior to that, he
advised numerous biotech firms on licensing and acquisitions during
his tenure at leading law firms Kirkland & Ellis LLP and
Lowenstein Sandler LLP. In joining Oncolytics, he
inherits one of the most intriguing immunotherapy agents and
pipelines in clinical oncology: pelareorep, a virus-based agent
with broad synergy potential in solid and hematologic tumors.
"Pelareorep's clinical data across multiple tumors is striking
and represents the potential for a true backbone immunotherapy to
address many in-need indications. Importantly, the data show that
pelareorep creates a robust immunologic response in difficult
tumors and increases survival in a patient population where
survival has historically evaded most patients," said Jared Kelly, CEO of Oncolytics Biotech.
"With a renewed focus and sharpened clinical development plan, we
believe we will move pelareorep forward effectively and efficiently
to a place where potential partners will see the value of a
de-risked immunotherapy. I am excited to get to work accelerating
development and unlocking significant value for stakeholders."
Kelly's appointment signals a clear priority: advancing
pelareorep toward late-stage inflection points with a
capital-efficient and partnership-aware strategy.
The asset currently holds FDA Fast Track designation in
both metastatic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (mPDAC) and
HR+/HER2- metastatic breast cancer (mBC)—a rare distinction that
reinforces its regulatory momentum. In trials to date, pelareorep
has consistently demonstrated immune activation, synergy with
chemotherapies and checkpoint inhibitors, and unusually strong
response rates across difficult-to-treat cancers.
In metastatic pancreatic cancer (mPDAC), pelareorep has
delivered over 60% objective response rates in tumor evaluable
patients across Phase 1 and 2 studies—more than double those
observed in historical controls— and, separately, two-year
survival rates 4-6 times those observed in control patients or in
prior studies. In HR+/HER2- metastatic breast cancer, two
randomized Phase 2 trials (IND-213 and BRACELET-1) showed
meaningful survival benefit.
And in anal cancer, early data from a phase 2 cohort combining
pelareorep with a checkpoint inhibitor showed partial or complete
responses in nearly half of evaluable patients—far exceeding
historical norms for monotherapy.
"Mr. Kelly's vision and track record is an extraordinary fit
with the standout clinical data pelareorep has generated to date,"
said Wayne Pisano, Chair of the
Board and outgoing Interim CEO of Oncolytics. "We believe
Mr. Kelly's well-documented ability to prioritize clinical program
development, execute successful financings, and attract the
attention of large industry peers will help maximize Oncolytics'
potential to deliver transformative outcomes for patients and
exceptional value for investors."
To align incentives with long-term shareholder value, Kelly's
compensation package includes equity and milestone-based awards
tied to future strategic transactions and financings. The structure
reflects Oncolytics' intention to drive both clinical and
corporate progress without overextending its cap table—while
remaining attractive to potential collaborators.
As multiple programs advance within the GOBLET study—including
pancreatic and anal cancer cohorts backed by regulatory support and
third-party funding—Oncolytics appears poised to benefit
from a combination of scientific traction, capital flexibility, and
strategic leadership.
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CONTINUED… Read this and more news for Oncolytics Biotech
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In other recent industry developments and happenings in the
market include:
Anixa Biosciences, Inc. (NASDAQ: ANIX) is advancing two
novel programs at the frontlines of cancer immunotherapy. The
company will present new data from its first-in-human ovarian
cancer CAR-T clinical trial later this month at the ESMO
Gynaecological Cancers Congress, showcasing a unique chimeric
endocrine receptor T-cell (CER-T) platform targeting the follicle
stimulating hormone receptor (FSHR).
Separately, Anixa is also working with Cleveland
Clinic to develop a preventative breast cancer vaccine designed
to train the immune system to recognize "retired" proteins
reactivated in early malignancies.
"While cancer vaccines have traditionally faced significant
hurdles, our approach is aimed at a novel target that has not been
previously explored in this context," said Dr. Amit Kumar, Chairman and CEO of Anixa
Biosciences. "We believe this could represent a new paradigm in
immuno-oncology. The breast cancer market, particularly for
triple-negative breast cancer and genetically high-risk
populations, continues to face a major unmet need. Our vaccine may
offer a unique, immunologic pathway for both prevention and
treatment."
Iovance Biotherapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: IOVA) has
published the final five-year analysis from its Phase 2 C-144-01
trial evaluating Amtagvi® (lifileucel), the first
FDA-approved T cell therapy for solid tumors in patients
with advanced melanoma.
"Amtagvi has demonstrated long-term benefit and meaningful
overall survival in a difficult-to-treat melanoma patient
population resistant to immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy," said
Theresa Medina, M.D., medical
oncologist at the University of
Colorado Cancer Center on the Anschutz Medical Campus.
"Five years following one-time Amtagvi treatment, responses
persisted or deepened during an extended treatment-free interval
for some patients. Amtagvi offers a new standard of care for the
advanced melanoma community and sets a new bar for one-time cell
therapies with curative intent in solid tumors."
The results, featured in the Journal of Clinical Oncology
and presented at ASCO 2025, highlight durable responses in
heavily pretreated patients—with nearly one-third of responders
maintaining benefit five years after a single treatment.
Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: REGN) recently
reported compelling Phase 3 results for Libtayo® (cemiplimab) as an
adjuvant therapy in patients with high-risk cutaneous squamous cell
carcinoma (CSCC) following surgery. The trial showed a 68%
reduction in disease recurrence or death and strong secondary
endpoint performance, including 80% and 65% reductions in
locoregional and distant recurrence, respectively.
"The Phase 3 C-POST trial demonstrates that cemiplimab is a
highly active therapy in high-risk CSCC, with clinically meaningful
outcomes across primary and secondary endpoints and exceptionally
low rates of locoregional and distant recurrence," said
Danny Rischin, M.D., Head of Head
and Neck Cancer and Cutaneous SCC at Peter MacCallum Cancer
Centre. "While surgery and radiotherapy remain the cornerstones
of treatment, there is a critical unmet need for systemic therapies
to help prevent relapse and metastasis."
Regulatory filings have already been submitted in the U.S. and
EU, and experts say these findings could reshape treatment
standards.
ImmunityBio, Inc. (NASDAQ: IBRX) is advancing what
may be the first true therapy for lymphopenia—a condition long
associated with poor outcomes in cancer but never directly treated
until now.
"Lymphopenia has long been recognized as a major driver and
predictor of early mortality in cancer—yet until now, it has
remained unaddressed," said Dr. Patrick
Soon-Shiong, Founder, Executive Chairman and Global Chief
Scientific and Medical Officer of ImmunityBio. "
Backed by FDA Expanded Access authorization, the company's
Cancer BioShield™ platform centers on ANKTIVA®, an IL-15
superagonist approved in bladder cancer and now being deployed to
help restore immune function in patients with solid tumors who've
exhausted first-line therapies.
"This FDA authorization allows all patients with solid
tumors suffering from immune collapse following first-line therapy
of chemo, radiation, or immunotherapy to access ANKTIVA," said
Soon-Shiong. "The survival benefit we observed at ASCO 2025 in
3rd to 6th line advanced metastatic
pancreatic cancer confirms that restoring lymphocyte levels—rather
than depleting them—can change the course of disease."
At ASCO 2025, ImmunityBio presented landmark data
showing that reversing lymphopenia with ANKTIVA and CAR-NK cells
significantly extended survival in late-stage pancreatic cancer
patients, especially when intervention occurred at a lower tumor
burden.
The results represent a potential paradigm shift: treating
immune collapse itself—not just the tumor—may drive better
long-term outcomes. Based on this mechanism, the platform could
open doors to broader applications in oncology, infectious disease,
and immune senescence.
Source:
https://equity-insider.com/2025/03/18/is-oncolytics-biotech-the-markets-most-undervalued-cancer-opportunity/
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