On May 27, 2021 Oncorus, Inc. (Nasdaq: ONCR), a viral immunotherapies company focused on driving innovation to transform outcomes for cancer patients, reported the nomination of its first Synthetic viral RNA (vRNA) immunotherapy clinical candidates, ONCR-021 and ONCR-788 (Press release, Oncorus, MAY 27, 2021, View Source [SID1234583253]). Oncorus’ pioneering intravenous (IV)-administered approach involves encapsulating the genomes of RNA viruses known to kill cancer cells (i.e., oncolytic viruses, or OVs) in a lipid nanoparticle (or LNP), creating a Synthetic vRNA immunotherapy. ONCR-021 encodes an optimized strain of Coxsackievirus A21 (CVA21), and ONCR-788 encodes for a modified version of the Seneca Valley Virus (SVV). Both CVA21 and SVV have extensive clinical experience and favorable safety profiles when administered IV. Oncorus’ novel Synthetic vRNA approach holds the potential for IV-administration and avoids the challenge of neutralizing antibodies seen in previous approaches with IV-administered OVs. Oncorus plans to investigate its novel Synthetic vRNA immunotherapies in multiple histologies including cancers of the lung both as monotherapy and in combination with immune checkpoint inhibitors and other cancer treatments.
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"There has been a notable rise in the development and approval of RNA-based vaccines, most prominently for COVID-19, and therapeutics for certain rare diseases. To date, however, there are no approved RNA-based cancer therapies. Simultaneously, the therapeutic benefit of viral immunotherapy
has been limited to intratumoral (iTu) administration, restricting broader applications of this modality. In addition, past investigational programs that utilized IV-administered natural OVs faced the challenge of neutralizing antibodies which likely hinders the clinical efficacy of later doses. Our proprietary Synthetic vRNA Immunotherapy Platform involves a highly innovative, novel combination of RNA- and OV-based modalities and, in doing so, holds the potential to create a new pillar in cancer therapy," said Theodore (Ted) Ashburn, M.D., Ph.D., President and CEO of Oncorus.
LNP-encapsulated IV-administered vRNA to create a "living immunostimulatory drug"
Developing IV-administered RNA medicines for cancer requires addressing two primary technological hurdles: first, getting adequate concentrations of the RNA-based drug candidate to all tumor cells, and second, limiting exposure to normal tissue throughout the body.
OVs, through rapid, self-amplification of their genomes in permissive cells and their ability to infect nearby cancer cells, are a potential answer to the challenge of the suboptimal LNP delivery of cargo RNA to tumor cells. In addition, OVs are selected or engineered to replicate more robustly in cells with deficiencies in antiviral responses, as is the case for cancer cells. OVs’ selectivity for tumors ensures that their genomes, when delivered by LNP, are minimally or not at all replicating in healthy tissues, thus potentially providing a large therapeutic window for Oncorus’ Synthetic vRNA immunotherapy candidates. Furthermore, the immunogenic cell death triggered by OVs, and the release of tumor antigens in an inflamed tumor microenvironment, are expected to broadly stimulate the immune system in its fight against cancer.
"Taken together, the oncolytic and immunogenic properties of OVs, combined with the broad tissue distribution enabled by IV-administered LNPs and the tumor selective self-amplification afforded by vRNA, opens the door to the successful application of IV-administered RNA medicines in cancer," explained Dr. Ashburn. "This approach holds the promise of improving outcomes for patients across multiple types of cancer, in particular those with cancers of the lung."
Christophe Quéva, Ph.D., Oncorus’ Chief Scientific Officer, said, "We are proud of our team’s work to advance both our oncolytic Herpes Simplex Virus and Synthetic Viral RNA Immunotherapy Platforms. With this dual-platform strategy, we are building a versatile pipeline of iTu-administered and IV-administered viral immunotherapy product candidates that will potentially enable the treatment of a broad range of cancer settings. We continue to advance our lead oHSV candidate, ONCR-177, through Phase 1 study, and we are working diligently to progress our lead synthetic candidates, ONCR-021 and ONCR-788, into the clinic."
ONCR-021 and ONCR-788 Clinical Development and In-House GMP Manufacturing
Oncorus plans to file an investigational new drug (IND) application for ONCR-021 in the first half of 2023 to enable clinical development for non-small cell lung cancer and other cancers such as hepatocellular carcinoma, clear cell renal cell carcinoma and melanoma, both as a single agent and in combination with immune checkpoint inhibitors. Following the IND filing for ONCR-021, Oncorus plans to file an IND for ONCR-788 to enable its development in small cell lung cancer, neuroendocrine prostate and other neuroendocrine cancers, both as a single agent and in combination with immune checkpoint inhibitors and other cancer treatments. In the process of developing ONCR-021 and ONCR-788, Oncorus also developed and optimized a proprietary LNP platform for delivery of large nucleic acids, with efficient
endosomal escape. Oncorus will manufacture ONCR-021 and ONCR-788 at its 88,000 square foot state-of-the-art process development and Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) manufacturing facility in Andover, Mass. With the site buildout underway, Oncorus plans to initiate process development activities at the facility in the second half of 2021 and anticipates this facility will be operational for GMP manufacturing in first half of 2023.
Link here to a white paper on Oncorus’ Synthetic vRNA Immunotherapy Platform and lead candidates.
Upcoming Synthetic vRNA Immunotherapy-Focused Investor Event
Oncorus will host a virtual investor event on Monday, June 21, 2021 from 1:00 pm to 3:30 pm ET to discuss details surrounding these Synthetic vRNA programs, including preclinical data supporting the ONCR-021 and ONCR-788 candidate nominations and planned clinical studies. Leena Ghandi, M.D., Ph.D., Director, Center for Cancer Therapeutic Innovation at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, will be a featured speaker. For more information or to RSVP for the event, please contact Josh Rauch at [email protected].