On March 31, 2022 Oncolytics Biotech Inc. (NASDAQ: ONCY) (TSX: ONC) reported the successful completion of the three-patient safety run-in for the third-line metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) cohort of the phase 1/2 GOBLET study following an independent review by the study’s Data Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB) (Press release, Oncolytics Biotech, MAR 31, 2022, View Source [SID1234611269]). The DSMB noted no safety concerns in these patients and has recommended that the study proceed to full enrollment pending clearance by the Paul Ehrlich Institute (PEI; Germany’s medical regulatory body). The PEI recently cleared the study’s pancreatic cancer cohort for full enrollment following a similar recommendation by the DSMB. The trial’s anal cancer and first-line mCRC cohorts do not include safety run-ins and are proceeding as planned.

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The GOBLET study is designed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of pelareorep in combination with Roche’s anti-PD-L1 checkpoint inhibitor atezolizumab in patients with metastatic pancreatic, metastatic colorectal, and advanced anal cancers. The study includes 14 clinical trial sites across Germany and is being managed by AIO, a leading academic cooperative medical oncology group.

"The successful completion of GOBLET’s final safety run-in underscores the trial’s strong momentum and supports the ability of pelareorep to be safely combined with checkpoint inhibitors," said Thomas Heineman, M.D., Ph.D., Chief Medical Officer of Oncolytics. "This achievement positions us to continue building on prior clinical data that demonstrate the potential of pelareorep to provide a clinical benefit in colorectal and other gastrointestinal (GI) cancers. Existing data suggest this clinical benefit likely results from the stimulation of protective immune responses that may be enhanced by the addition of checkpoint inhibition. Given the high prevalence of GI malignancies, including colorectal and pancreatic cancer, and the fact that most cases do not respond to checkpoint inhibition, we view GOBLET as an important opportunity to evaluate a novel therapeutic approach that may address a pressing unmet medical need."

The GOBLET study’s metastatic colorectal cancer cohorts are supported by prior clinical data demonstrating adaptive anti-tumor immune responses and a 90% clinical benefit rate in KRAS-mutated mCRC patients treated with a pelareorep-based combination (link to PR, link to study). In addition to primary endpoints evaluating safety and efficacy, GOBLET also includes exploratory endpoints designed to explore the potential of CEACAM6 and T cell clonality to serve as predictive biomarkers. This may increase the likelihood of success of future registrational studies by allowing for the selection of the most appropriate patients.

About GOBLET
The GOBLET (Gastrointestinal tumOrs exploring the treatment comBinations with the oncolytic reovirus peLarEorep and anTi-PD-L1) study is a phase 1/2 multiple indication study in advanced or metastatic gastrointestinal tumors. The study is being conducted at 14 centers in Germany. The co-primary endpoints of the study are objective response rate (ORR) assessed at week 16 and safety. Key secondary and exploratory endpoints include additional efficacy assessments and evaluation of potential biomarkers (T cell clonality and CEACAM6). The study employs a Simon two-stage design with Stage 1 comprising four treatment groups expected to enroll a total of approximately 55 patients:
1.Pelareorep in combination with atezolizumab, gemcitabine, and nab-paclitaxel in 1st line metastatic pancreatic cancer patients (n=12);
2.Pelareorep in combination with atezolizumab in 1st line MSI (microsatellite instability)-high metastatic colorectal cancer patients (n=19);

3.Pelareorep in combination with atezolizumab and TAS-102 in 3rd line metastatic colorectal cancer patients (n=14); and
4.Pelareorep in combination with atezolizumab in 2nd line advanced and unresectable anal cancer patients (n=10).

Any cohort showing an ORR above a pre-specified threshold in Stage 1 may be advanced to Stage 2 and enroll additional patients.

About AIO
AIO-Studien-gGmbH (AIO) emerged from the study center of the internal oncology working group within the German Cancer Society (DKG). AIO operates with a non-profit purpose of promoting science and research with a focus on internal oncology. Since its foundation, AIO has become a successful sponsor and study management company and has established itself both nationally and internationally.

About Gastrointestinal Cancer
Excluding skin cancers, colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer, with estimates indicating that 106,180 new cases of colon cancer and 44,850 new cases of rectal cancer will be diagnosed in the U.S. in 20221. Also, for the 2022 year, the American Cancer Society estimates there will be 62,210 new cases of pancreatic cancer2 and 9,440 new cases of anal cancer3 in the U.S.