Oncolytics Biotech Inc. (Oncolytics) has completed patient enrollment in a randomized phase 2 study of paclitaxel plus Reolysin versus paclitaxel alone in patients with persistent or recurrent ovarian, fallopian tube or primary peritoneal cancer (GOG186H).

The study chair is David E. Cohn, MD, gynecologic oncology division director at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute (OSUCCC – James). This is a legacy study done by the Gynecologic Oncology Group, now incorporated into NRG Oncology. The trial is sponsored by the US National Cancer Institute (NCI) through a Clinical Trials Agreement between the Cancer Therapy Evaluation Program, Division of Cancer Treatment and Diagnosis, NCI and Oncolytics. Oncolytics is providing clinical supplies of Reolysin.

"Our randomized clinical program continues to gather momentum as this is the second randomized study sponsored by the NCI that has completed enrollment in the last quarter," said Dr. Brad Thompson, president and CEO of Oncolytics. "Ovarian cancer is often diagnosed at a very late stage, requiring more aggressive interventions and resulting in relatively low five-year survival rates."

The current study is a randomized phase 2 trial of weekly paclitaxel versus weekly paclitaxel with Reolysin in patients with persistent or recurrent ovarian, fallopian tube or primary peritoneal cancer. Patients were randomized to receive either paclitaxel alone or paclitaxel plus Reolysin. Patients in both arms received treatment with paclitaxel, with the second arm also receiving intravenous Reolysin. Patients received standard doses of paclitaxel on days one, eight, and 15 every 28 days. In the second arm, patients received, on days one through five of each 28-day cycle, intravenous Reolysin at a dose of 3x1010 TCID50.

The primary objectives of the trial are to estimate the progression-free survival hazard ratio of the combination of weekly paclitaxel with Reolysin to weekly paclitaxel alone in patients with persistent or recurrent ovarian, fallopian tube, or primary peritoneal cancer and to determine the frequency and severity of adverse events associated with treatment with weekly paclitaxel alone and weekly paclitaxel with Reolysin as assessed by Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE). The secondary objectives are to estimate the progression-free survival and overall survival of patients treated with weekly paclitaxel alone and weekly paclitaxel with Reolysin; to estimate (and compare) the proportion of patients who respond to the regimen on each arm of the study (according to RECIST 1.1 with measurable patients and by CA-125 for those patients with detectible disease only); and to characterize and compare progression-free survival and overall survival in patients with measurable disease (RECIST 1.1 criteria) and patients with detectable (nonmeasurable) disease. The study enrolled approximately 150 patients.

NRG Oncology is responsible for following patients and collecting and collating all patient data. Once complete, the data will be analyzed and provided to NCI and Oncolytics.

The American Cancer Society estimates that 21,980 American women will be diagnosed with ovarian cancer and an estimated 14,270 will die from the disease in 2014. Ovarian cancer accounts for about 5% of all cancer deaths among women. The prognosis for patients diagnosed with ovarian cancer at the localized stage is good with a five-year survival rate of 92%; however, only about 15% of cases are diagnosed at this stage. The relative 10-year survival rate for all stages combined is approximately 35%.

The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute strives to create a cancer-free world by integrating scientific research with excellence in education and patient-centered care, a strategy that leads to better methods of prevention, detection and treatment. Ohio State is one of only 41 National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated Comprehensive Cancer Centers and one of only four centers funded by the NCI to conduct both phase I and phase II clinical trials.

Oncolytics is a Calgary-based biotechnology company focused on the development of oncolytic viruses as potential cancer therapeutics.