SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C.
20549
Form 6-K
Report of Foreign Private Issuer
Pursuant to Rule 13a-16 or 15d-16
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
For the month of October 2008
Commission File Number 000-31062
Oncolytics Biotech Inc.
(Translation of registrant’s name into
English)
Suite 210, 1167 Kensington Crescent NW
Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2N 1X7
(Address of principal executive offices)
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant files or will file annual reports
under cover Form 20-F or Form 40-F.
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in paper as
permitted by Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(1): o
Note: Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(1) only permits the submission in paper of a
Form 6-K if submitted solely to provide an attached annual report to security
holders.
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in paper as
permitted by Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(7): o
Note: Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(7) only permits the submission in paper of a
Form 6-K if submitted to furnish a report or other document that the registrant
foreign private issuer must furnish and make public under the laws of the
jurisdiction in which the registrant is incorporated, domiciled or legally
organized (the registrant’s “home country”), or under the rules of the home
country exchange on which the registrant’s securities are traded, as long as
the report or other document is not a press release, is not required to be and
has not been distributed to the registrant’s security holders, and, if
discussing a material event, has already been the subject of a Form 6-K
submission or other Commission filing on EDGAR.
Indicate by check mark whether by furnishing the information contained in this
Form, the registrant is also thereby furnishing the information to the
Commission pursuant to Rule 12g3-2(b) under the Securities Exchange Act of
1934.
If “Yes” is marked, indicate below the file number assigned to the registrant
in connection with
Rule 12g3-2(b): 82 -
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210, 1167 Kensington Crescent N.W.
Calgary, Alberta
Canada T2N 1X7 |
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Oncolytics Biotech Inc. Collaborators to Present Combination
REOLYSIN® and Docetaxel Results at iSBTc Annual Meeting
CALGARY, AB, — October 23, 2008 —Oncolytics Biotech Inc. (TSX: ONC, NASDAQ: ONCY) announced today that an abstract entitled “A Phase I Study to Evaluate Systemic Wild-Type Reovirus
(REOLYSIN®) in Combination with Docetaxel in Patients with Advanced Malignancies” will
be available in the November/December issue of the Journal of Immunotherapy, the official journal
of the International Society for Biological Therapy of Cancer (iSBTc). The principal investigator
for the trial is Professor Hardev Pandha of the Royal Surrey County Hospital, U.K.
The abstract covers results of the trial (REO 010) up to July 2008. Of the 12 patients treated at
the time, three had completed six cycles, one further patient was still on treatment at cycle 7 and
four others were ongoing between cycle 1 and cycle 4. Five patients remained on study. The
researchers observed one complete resolution of the target lesion in a breast cancer patient with
stable disease (SD) of non-target lesions; one partial response in gastric cancer; two SD in lung
cancer; and, one SD in melanoma. The researchers concluded that REOLYSIN® can be
safely combined with docetaxel, that there was objective radiological evidence of anticancer
activity and that Phase II studies with this combination are justified. Any significant toxicities
observed were consistent with those expected with docetaxel alone.
A poster presentation which will include current results of the trial is scheduled to be presented
by Prof. Pandha on November 1, 2008 at the iSBTc annual meeting. The meeting is being held in San
Diego, California from October 31-November 2, 2008.
Prof. Pandha is also scheduled to make a poster presentation on November 1, 2008 at the iSBTc
meeting entitled “Synergistic Anti-Tumour Activity of Oncolytic Reovirus and Docetaxel in a PC-3
Prostate Cancer Mouse Model.” This preclinical research, which demonstrated that combining
reovirus and docetaxel treatment resulted in markedly reduced tumour growth compared to single
agent treatments, provided support for the ongoing U.K. clinical trial examining the combination of
REOLYSIN® and docetaxel in patients with advanced cancers. An abstract covering these
preclinical results will also be available in the November/December issue of the Journal of
Immunotherapy.
Poster presentations will be available on the Oncolytics website at www.oncolyticsbiotech.com after
they have been presented at the conference.
About Oncolytics Biotech Inc.
Oncolytics is a Calgary-based biotechnology company focused on the development of oncolytic viruses
as potential cancer therapeutics. Oncolytics’ clinical program includes a variety of Phase I/II
and Phase II human trials using REOLYSIN®, its proprietary formulation of the human
reovirus, alone and in combination with radiation or chemotherapy. For further information about
Oncolytics, please visit www.oncolyticsbiotech.com.
This press release contains forward-looking statements, within the meaning of Section 21E of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Forward-looking statements, including the implication
of the materials presented at this meeting with respect to REOLYSIN®, the Company’s
expectations related to the results of trials investigating delivery of REOLYSIN®, and
the Company’s belief as to the potential of REOLYSIN® as a cancer therapeutic, involve
known and unknown risks and uncertainties, which could cause the Company’s actual results to differ
materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include,
among others, the availability of funds and resources to pursue research and development projects,
the efficacy of REOLYSIN® as a cancer treatment, the success and timely completion of
clinical studies and trials, the Company’s ability to successfully commercialize
REOLYSIN®, uncertainties related to the research and development of pharmaceuticals,
uncertainties related to the regulatory process and general changes to the economic environment.
Investors should consult the Company’s quarterly and annual filings with the Canadian and U.S.
securities commissions for additional information on risks and uncertainties relating to the
forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned against placing undue reliance on
forward-looking statements. The Company does not undertake to update these forward-looking
statements, except as required by applicable laws.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:
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Oncolytics Biotech Inc.
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The Equicom Group
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The Investor Relations Group |
Cathy Ward
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Nick Hurst
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Erika Moran |
210, 1167 Kensington Cr NW
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325, 300 5th Ave. SW
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11 Stone St, 3rd Floor |
Calgary, Alberta T2N 1X7
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Calgary, Alberta T2P 3C4
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New York, NY 10004 |
Tel: 403.670.7377
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Tel: 403.538.4845
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Tel: 212.825.3210 |
Fax: 403.283.0858
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Fax: 403.237.6916
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Fax: 212.825.3229 |
cathy.ward@oncolytics.ca
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nhurst@equicomgroup.com
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emoran@investorrelationsgroup.com |
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