Biotechnology companies Transgene (Euronext Paris:TNG) and BioInvent International AB (STO:BINV) announced on Thursday positive Phase Ia data for their oncolytic virus BT-001 in the treatment of solid tumours.

The monotherapy treatment of all Phase Ia cohorts has been completed with no safety concerns. Out of the 18 patients studied, BT-001 stabilised the injected lesions in 11 patients, with objective anti-tumour activity (defined as decrease of injected lesion size of 50% or more) observed in two patients.

BT-001 is an oncolytic virus developed using Transgene's Invir.IO platform and BioInvent's anti-CTLA-4 antibody, designed to generate a strong anti-tumour response. The drug is currently undergoing evaluation in a Phase I/IIa clinical trial as a single agent and in combination with the PD-1 checkpoint inhibitor KEYTRUDA (pembrolizumab) against solid tumours.

The independent Safety Review Committee (SRC) has approved initiation of the combination trial with pembrolizumab based on these results, and the first patient is expected to be enrolled in the second half of 2023.

BT-001 is part of a collaboration between Transgene and BioInvent on oncolytic viruses.