The Clinical Oncolytic Reovirus Formulation Reolysin Synergistically Augments the Anti-Leukemic Activity of Azacitidine

• Published in: Blood 2021-11, Vol.138 (Supplement 1), p.3337-3337
• Main Authors: Schwartz, Rayna L, Espitia, Claudia, Persky, Dan O., Nawrocki, Steffan T., Carew, Jennifer S.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 0006-4971; 1528-0020
• DOI: 10.1182/blood-2021-151575

Despite the recent development of new agents for acute myeloid leukemia (AML) therapy, novel approaches are still needed for patients that do not benefit sufficiently from existing regimens. Reolysin (Pelareorep) is a proprietary clinical formulation of the naturally occurring oncolytic reovirus that is non-pathogenic and preferentially replicates in cancer cells, but not in normal tissue. Although Reolysin has been investigated in over 30 adult clinical trials and is very well tolerated when given alone and in combination with chemotherapy, it has never been evaluated for AML therapy. Our major goal was to determine the efficacy and mechanism of action of Reolysin alone and in combination with azacitidine in AML models and primary patient specimens. Reolysin exhibited dose-dependent effects against AML cells with respect to the reduction in leukemia cell viability and induction of apoptosis in all 8 cell lines evaluated. The combination of Reolysin with azacitidine yielded synergistic benefit across all cell lines that was dramatically superior to single agent treatments (p