Scientists at The Institute of Cancer Research, London, are supporting an international clinical trial of a promising new immunotherapy treatment for advanced ovarian cancer.
Biotechnology firm Theolytics has been awarded €8 million research funding through the Horizon Europe programme, pending final negotiation, to support expansion of the OCTOPOD‑IV Phase IIa trial.
The trial will evaluate THEO‑260 — a next‑generation oncolytic immunotherapy designed to tackle the complex biology of stroma-rich carcinomas, starting with platinum‑resistant ovarian cancer.
As a partner in the programme, The Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) will lead key translational analyses, generating vital insights into how the treatment works in patients and identifying biomarkers that could guide future clinical development.
How the treatment works
THEO‑260 is a type of oncolytic immunotherapy, which uses a specially adapted virus that can infect and kill cancer cells while helping the immune system recognise and attack the tumour.
The therapy is designed to destroy both cancer cells and cancer‑associated fibroblasts — supportive cells inside the tumour that help it grow and protect it from the immune system. By breaking down these cells, the treatment may make tumours more vulnerable and easier for the immune system to target.
The ICR team, led by Professor Alan Melcher, will study tumour and blood samples from people taking part in the trial to understand what effect the treatment has inside the body and why it may benefit some patients more than others.
Addressing an unmet need
The programme brings together leading cancer centres from across the world and has been supported through major European research funding following a highly competitive selection process. Alongside the ICR, the collaboration includes the Cancer Center Clínica Universidad de Navarra in Spain, the Catalan Institute of Oncology in Spain, and Princess Margaret Hospital in Toronto, Canada.
Platinum‑resistant ovarian cancer is one of the most challenging forms of cancer to treat. Once chemotherapy stops working, treatment options are extremely limited and survival times are often short, so there is a pressing need for new therapies that work in different ways.
The OCTOPOD‑IV trial is the first time THEO‑260 is being tested in people. The study will explore whether the treatment is safe, how well patients tolerate it and whether it shows early signs of shrinking or controlling tumours. It will also collect detailed biological and immune information to support further development.
Recruitment is already underway in the UK and Spain, and more international sites will open as the trial expands. A second related study in the United States — looking at delivering the therapy directly into the abdomen — is also in progress.
Leading the way in immunotherapy
The ICR is internationally recognised for pioneering work on oncolytic viruses and innovative immunotherapy treatments. Professor Melcher’s group has shown how certain viruses can stimulate powerful immune responses against cancer, contributed to early clinical trials of new viral treatments, and helped establish the ICR’s Centre for Immunotherapy of Cancer to accelerate progress in the field.
Professor Alan Melcher, Professor of Translational Immunotherapy at The Institute of Cancer Research, London, said:
“The way this treatment works — attacking the tumour cells and the tumour’s supportive structure while activating the immune system at the same time — could offer a much‑needed new option for patients with advanced solid tumours.
“We are delighted to support the OCTOPOD‑IV study, and the ICR will provide key translational data to help understand this novel therapeutic approach and its potential for improving outcomes for patients.”
Dr Margaret Duffy, CSO and Co‑founder of Theolytics, said:
“Our collective success with this grant award reflects the extraordinary work being done by the team at Theolytics, and the calibre of our clinical and translational partner centres.
The award validates both the scientific rationale behind our THEO‑260 programme and the huge potential of its novel oncolytic and ‘CAF‑lytic’ mechanism to address a significant unmet need in stroma-rich solid cancers. By integrating advanced translational analyses into our clinical trial design, we will clinically demonstrate the differentiated mechanism of action of THEO‑260 and provide key data to advance this programme and deliver true impact for cancer patients.”