The first patient has been treated in what has been named the Sandpiper Trial. The Phase I/II clinical trial will evaluate a therapy that combines a novel oncolytic viral immunotherapy agent called MG1-MAGEA3 with pembrolizumab, which is an approved checkpoint inhibitor. The Sandpiper Trial will study the use of this combination therapy in patients with non-small cell lung cancer who are no longer responding to chemotherapy.

The MG1-MAGEA3 agent was developed by Ontario researchers and is now being taken to market by spinoff company Turnstone Biologics. OICR is providing support to the trial through a grant. The trial is currently open at two sites, The Ottawa Hospital and the Juravinski Cancer Centre in Hamilton. More information for patients can be found at the links below.

https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02879760

http://www.ohri.ca/newsroom/newsstory.asp?ID=271

Read the news release: First patient treated in Turnstone’s lung cancer trial combining novel viral cancer therapy with approved checkpoint inhibitor