Cleveland biotech company Western Oncolytics is developing an immune-oncolytic therapy licensed by the University of Pittsburgh which combines oncolytic virus and gene therapy technologies to rid cancer cells of the ability to survive in the body.
According to their website, the company expects their technology to extend the lives of, or even cure, patients with an array of cancer types, while avoiding the harsh side effects associated with current cancer therapies.
Western Oncolytics has closed $275,000 in seed funding and according to a press release, plans to, “set a path toward clinical trials and execute initial manufacturing for its novel virus-based cancer therapy, which delivers genes to guide the immune system to kill cancer cells.”