Biotechnology firm Theolytics has been awarded €8 million research funding through the Horizon Europe programme, to support expansion of the OCTOPOD‑IV Phase IIa trial in platinum‑resistant ovarian cancer. 

The trial will evaluate THEO‑260 — a next‑generation oncolytic immunotherapy designed to tackle the complex biology of stroma-rich carcinomas. 

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. 

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.” 

THEO‑260 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. 

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. 

Dr Margaret Duffy, CSO and Co‑founder of Theolytics, commented: “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.”