Cancer Rates Are Surging in Young Adults -- Here's Where the Smart Money Is Going

Cision Canada

6 hours ago

Issued on behalf of Oncolytics Biotech Inc.
VANCOUVER, BC, June 18, 2025 /CNW/ -- USA News Group News Commentary – According to a recent report in Newsweek, more Americans younger than 50 are getting cancer. In fact, the report cites a recent study from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), which found that between 2010 and 2019, more than 2 million Americans aged 15 to 49 were diagnosed with cancer, with early-onset cases rising significantly in 14 different cancer types, including breast, colorectal, and kidney cancers. The dire statistics from the study come at a time where Bloomberg has recently reported on the skyrocketing costs of cancer drugs, and their lack of life-extension successes. That said, with the recent close of the world's largest cancer conference (the 2025 American Society of Clinical Oncology annual meeting), doctors, scientists, and researchers remain optimistic. For investors to note, oncology innovators have provided recent developments to pay attention to, including Oncolytics Biotech Inc. (NASDAQ: ONCY) (TSX: ONC), Galectin Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: GALT), ProPhase Labs, Inc. (NASDAQ: PRPH), CG Oncology, Inc. (NASDAQ: CGON), and Perspective Therapeutics, Inc. (NYSE-American: CATX).
With reports coming out that the current US administration could drastically reduce funding of the National Cancer Institute (NCI) by nearly 40%, the market is looking towards the private sector to pick up the slack and continue to make advancements in cancer treatment. According to analysts at ResearchAndMarkets, the global oncology market is projected to reach US$866.1 billion by 2034, rising at a 10.8% CAGR, while Vision Research Reports projects the global oncology market to surpass US$903.81 billion by 2034, at a 10.9% CAGR.
Oncolytics Biotech Inc. (NASDAQ: ONCY) (TSX: ONC) just announced a major leadership transition that could mark a pivotal chapter in its clinical and corporate trajectory. The company has appointed Jared Kelly as Chief Executive Officer and member of the Board, a move that brings in a seasoned biotech dealmaker known for high-value M&A and immuno-oncology strategy.
Kelly most recently played a central role (as General Counsel) in the $2 billion sale of Ambrx Biopharma to Johnson & Johnson. Prior to that, he advised numerous biotech firms on licensing and acquisitions during his tenure at leading law firms Kirkland & Ellis LLP and Lowenstein Sandler LLP. In joining Oncolytics, he inherits one of the most intriguing immunotherapy agents and pipelines in clinical oncology: pelareorep, a virus-based agent with broad synergy potential in solid and hematologic tumors.
"Pelareorep's clinical data across multiple tumors is striking and represents the potential for a true backbone immunotherapy to address many in-need indications. Importantly, the data show that pelareorep creates a robust immunologic response in difficult tumors and increases survival in a patient population where survival has historically evaded most patients," said Jared Kelly, CEO of Oncolytics Biotech. "With a renewed focus and sharpened clinical development plan, we believe we will move pelareorep forward effectively and efficiently to a place where potential partners will see the value of a de-risked immunotherapy. I am excited to get to work accelerating development and unlocking significant value for stakeholders."
Kelly's appointment signals a clear priority: advancing pelareorep toward late-stage inflection points with a capital-efficient and partnership-aware strategy.
The asset currently holds FDA Fast Track designation in both metastatic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (mPDAC) and HR+/HER2- metastatic breast cancer (mBC) —a rare distinction that reinforces its regulatory momentum. In trials to date, pelareorep has consistently demonstrated immune activation, synergy with chemotherapies and checkpoint inhibitors, and unusually strong response rates across difficult-to-treat cancers.
In metastatic pancreatic cancer (mPDAC), pelareorep has delivered over 60% objective response rates in tumor evaluable patients across Phase 1 and 2 studies—more than double those observed in historical controls — and, separately, two-year survival rates 4-6 times those observed in control patients or in prior studies. In HR+/HER2- metastatic breast cancer, two randomized Phase 2 trials (IND-213 and BRACELET-1) showed meaningful survival benefit.
And in anal cancer, early data from a phase 2 cohort combining pelareorep with a checkpoint inhibitor showed partial or complete responses in nearly half of evaluable patients—far exceeding historical norms for monotherapy.
"Mr. Kelly's vision and track record is an extraordinary fit with the standout clinical data pelareorep has generated to date," said Wayne Pisano, Chair of the Board and outgoing Interim CEO of Oncolytics. "We believe Mr. Kelly's well-documented ability to prioritize clinical program development, execute successful financings, and attract the attention of large industry peers will help maximize Oncolytics' potential to deliver transformative outcomes for patients and exceptional value for investors."
To align incentives with long-term shareholder value, Kelly's compensation package includes equity and milestone-based awards tied to future strategic transactions and financings. The structure reflects Oncolytics' intention to drive both clinical and corporate progress without overextending its cap table—while remaining attractive to potential collaborators.
As multiple programs advance within the GOBLET study—including pancreatic and anal cancer cohorts backed by regulatory support and third-party funding— Oncolytics appears poised to benefit from a combination of scientific traction, capital flexibility, and strategic leadership.
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In other recent industry developments and happenings in the market include:
Galectin Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: GALT) is advancing belapectin, a galectin-3 inhibitor with applications in both MASH cirrhosis and oncology, including combination immunotherapy for head and neck cancers. The company recently presented updated data at the 2025 EASL Congress highlighting statistically significant improvements in liver stiffness and reduced varices progression.
"This quarter, we remained laser-focused on advancing additional analyses for belapectin," said Joel Lewis, CEO and President of Galectin Therapeutics. "We look forward to sharing more biomarker data as it becomes available."
With Fast Track Designation in place, Galectin continues to evaluate expansion into cancer indications pending a development partner.
ProPhase Labs, Inc. (NASDAQ: PRPH) has recently reported successful validation of its BE-Smart™ molecular test in detecting esophageal cancer using brush cytology samples, showing a technical success rate above 95%.
"The ability to run BE-Smart on brush biopsy samples opens the door to much broader clinical use," said Ted Karkus, CEO of ProPhase Labs. "BE-Smart now stands apart as the only advanced molecular test designed to work with both forceps biopsies and brush-based tissue collection."
The company is positioning BE-Smart for near-term commercialization, targeting the $10 billion esophageal disease testing market. With dual compatibility across standard biopsy methods, BE-Smart is designed to improve early detection and risk stratification for deadly cancers like EAC.
CG Oncology, Inc. (NASDAQ: CGON) continues to progress its lead candidate cretostimogene, an oncolytic immunotherapy aimed at non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC).
"With best-in-disease durability and tolerability data from the BOND-003 Cohort C registrational trial recently presented at AUA, we are well positioned to initiate our BLA submission in the second half of the year for the treatment of patients with HR NMIBC unresponsive to BCG," said Arthur Kuan, Chairman and CEO of CG Oncology. "If approved, I'm confident that cretostimogene is well positioned to become backbone therapy in NMIBC, potentially addressing more than 70% of the market opportunity in need of a new and innovative therapy."
At the 2025 AUA Annual Meeting, the company reported a 42.3% complete response at 24 months in its BOND-003 Cohort C, with nearly all patients avoiding progression to invasive disease. CG plans to initiate its BLA submission in the second half of 2025 while advancing multiple cohorts across BCG-unresponsive and intermediate-risk populations.
Backed by over $688 million in cash and marketable securities, CG Oncology is positioned to reach multiple late-stage milestones over the next 12 months.
Perspective Therapeutics, Inc. (NYSE-American: CATX) announced updated Phase 1/2a trial results for [212Pb]VMT-α-NET at the 2025 ASCO Annual Meeting, with promising signs of durability and safety in patients with progressive SSTR2-positive neuroendocrine tumors.
"[212Pb]VMT-α-NET is emerging as an exciting potential treatment option for patients with progressive NETs, with continued durability of anti-tumor activity at the dose level used in Cohort 2 and a favorable tolerability profile seen so far," said Vikas Prasad, MD, Associate Professor of Radiology at the Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, Siteman Cancer Center. "I am eager to find more treatments to help my patients fight hard against their disease and return to their normal lives."
Among nine early patients in Cohorts 1 and 2, seven remained progression-free after a year, with multiple confirmed objective responses now observed. Safety data from 42 total treated patients showed no dose-limiting toxicities, no Grade 4/5 adverse events, and no treatment-related discontinuations. The company is now in discussions with the FDA to finalize dose selection and continue advancement of this alpha-emitting radiotherapeutic platform.
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