Oncolytics Biotech (ONCY) late Monday updated on its intellectual property strategy for investigational immunotherapy pelareorep.

Oncolytics said a new method of use patent covering pelareorep as a cancer immunotherapy has been issued in several countries, while it expects the corresponding US patent issuance in the near term.

Also, the company has three patent applications pending, including multiple method of use patents. It plans to convert one of these pending applications to a Track One application this quarter.

Oncolytics said it is also working with an academic partner on a modified version of pelareorep and expects the work to support a new composition-of-matter patent that could provide up to 20 years of patent protection from the applicable filing date.