6-K

FORM 6-K

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

Report of Foreign Issuer

Pursuant to Rule 13a-16 or 15d-16 of

the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

For the Month of January, 2013

Commission File Number 1-32001

Lorus Therapeutics Inc.

(Translation of registrant’s name into English)

2 Meridian Road, Toronto, Ontario M9W 4Z7

(Address of principal executive offices)

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant files or will file annual reports under cover of Form 20-F or Form 40-F.

Form 20-F x  Form 40-F ¨

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in paper as permitted by Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(1): ____

Note: Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(1) only permits the submission in paper of a Form 6-K if submitted solely to provide an attached annual report to security holders.

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in paper as permitted by Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(7): ____

Note: Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(7) only permits the submission in paper of a Form 6-K if submitted to furnish a report or other document that the registrant foreign private issuer must furnish and make public under the laws of the jurisdiction in which the registrant is incorporated, domiciled or legally organized (the registrant’s “home country”), or under the rules of the home country exchange on which the registrant’s securities are traded, as long as the report or other document is not a press release, is not required to be and has not been distributed to the registrant’s security holders, and, if discussing a material event, has already been the subject of a Form 6-K submission or other Commission filing on EDGAR.

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant by furnishing the information contained in this Form is also thereby furnishing the information to the Commission pursuant to Rule 12g3-2(b) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

Yes ¨  No x

If “Yes” is marked, indicate below the file number assigned to the registrant in connection with Rule 12g3-2(b):82-_______________.

SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of  1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

	Lorus Therapeutics Inc.
Date: January 23, 2013	By:	/s/ “Elizabeth Williams”
		Elizabeth Williams
		Director of Finance and Controller

EXHIBIT INDEX

99.1 News Release Dated January 22, 2013 - Lorus Therapeutics Announces Issuance of United States Patent for Cancer Therapy IL-17E

EX-99.1

Exhibit 99.1

  NEWS RELEASE

Lorus Therapeutics Announces Issuance

of United States Patent for Cancer Therapy IL-17E

TORONTO, CANADA, Jan 22, 2013 - Lorus Therapeutics Inc. (TSX: LOR) (“Lorus”), a biopharmaceutical company specializing in the discovery, research and development of pharmaceutical products and technologies for the management of cancer, today announced that the United States Patent and Trademark Office has issued Lorus’ patent for its novel cancer therapy IL-17E.

The US patent protects methods of treating cancer with IL-17E, both alone and in combination with anticancer therapy drugs including gemcitabine, paclitaxel, docetaxel, erlotinib, cisplatin, and bevacizumab. The patent covers the treatment of a wide range of cancers, including breast, lung, colon, pancreatic, gastric and ovarian tumors, as well as melanoma.

“The issuance of our US patent for IL-17E is another important step forward in the development of this innovative therapy,” said Dr. Aiping Young, Lorus' President and CEO. “We and Cancer Research UK, our co-development partner, are committed to advancing IL-17E into clinical trials, and strong patent protection is part of our strategy to attain this goal.”

About IL-17E

IL-17E is a novel biological therapy based on human interleukin 17E, which is a cytokine protein that acts on cells of the immune system. IL-17E, which is in preclinical development in preparation for clinical trials, has potent anticancer properties against a range of solid tumors, including pancreatic, colon, lung, ovarian and breast cancers. IL-17E showed equivalent or superior efficacy as a single agent compared to marketed drugs used to treat these cancers, including Avastin, Tarceva, Taxotere, Taxol, Cisplatin, and Gemzar. IL-17E was also effective when used in combination with these drugs, and demonstrated antitumor efficacy that was greater than either agent alone without additional toxicity.

About Lorus

Lorus is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, research and development of novel therapeutics in cancer. Lorus’ goal is to capitalize on its research, preclinical, clinical and regulatory expertise by developing new drug candidates that can be used, either alone, or in combination with other drugs, to successfully manage cancer. The Company also has expertise in antimicrobial drug discovery. Lorus Therapeutics Inc. is listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol LOR.

Forward Looking Statements

This press release may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Canadian and U.S. securities laws. Such statements include, but are not limited to, statements relating to: our research program plans, our plans to conduct clinical trials, the successful and timely completion of clinical studies and the regulatory approval process, our ability to continue as a going concern, our ability to fund future research, our ability to maintain partnerships to assist in the further development of our product candidates, the Company’s plans, objectives, expectations and intentions and other statements including words such as “continue”, “believe”, “plan”, “expect”, “intend”, “will”, “should”, “may”, and other similar expressions. Such statements reflect our current views with respect to future events and are subject to risks and uncertainties and are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by us are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties and contingencies. Many factors could cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance, or achievements that may be expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, including, among others: our ability to continue as a going concern, our ability to obtain the capital required for research and operations, the inherent risks in early stage drug development including demonstrating efficacy, development time/cost and the regulatory approval process; the progress of our clinical trials; our ability to maintain partnership agreements; changing market conditions; and other risks detailed from time-to-time in our ongoing quarterly filings, annual information forms, annual reports and annual filings with Canadian securities regulators and the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.

Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should the assumptions set out in the section entitled “Risk Factors” in our Annual Information Form underlying those forward-looking statements prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described herein. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this press release and we do not intend, and do not assume any obligation, to update these forward-looking statements, except as required by law. We cannot assure you that such statements will prove to be accurate as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Investors are cautioned that forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and accordingly investors are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements due to the inherent uncertainty therein.

Lorus Therapeutics Inc.’s recent press releases are available through the Company’s website at www.lorusthera.com. For Lorus' regulatory filings on SEDAR, please go to www.Sedar.com.

Enquiries:

For further information, please contact:

Lorus

Grace Tse, 416-798-1200 ext. 380;

ir@lorusthera.com

The Trout Group

Lee M. Stern

646-378-2922