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Review
. 2018 Feb 9:12:43-60.
doi: 10.2147/BTT.S140114. eCollection 2018.

New frontiers in oncolytic viruses: optimizing and selecting for virus strains with improved efficacy

Kenneth Lundstrom  1
Affiliations
Review

New frontiers in oncolytic viruses: optimizing and selecting for virus strains with improved efficacy

Kenneth Lundstrom. Biologics. .

Abstract

Oncolytic viruses have demonstrated selective replication and killing of tumor cells. Different types of oncolytic viruses - adenoviruses, alphaviruses, herpes simplex viruses, Newcastle disease viruses, rhabdoviruses, Coxsackie viruses, and vaccinia viruses - have been applied as either naturally occurring or engineered vectors. Numerous studies in animal-tumor models have demonstrated substantial tumor regression and prolonged survival rates. Moreover, clinical trials have confirmed good safety profiles and therapeutic efficacy for oncolytic viruses. Most encouragingly, the first cancer gene-therapy drug - Gendicine, based on oncolytic adenovirus type 5 - was approved in China. Likewise, a second-generation oncolytic herpes simplex virus-based drug for the treatment of melanoma has been registered in the US and Europe as talimogene laherparepvec.

Keywords: clinical trials; drug approval; immunotherapy; viral vectors.

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Conflict of interest statement

Disclosure The author reports no conflicts of interest in this work.

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