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Paramyxoviruses for Tumor-targeted Immunomodulation: Design and Evaluation Ex Vivo
Published on: January 7, 2019
From ONYX-015 to armed vaccinia viruses: the education and evolution of oncolytic virus development
Anne Moon Crompton1, David H Kirn
1JENNEREX Biotherapeutics, San Francisco, CA 94105, USA.
Abstract:
The current field of oncolytic virus development has evolved from, and been educated by, the route adenoviruses have taken to Phase III development in the United States (Onyx-015) and commercial approval in China (H101). Clinical development of these E1B-deleted viruses showed that a staged approach, from single-agent intratumoral injections to trials testing intravenous delivery and trials in combination with approved therapies is judicious and can be successful. Additional oncolytic products are in development, including andenovirus plus other promising platforms such as herpes simplex virus, Newcastle disease virus, reovirus and vaccinia virus. These second-generation products seek to expand clinical utility beyond the modest local efficacy of Onyx-015/H101 to potent systemic delivery and efficacy. Improvement of efficacy in metastatic cancer will depend not only on enhanced killing of tumor cells, but also on achieving intravenous delivery and better intratumoral dissemination. Many viruses inherently replicate preferentially in tumors, and engineering can increase this therapeutic index by targeting genetic features of cancers. However, both viruses and cancer cells have complex biologies. Therefore, research may reveal that there is not a single predictive factor for tumor specificity. For example, the Onyx-015 mechanism-of-selectivity has proved to be complex. Further research regarding pathway dependence for other oncolytic viruses may also reveal multiple influences on their tumor tropism.
Insights
Oncolytic virus therapy, including adenoviruses, is advancing with staged clinical trials and new virus platforms. Future developments focus on improving systemic delivery and efficacy for metastatic cancers.
Area of Science:
- Oncolytic virotherapy
- Cancer gene therapy
Background:
- Adenoviruses like Onyx-015 and H101 paved the way for oncolytic virus development.
- Early clinical trials demonstrated the success of a staged approach, from intratumoral injection to combination therapies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the evolution of oncolytic virus development, focusing on adenoviruses.
- To discuss the strategies for second-generation oncolytic viruses aiming for enhanced systemic delivery and efficacy.
Main Methods:
- Review of clinical development pathways for adenoviral oncolytic viruses.
- Analysis of strategies for engineering new oncolytic virus platforms.
Main Results:
- Staged clinical development is a judicious approach for oncolytic viruses.
- Second-generation viruses aim for improved tumor cell killing, intravenous delivery, and intratumoral spread.
Conclusions:
- Improving efficacy in metastatic cancer requires enhanced tumor cell killing and systemic delivery.
- Tumor specificity of oncolytic viruses is complex and may involve multiple factors beyond a single predictive pathway.
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