Clinical trials with oncolytic adenovirus in China

Since the 1990s, oncolytic viruses were utilized to treat cancer patients from phase I to phase III. Oncolytic virus development in China has been keeping in step with that in other countries and even accelerated the process in some fields, especially in conducting clinical trials. H101 is one kind of oncolytic adenovirus with E1B-55KD and partial E3 deleted developed by Shanghai Sunwaybio. From 2000-2004, phase I to phase III clinical trials for treating head and neck cancer were conducted in China. Clinical data show that H101 is well tolerable and has good efficacy when combined with chemotherapy in some cancer treatment modalities. We review the clinical results and relative issues of H101 in treating cancer and discuss approaches and possible improvements for the future. Information on other oncolytic viruses developing in China is also provided.