Infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) as a novel oncolytic virotherapy in glioblastoma

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most aggressive form of cancer of the central nervous system. Despite advances in immunotherapies and standard-of-care treatments for GBMs, clinical outcomes remain limited-owing to the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment and the intrinsic resistance of GBM to conventional approaches. As a result, there is growing interest in rational combination strategies, particularly those pairing oncolytic viruses with immune-based therapies or established treatment modalities. Oncolytic viruses, by displaying conditionally enabled tumor cell-restricted replication, while stimulating antitumor immune responses and leaving healthy tissue unharmed, have the potential to reshape the therapeutic landscape in GBM and aid in achieving more durable benefits for patients. This study investigates the use of infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) as a potential virotherapy for GBM.

In vitro, IBDV infects and replicates within murine GBM cells and patient-derived GBM stem cells, inducing direct oncolysis and activating proinflammatory gene expression programs. IBDV also enhances the cytolytic activity of temozolomide (TMZ) in treated GBM cells, complementing TMZ chemotherapeutic activity. In vivo, treatment with IBDV in CT-2A GBM-bearing syngeneic mice significantly reduced tumor growth and improved survival compared with control mice. Intratumoral administration of IBDV induces a deep remodeling of the tumor immune microenvironment, reducing immunosuppressive M2-like macrophages and increasing the ratio of CD8+T cells to regulatory T cells. This reversion of immunosuppression linked to monocyte-derived macrophages has been confirmed on experimental ex vivo infections of explants derived from human GBM donors.

These findings support further consideration of IBDV as a novel virotherapeutic agent for GBM.