Oncolytic herpes virus

Oncolytic herpes virus is a type of virus that has been modified to selectively replicate in and kill cancer cells. This is achieved by exploiting the differences between normal, healthy cells and cancer cells. Oncolytic herpes viruses are a part of a larger group of therapies known as oncolytic virus therapy.

History

The concept of using viruses to treat cancer has been around since the early 20th century, but it wasn't until the late 1990s that the first oncolytic herpes virus, Onyx-015, was developed. Since then, several other oncolytic herpes viruses have been created and tested in clinical trials.

Mechanism of Action

Oncolytic herpes viruses work by exploiting the differences between normal cells and cancer cells. In a healthy cell, the virus's ability to replicate is inhibited by the cell's own defense mechanisms. However, in a cancer cell, these defense mechanisms are often compromised, allowing the virus to replicate freely and eventually cause the cell to burst, releasing the virus to infect other cancer cells.

Clinical Trials and Use

Several oncolytic herpes viruses have been tested in clinical trials, with varying degrees of success. T-VEC (talimogene laherparepvec), for example, is an oncolytic herpes virus that has been approved by the FDA for the treatment of melanoma.

Future Directions

Research is ongoing to improve the efficacy of oncolytic herpes viruses and to expand their use to other types of cancer. This includes modifying the viruses to carry therapeutic genes, which can help to boost the body's immune response to the cancer.

See Also

• Oncolytic virus
• Cancer therapy
• Gene therapy