By Engineering a Herpes Virus, Can We Target Tumor Cells?
HSV1716 (Seprehvir) is a “first in class” engineered oncolytic virus derived from the herpes simplex virus, and is designed to target and destroy cancer cells. Solving Kids’ Cancer brought this cutting-edge research to the U.S. and developed the first clinical trial for children in 2010.
Project Title: Dose Escalation Study of Intratumoral Herpes Simplex Virus-1 Mutant HSV1716 Oncolytic Virus in Patients With non-CNS Solid Tumors
Researcher: Timothy Cripe, MD, PhD
Institution: Nationwide Children’s Hospital
Study Type: Phase I clinical trial
Status: Ongoing
Immunotherapy is a promising area for developing more effective and less toxic treatments by harnessing the body’s own immune system to safely target tumor cells. For more than a century, scientists have reported cases of cancers that were reduced or disappeared after patients contracted certain viruses. Advances in genetic engineering have led to the successful modification of viruses that stimulate the immune system and kill cancer cells. HSV1716 (Seprehvir) is a “first in class” engineered oncolytic virus derived from the herpes simplex virus, and is designed to target and destroy cancer cells. More than 70 adult cancer patients (brain cancer, head/neck carcinoma, melanoma) in Europe have received HSV1716, where it proved beneficial in early phase trials. Solving Kids’ Cancer brought this cutting-edge research to the U.S. and developed the first clinical trial for children in 2010.
To learn more about this trial, visit clinicaltrials.gov.