Title:Oncolytic Viruses: The Best is Yet to Come
VOLUME: 18 ISSUE: 2
Author(s):Chantal G. Lemay, Brian A. Keller, Robert E. Edge, Masato Abei and John C. Bell*
Affiliation:Center for Innovative Cancer Therapeutics, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Center for Innovative Cancer Therapeutics, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Center for Innovative Cancer Therapeutics, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Division of Gastroenterology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Center for Innovative Cancer Therapeutics, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON
Keywords:Cancer therapy, combination therapy, immunity, oncolytic viruses, tumour microenvironment, virotherapy.
Abstract:Oncolytic viruses are a promising anti-cancer platform, achieving significant pre-clinical
and clinical milestones in recent years. A full arsenal of selective, safe, and effective viruses has
been developed with some emerging pre-clinical research focusing on optimizing these therapies in
the face of remaining challenges, both in the bloodstream and in the tumour microenvironment.
Herein we discuss the recent progress in pre-clinical virotherapy research to address these challenges,
with special focus on innovative strategies that seek to complement the current strengths of
virotherapy, ensuring an optimal multi-faceted attack on cancer. This review highlights the research
areas that we believe provide the most potential to increase the efficacy of this exciting biotherapy
platform: cell carriers, tumour vascular destruction, microenvironment modulation, combination
therapies, and virus-mediated anti-tumour immune responses.
