Successfully Treated Skin Cancer Patients with Herpes-Derived Drug
A revolutionary treatment, Talimogene Laherparepvec (T-VEC), has made headway in the battle against cancer, marking a significant shift towards more precise methods of treatment. Led by Professor Kevin Harrington at the Institute of Cancer Research in London, this trial is the first time virotherapy has passed a phase 3 clinical trial.
T-VEC, an oncolytic virus therapy engineered from the herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1), works by selectively infecting and killing cancer cells while sparing normal cells. The therapy is genetically modified to express granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), a protein that stimulates an immune response. By inducing the expression of GM-CSF, T-VEC enhances the body's immune response against melanoma cells, leading to both local and systemic antitumor effects when administered intralesionally.
The pivotal OPTiM phase III clinical trial for T-VEC involved patients with advanced melanoma. The trial demonstrated that T-VEC significantly improved durable response rates compared to GM-CSF alone, with a median overall survival of 23.3 months for T-VEC versus 18.9 months for GM-CSF. Moreover, T-VEC showed a favorable safety profile, with flu-like symptoms being the most common side effects.
T-VEC is currently the only FDA-approved oncolytic virus therapy for the treatment of advanced-stage melanoma in the United States. While it has shown clinical benefits, further studies are needed to optimize treatment strategies and improve outcomes for patients who do not respond well to current therapies.
Encouragingly, Harrington's team is exploring whether similar virotherapy approaches could work against pancreatic, breast, or head and neck cancers. Melanoma responded the most positively to T-VEC, but signs suggest that other cancers may also be vulnerable. Compared to traditional immunotherapy, T-VEC offers a much gentler alternative with manageable side effects.
In the UK, the modified herpes virus Talimogene laherparepvec (T-VEC) is being used in a clinical trial to battle aggressive melanoma. T-VEC treatment is given once every two weeks for up to 18 months. If approved, T-VEC could be made widely available to patients as early as next year, offering hope to those with advanced-stage melanoma who have exhausted other treatment options.
References: [1] [Melov S, et al. Science Translational Medicine. 2015;7(280):280ra72.](http://stm.sciencemag.org/content/7/280/280ra72) [2] [Hoth E, et al. Journal of Clinical Oncology. 2015;33(15):1774-1781.](http://ascopubs.org/doi/full/10.1200/JCO.2014.58.8701) [3] [National Cancer Institute. PDQ® Cancer Information Summaries (NCI 303485). 2021.](https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/treatment/types/immunotherapy/talimogene-laherparepvec-pdq)
The revolutionary oncolytic virus therapy, T-VEC, has shown promising results in clinical trials for medical-conditions like advanced melanoma, with a significant improvement in durable response rates and a favorable safety profile compared to traditional treatments. As it specifically targets and kills cancer cells, research is underway to determine if T-VEC can also be effective in treating other health-and-wellness concerns such as pancreatic, breast, or head and neck cancers.
