TheraVision: Engineering platform technology for the development of oncolytic viruses based on herpes simplex virus type 1

Viruses are able to efficiently penetrate cells, multiply, and eventually kill infected cells, release tumor antigens, and activate the immune system. Therefore, viruses are highly attractive novel agents for cancer therapy. Clinical trials with first generations of oncolytic viruses (OVs) are very...

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Main Authors: Christina Funk, Nadja Uhlig, Zsolt Ruzsics, Florentin Baur, Matthias Peindl, Sarah Nietzer, Karina Epting, Gabriele Vacun, Gudrun Dandekar, Catherine Botteron, Christian Werno, Thomas Grunwald, Susanne M. Bailer
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2024-03-01
Series:Molecular Therapy: Oncology
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2950329924000262
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author Christina Funk
Nadja Uhlig
Zsolt Ruzsics
Florentin Baur
Matthias Peindl
Sarah Nietzer
Karina Epting
Gabriele Vacun
Gudrun Dandekar
Catherine Botteron
Christian Werno
Thomas Grunwald
Susanne M. Bailer
author_facet Christina Funk
Nadja Uhlig
Zsolt Ruzsics
Florentin Baur
Matthias Peindl
Sarah Nietzer
Karina Epting
Gabriele Vacun
Gudrun Dandekar
Catherine Botteron
Christian Werno
Thomas Grunwald
Susanne M. Bailer
author_sort Christina Funk
collection DOAJ
description Viruses are able to efficiently penetrate cells, multiply, and eventually kill infected cells, release tumor antigens, and activate the immune system. Therefore, viruses are highly attractive novel agents for cancer therapy. Clinical trials with first generations of oncolytic viruses (OVs) are very promising but show significant need for optimization. The aim of TheraVision was to establish a broadly applicable engineering platform technology for combinatorial oncolytic virus and immunotherapy. Through genetic engineering, an attenuated herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV1) was generated that showed increased safety compared to the wild-type strain. To demonstrate the modularity and the facilitated generation of new OVs, two transgenes encoding retargeting as well as immunomodulating single-chain variable fragments (scFvs) were integrated into the platform vector. The resulting virus selectively infected epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-expressing cells and produced a functional immune checkpoint inhibitor against programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1). Thus, both viral-mediated oncolysis and immune-cell-mediated therapy were combined into a single viral vector. Safety and functionality of the armed OVs have been shown in novel preclinical models ranging from patient-derived organoids and tissue-engineered human in vitro 3D tumor models to complex humanized mouse models. Consequently, a novel and proprietary engineering platform vector based on HSV1 is available for the facilitated preclinical development of oncolytic virotherapy.
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series Molecular Therapy: Oncology
spelling doaj-art-c026db125d4b4ec9b073d1f2aad9f3c32025-08-20T02:22:32ZengElsevierMolecular Therapy: Oncology2950-32992024-03-0132120078410.1016/j.omton.2024.200784TheraVision: Engineering platform technology for the development of oncolytic viruses based on herpes simplex virus type 1Christina Funk0Nadja Uhlig1Zsolt Ruzsics2Florentin Baur3Matthias Peindl4Sarah Nietzer5Karina Epting6Gabriele Vacun7Gudrun Dandekar8Catherine Botteron9Christian Werno10Thomas Grunwald11Susanne M. Bailer12Fraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology IGB, Stuttgart, GermanyFraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology IZI, Leipzig, GermanyDepartment for Medical Microbiology and Hygiene, Institute of Virology, University Medical Center Freiburg, Freiburg, GermanyChair of Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, University Hospital Würzburg, Röntgenring, Würzburg, GermanyChair of Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, University Hospital Würzburg, Röntgenring, Würzburg, GermanyChair of Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, University Hospital Würzburg, Röntgenring, Würzburg, Germany; Fraunhofer Institute for Silicate Research ISC, Translational Center Regenerative Therapies, Würzburg, GermanyFraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology IGB, Stuttgart, GermanyFraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology IGB, Stuttgart, GermanyChair of Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, University Hospital Würzburg, Röntgenring, Würzburg, Germany; Fraunhofer Institute for Silicate Research ISC, Translational Center Regenerative Therapies, Würzburg, GermanyFraunhofer Institute for Toxicology and Experimental Medicine, Regensburg, GermanyFraunhofer Institute for Toxicology and Experimental Medicine, Regensburg, GermanyFraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology IZI, Leipzig, GermanyFraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology IGB, Stuttgart, Germany; Corresponding author: Susanne M. Bailer, Fraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology IGB, Nobelstraße 12, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany.Viruses are able to efficiently penetrate cells, multiply, and eventually kill infected cells, release tumor antigens, and activate the immune system. Therefore, viruses are highly attractive novel agents for cancer therapy. Clinical trials with first generations of oncolytic viruses (OVs) are very promising but show significant need for optimization. The aim of TheraVision was to establish a broadly applicable engineering platform technology for combinatorial oncolytic virus and immunotherapy. Through genetic engineering, an attenuated herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV1) was generated that showed increased safety compared to the wild-type strain. To demonstrate the modularity and the facilitated generation of new OVs, two transgenes encoding retargeting as well as immunomodulating single-chain variable fragments (scFvs) were integrated into the platform vector. The resulting virus selectively infected epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-expressing cells and produced a functional immune checkpoint inhibitor against programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1). Thus, both viral-mediated oncolysis and immune-cell-mediated therapy were combined into a single viral vector. Safety and functionality of the armed OVs have been shown in novel preclinical models ranging from patient-derived organoids and tissue-engineered human in vitro 3D tumor models to complex humanized mouse models. Consequently, a novel and proprietary engineering platform vector based on HSV1 is available for the facilitated preclinical development of oncolytic virotherapy.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2950329924000262MT: Regular Issueoncolytic virotherapycombined virus immunotherapytumor therapyNSCLCvirus engineering
spellingShingle Christina Funk
Nadja Uhlig
Zsolt Ruzsics
Florentin Baur
Matthias Peindl
Sarah Nietzer
Karina Epting
Gabriele Vacun
Gudrun Dandekar
Catherine Botteron
Christian Werno
Thomas Grunwald
Susanne M. Bailer
TheraVision: Engineering platform technology for the development of oncolytic viruses based on herpes simplex virus type 1
Molecular Therapy: Oncology
MT: Regular Issue
oncolytic virotherapy
combined virus immunotherapy
tumor therapy
NSCLC
virus engineering
title TheraVision: Engineering platform technology for the development of oncolytic viruses based on herpes simplex virus type 1
title_full TheraVision: Engineering platform technology for the development of oncolytic viruses based on herpes simplex virus type 1
title_fullStr TheraVision: Engineering platform technology for the development of oncolytic viruses based on herpes simplex virus type 1
title_full_unstemmed TheraVision: Engineering platform technology for the development of oncolytic viruses based on herpes simplex virus type 1
title_short TheraVision: Engineering platform technology for the development of oncolytic viruses based on herpes simplex virus type 1
title_sort theravision engineering platform technology for the development of oncolytic viruses based on herpes simplex virus type 1
topic MT: Regular Issue
oncolytic virotherapy
combined virus immunotherapy
tumor therapy
NSCLC
virus engineering
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2950329924000262
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