Immunovirotherapy for the Treatment of Glioblastoma and Other Malignant Gliomas.

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) represents one of the most challenging malignancies due to many factors including invasiveness, heterogeneity, and an immunosuppressive microenvironment. Current treatment modalities have resulted in only modest effect on outcomes. The development of viral vectors for oncolytic immunovirotherapy and targeted drug delivery represents a promising therapeutic prospect for GBM and other brain tumors. A host of genetically engineered viruses, herpes simplex virus, poliovirus, measles, and others, have been described and are at various stages of clinical development. Herein we provide a review of the advances and current state of oncolytic virotherapy for the targeted treatment of GBM and malignant gliomas.
Competing Interests: Disclosures Dr J.M. Markert holds equity (<8%) in Aettis, Inc. (a company that holds stocks of oncolytic virus); Treovir, Inc (25%), a company holding intellectual property and funding clinical trials of oncolytic virus for pediatric brain tumors. A company that Dr J.M. Markert formerly held equity in (<8%) Catherex, Inc., was purchased in a structured buyout. Dr J.M. Markert has served as a consultant for Imugene. He also holds a fraction of the IP associated with oncolytic virus C134, which is licensed by Mustang Biotech.
(Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)