ASGCT Press Release

ASGT 12th Annual Meeting: Modified Herpes Virus May Treat Melanoma

SAN DIEGO-A herpes virus better known for causing cold sores has shown promise as a treatment for late-stage skin cancer, according to research presented at the American Society of Gene Therapy’s 12th Annual Meeting, May 27.

In the study, 50 patients with advanced, inoperable melanoma – the most lethal form of skin cancer – were injected with a gene-modified, immune-enhanced herpes simplex 1 virus known as OncoVEX GM-CSF.

Twenty-six percent of patients responded to the treatment, with 58 percent achieving a 1-year survival rate. The overall median survival was 16 months.

"These results are extremely provocative," said lead researcher Neil N. Senzer, MD, scientific director at Mary Crowley Cancer Research Centers. "The virus, initially derived from a cold sore, can be readily modified and is capable of killing tumor cells, both directly and by eliciting an immune response."

The next step, a randomized phase III trial is in progress.

Melanoma accounts for less than 5 percent of skin cancers but is responsible for 75 percent of all skin cancer deaths, or approximately 8,650 deaths per year, according to the American Cancer Society. Patients with stage IV melanoma have a median survival of 6 months.

According to researchers, the treatment has minimal side effects, rarely causes serious illness in individuals with healthy immune systems, does not integrate into the normal cellular genome – meaning there is no risk of an unexpected gene combination giving rise to a second cancer – and can be controlled by available antiviral therapies.

Additionally, preliminary clinical studies suggest the virus may be effective in treating a variety of tumor types, especially breast cancer./p>

The American Society of Gene Therapy (ASGT) 12th Annual Meeting is the world’s largest scientific meeting surrounding the latest developments in gene and cell therapy, attended by nearly 2,000 researchers from around the world and featuring 60 scientific presentations.

The American Society of Gene & Cell Therapy (ASGCT) is a professional non-profit medical and scientific organization dedicated to the understanding, development and application of genetic and cellular therapies and the promotion of professional and public education in the field. For more information on ASGCT, visit its website, www.asgct.org.

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