The herpes virus can be used to fight cancer.
The modified virus can cause cancer cells to explode.
Cancer researchers say that the therapy shows great promise.
Early clinical trials abroad show promise for a new cancer therapy that uses a modified virus.
One patient had oral cancer. Despite attempts at treatment, the 39-year-old was diagnosed with cancer of the salivary glands.
The experimental drug was available through a phase one safety trial at the Institute of Cancer Research in the UK.
The patient has been cancer free for two years after a short course of the drug.
Three out of nine patients who were given the trial drug alone and seven of 30 who received a combined treatment appeared to benefit from the experimental therapy.
The drug seemed to help some patients and only caused mild side effects, so more research is needed to see how it compares to other therapies. The results of the trial are promising, according to Jonathan Zager.
"We'll see some more studies done in the near future, and I'm excited, I'm not discouraged or skeptical," he said.
The weakened form of the virus that causes cold sores has been modified to only cause tumors.
The results of a medical conference in Paris show that the viral therapy is able to enter cancer cells while leaving normal cells alone. It's injected directly into a tumors, unlike most other cancer drugs.
The virus replicates itself until the cancer cells explode. The lead researcher said in the news release that it's unique that it delivers a "one-two punch" against tumors, not only destroying the cells but also inspiring the immune system to attack what's left.
T-Vec was approved for treatment of advanced skin cancer in 2015. T-Vec was modified to include a gene that stimulates the production of immune cells in order to prepare the immune system to fight.
The treatment responses observed in patients with advanced esophageal cancer and a rare type of eye cancer are testament to the potential of these viral therapies.
The results are even more impressive because the patients who were recruited for the trials have tried many other treatments and surgeries to remove their cancer. They were out of options when they heard about the second game.
"When we have tumors that are heavily pretreated and they respond favorably, that's even more food for thought, in the sense that now we have tumors that were resistant to treatment and are responding," said Vager.
If the early results are anything to go by, RP2 may be even better than T-Vec.
"It has other modifications to the virus so that when it gets into cancer cells it effectively signs their death warrant."
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