Herpes Virus: nanotechnology against cancer

Excluding skin cancers, breast cancer is, in one out of three cases, the type of cancer diagnosed in female patients. Our immune system is designed to fight cancer . T-cells in the human body belong to a group of white blood cells and play a central role in immunity. However, cancer cells cause T-cells to essentially fall asleep. The tumor sends out signals to inhibit the T-cells. Our herpes virus, on the other hand, is designed to awaken cells and modulate the immune system so that cancer cells are recognized and destroyed. Furthermore, the herpes virus can selectively replicate in cancer cells, but does not affect healthy cells. The herpes virus replicates autonomously in its own cells. Skin sores emerge only when the herpes virus replicates and kills normal cells. Cold can cause cells to die. The herpes virus just designed by researchers at the Health Sciences Center in New Orleans was aimed only at replicating and destroying cancer cells, thus killing the tumor. Patients will have no way of contracting the herpes virus. The next step is to demonstrate that the virus can boost the immune system. In addition to destroying cancer cells, this herpes virus also has the potential to be used as a vaccine. So for preventive purposes. The herpes virus is oncolytic, meaning it kills the tumor, but we want to see now if it can be engineered to boost the immune system and prevent metastasis . A German company, MediGene, is conducting clinical trials of this application and is already in Phase 3 trials for liver cancer. It has had significant results and within 6 months the experimentation will be completed and the results of this research made public. The virus was engineered to better spread among cancer cells as well. The virus causes all of the cancer cells to fuse together so that it can then destroy the cells more efficiently. The virus can be used as a vector to express other genes. More genes can be inserted to improve its ability to attack the tumor. History teaches us that cancer cannot be treated using drugs alone but we must look to new and innovative gene therapies if we want to move forward. And this seems to me to be an interesting point to make a significant breakthrough in gene therapy and molecular pharmacology. This experimentation now tending towards the end, is now leading to the preparation of these viruses under strict control of the Food & Drug Administration under the name of "Good Manufacturing Practices" or GMP. During phase 1 human viruses are obtained, for the first toxicological evaluation. Phase 2 trials are useful for expanding testing to a small group of patients, and Phase 3 trials use 100 to 200 patients. It will take at least three years to get to phase 3 of human trials. A government grant was obtained from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to fund these studies. [via Louisiana State University ]