Khaberni - Scientists have made a promising medical advancement in facing deadly brain cancer, after developing a genetically modified virus capable of targeting brain tumors and directly destroying them, alongside activating the immune system to combat cancer cells.
Researchers at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Massachusetts and the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute have developed an oncolytic virus, a laboratory-modified version of the simple herpes virus, that targets glioblastoma, one of the most challenging types of cancer, known as a "cold tumor" for its ability to hide from the immune response.
Kai Wucherpfennig, MD, PhD from Dana-Farber Institute according to the "Mirror" newspaper, explained: "Patients with glioblastoma have not benefited from traditional immune therapies that have revolutionized the treatment of other types of cancer, because the tumor effectively hides itself from the cancer-fighting immune cells."
He added: "Our clinical trial results show that we can now introduce these vital immune cells into glioblastoma."
The clinical trial results are promising
After injecting the modified virus, it replicates inside the cancer cells and destroys them without harming the healthy brain tissues.
Data published in the journal Cell show that patients lived longer than expected, especially those who possess antibodies against the virus, reflecting the treatment's ability to enhance the immune system's response.
E. Antonio Chiocca, MD, PhD from Brigham and Women's Hospital in Massachusetts, described this achievement as potentially ending two decades of stagnation in treating glioblastoma, pointing out that increased infiltration of T-cells into the tumor directly translates to a therapeutic benefit for patients.
