Review

Nature Reviews Microbiology 6, 529-540 (July 2008) | doi:10.1038/nrmicro1927

Reprogrammed viruses as cancer therapeutics: targeted, armed and shielded

Roberto Cattaneo1, Tanner Miest1, Elena V. Shashkova2 & Michael A. Barry2,3  About the authors

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Virotherapy is currently undergoing a renaissance, based on our improved understanding of virus biology and genetics and our better knowledge of many different types of cancer. Viruses can be reprogrammed into oncolytic vectors by combining three types of modification: targeting, arming and shielding. Targeting introduces multiple layers of cancer specificity and improves safety and efficacy; arming occurs through the expression of prodrug convertases and cytokines; and coating with polymers and the sequential usage of different envelopes or capsids provides shielding from the host immune response. Virus-based therapeutics are beginning to find their place in cancer clinical practice, in combination with chemotherapy and radiation.

Author affiliations

  1. Department of Molecular Medicine, Rochester, 55905 Minnesota, USA.
  2. Department of Internal Medicine, Rochester, 55905 Minnesota, USA.
  3. Department of Immunology, Division of Infectious Diseases, Translational Immunovirology and Biodefense Program, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, 55905 Minnesota, USA.

Correspondence to: Roberto Cattaneo1 Email: Cattaneo.Roberto@mayo.edu;

Correspondence to: Michael A. Barry2,3 Email: Barry.Michael@mayo.edu

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