Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

HSV-1’s contribution as a vector for gene therapy

Nature Biotechnology volume 40, page 1316 (2022)Cite this article

Subjects

To the Editor — It was with much interest that I read the News article by Cormac Sheridan ‘Topical herpesvirus gene therapy enters final lap’, about the treatment of recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa using B-VEC1 and the growing interest in HSV-1 non-replicative vectors. Despite the complexity of HSV-1, its use for gene therapy is slowly turning into reality. However, some of the statements in this article cast doubts on the efficacy and safety of HSV-1 vectors. As co-founder and CSO of EG427, a gene therapy biotech company specializing in HSV-1 vectors, I would like to expound here on why the potential of HSV-1 allows us to remain optimistic. The size and complexity of HSV-1 and the intricacy of interplay between it and a variety of host cells, far from being a disadvantage, allows intelligent vector design and favors HSV-1 vectors in smart therapeutic strategies, as compared with smaller vectors.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Rent or buy this article

Get just this article for as long as you need it

$39.95

Learn more

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

References

  1. Sheridan, C. Nat. Biotechnol. 40, 809–811 (2022).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Miyagawa, Y. et al. Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA 112, E1632–E1641 (2015).

    CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  3. Preston, C. M. J. Gen. Virol. 81, 1–19 (2000).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Fink, D. J. et al. Ann. Neurol. 70, 207–212 (2011).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Wang, Q., Guo, J. & Jia, W. Gene Ther. 4, 1300–1304 (1997).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Aldrak, N. et al. Cells 10, 1541–1558 (2021).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Miller, C. S. & Danaher, R. J. Oral Surg. Oral Med. Oral Pathol. Oral Radiol. Endod. 105, 43–50 (2008).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Goss, J. R. et al. Diabetes 51, 2227–2232 (2002).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Han, F. et al. J. Virol. 92, e00536-18 (2018).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Gomez-Sebastian, S., Gimenez-Cassina, A., Diaz-Nido, J., Lim, F. & Wade-Martins, R. I. Mol. Ther. 15, 248–254 (2007).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. EG427 Pinpoint Gene Therapy, Paris, France

    Alberto L. Epstein

Authors
  1. Alberto L. Epstein
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Alberto L. Epstein.

Ethics declarations

Competing interests

A.L.E. is a cofounder of, is CSO of, and has an equity interest in EG427.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Epstein, A.L. HSV-1’s contribution as a vector for gene therapy. Nat Biotechnol 40, 1316 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41587-022-01449-1

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41587-022-01449-1

Search

Advanced search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing