Researchers are combining tumor-killing viruses
with immune-boosting drugs
to mark otherwise stealthy tumors for death
In their recent study, the researchers grafted human melanoma tumors onto the left and right flanks of mice
Right-side tumors were injected with ONCOS-102, viruses genetically modified to eradicate melanoma cells
Left-side tumors were left untreated
The team then injected mice with pembrolizumab, a checkpoint inhibitor
Checkpoint inhibitors block cloaking proteins on tumor or T cells that normally let them slip past immune cells
These powerful drugs turn “cold” tumors “hot” on immune cells’ radar
Shrunken left-side tumors proved that this 1-2 combination could cripple tumors at a distance—
an effect amplified by delivering ONCOS-102 and pembrolizumab at the same time
Now, in order to prove the efficacy of ONCOS-102 combined with pembrolizumab in humans, a Phase I clinical study is ongoing (NCT03003676)
Researchers are exploring how to make this killer combination even more powerful
Kuryk et al. "Abscopal effect when combining oncolytic adenovirus and checkpoint inhibitor in a humanized NOG mouse model of melanoma" J Med Virol (2019)