Treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma with a novel suicide gene-expressing oncolytic measles vaccine virus

Introduction: Oncolytic viruses are promising agents under investigation as cancer therapeutics. These replication competent viruses selectively infect and kill cancer cells. However, early clinical results point out that oncolysis achieved by unmodified vectors seems to be not sufficiently effective. To enhance cell killing, oncolytic viruses can be engineered to express suicide genes which convert non-toxic substances (prodrugs) into toxic metabolites. Aims: Development of new anti-HCC regimens based on oncolytic measles vaccine virus (MeV) expressing optimized suicide genes. Methods: We have generated (i) MeV…