The oncolytic adenovirus Ad-iREP-2 utilizes p53-dependent rna interference for tumor-selective replication

Inactivation of p53-transcriptional activity is a crucial step of tumorigenesis and occurs in the majority of human cancers. Consequently, transcriptional p53-deficiency represents an excellent broad-range target for tailored therapies. We have developed the oncolytic adenovirus Ad-iREP-2 for selective replication in tumor cells without functional p53. To control its replication, Ad-iREP-2 contains an RNAi network, that is selectively expressed in response to active p53 and then interferes with adenoviral genes essentially involved in the early onset of viral DNA-replication. Expression of the RNAi-network resul…