Virotherapy in Germany—Recent Activities in Virus Engineering, Preclinical Development, and Clinical Studies
Virotherapy research involves the development, exploration, and application of oncolytic viruses that combine direct killing of cancer cells by viral infection, replication, and spread (oncolysis) with indirect killing by induction of anti-tumor immune responses. Oncolytic viruses can also be engine...
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MDPI AG
2021-07-01
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Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/13/8/1420 |
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Article |
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DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Dirk M. Nettelbeck Mathias F. Leber Jennifer Altomonte Assia Angelova Julia Beil Susanne Berchtold Maike Delic Jürgen Eberle Anja Ehrhardt Christine E. Engeland Henry Fechner Karsten Geletneky Katrin Goepfert Per Sonne Holm Stefan Kochanek Florian Kreppel Lea Krutzke Florian Kühnel Karl Sebastian Lang Antonio Marchini Markus Moehler Michael D. Mühlebach Ulrike Naumann Roman Nawroth Jürg Nüesch Jean Rommelaere Ulrich M. Lauer Guy Ungerechts |
spellingShingle |
Dirk M. Nettelbeck Mathias F. Leber Jennifer Altomonte Assia Angelova Julia Beil Susanne Berchtold Maike Delic Jürgen Eberle Anja Ehrhardt Christine E. Engeland Henry Fechner Karsten Geletneky Katrin Goepfert Per Sonne Holm Stefan Kochanek Florian Kreppel Lea Krutzke Florian Kühnel Karl Sebastian Lang Antonio Marchini Markus Moehler Michael D. Mühlebach Ulrike Naumann Roman Nawroth Jürg Nüesch Jean Rommelaere Ulrich M. Lauer Guy Ungerechts Virotherapy in Germany—Recent Activities in Virus Engineering, Preclinical Development, and Clinical Studies Viruses oncolytic virus virotherapy research in Germany virus engineering virus targeting therapeutic transgene |
author_facet |
Dirk M. Nettelbeck Mathias F. Leber Jennifer Altomonte Assia Angelova Julia Beil Susanne Berchtold Maike Delic Jürgen Eberle Anja Ehrhardt Christine E. Engeland Henry Fechner Karsten Geletneky Katrin Goepfert Per Sonne Holm Stefan Kochanek Florian Kreppel Lea Krutzke Florian Kühnel Karl Sebastian Lang Antonio Marchini Markus Moehler Michael D. Mühlebach Ulrike Naumann Roman Nawroth Jürg Nüesch Jean Rommelaere Ulrich M. Lauer Guy Ungerechts |
author_sort |
Dirk M. Nettelbeck |
title |
Virotherapy in Germany—Recent Activities in Virus Engineering, Preclinical Development, and Clinical Studies |
title_short |
Virotherapy in Germany—Recent Activities in Virus Engineering, Preclinical Development, and Clinical Studies |
title_full |
Virotherapy in Germany—Recent Activities in Virus Engineering, Preclinical Development, and Clinical Studies |
title_fullStr |
Virotherapy in Germany—Recent Activities in Virus Engineering, Preclinical Development, and Clinical Studies |
title_full_unstemmed |
Virotherapy in Germany—Recent Activities in Virus Engineering, Preclinical Development, and Clinical Studies |
title_sort |
virotherapy in germany—recent activities in virus engineering, preclinical development, and clinical studies |
publisher |
MDPI AG |
series |
Viruses |
issn |
1999-4915 |
publishDate |
2021-07-01 |
description |
Virotherapy research involves the development, exploration, and application of oncolytic viruses that combine direct killing of cancer cells by viral infection, replication, and spread (oncolysis) with indirect killing by induction of anti-tumor immune responses. Oncolytic viruses can also be engineered to genetically deliver therapeutic proteins for direct or indirect cancer cell killing. In this review—as part of the special edition on “State-of-the-Art Viral Vector Gene Therapy in Germany”—the German community of virotherapists provides an overview of their recent research activities that cover endeavors from screening and engineering viruses as oncolytic cancer therapeutics to their clinical translation in investigator-initiated and sponsored multi-center trials. Preclinical research explores multiple viral platforms, including new isolates, serotypes, or fitness mutants, and pursues unique approaches to engineer them towards increased safety, shielded or targeted delivery, selective or enhanced replication, improved immune activation, delivery of therapeutic proteins or RNA, and redirecting antiviral immunity for cancer cell killing. Moreover, several oncolytic virus-based combination therapies are under investigation. Clinical trials in Germany explore the safety and potency of virotherapeutics based on parvo-, vaccinia, herpes, measles, reo-, adeno-, vesicular stomatitis, and coxsackie viruses, including viruses encoding therapeutic proteins or combinations with immune checkpoint inhibitors. These research advances represent exciting vantage points for future endeavors of the German virotherapy community collectively aimed at the implementation of effective virotherapeutics in clinical oncology. |
topic |
oncolytic virus virotherapy research in Germany virus engineering virus targeting therapeutic transgene |
url |
https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/13/8/1420 |
work_keys_str_mv |
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doaj-2afbc836e8844aa9a40984a8fca1af732021-08-26T14:26:22ZengMDPI AGViruses1999-49152021-07-01131420142010.3390/v13081420Virotherapy in Germany—Recent Activities in Virus Engineering, Preclinical Development, and Clinical StudiesDirk M. Nettelbeck0Mathias F. Leber1Jennifer Altomonte2Assia Angelova3Julia Beil4Susanne Berchtold5Maike Delic6Jürgen Eberle7Anja Ehrhardt8Christine E. Engeland9Henry Fechner10Karsten Geletneky11Katrin Goepfert12Per Sonne Holm13Stefan Kochanek14Florian Kreppel15Lea Krutzke16Florian Kühnel17Karl Sebastian Lang18Antonio Marchini19Markus Moehler20Michael D. Mühlebach21Ulrike Naumann22Roman Nawroth23Jürg Nüesch24Jean Rommelaere25Ulrich M. Lauer26Guy Ungerechts27Clinical Cooperation Unit Virotherapy, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, 69120 Heidelberg, GermanyClinical Cooperation Unit Virotherapy, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, 69120 Heidelberg, GermanyDepartment of Internal Medicine II, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, Ismaningerstr. 22, 81675 Munich, GermanyClinical Cooperation Unit Virotherapy, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, 69120 Heidelberg, GermanyVirotherapy Center Tübingen (VCT), Department of Medical Oncology and Pneumology, Medical University Hospital, Otfried-Müller-Str. 10, 72076 Tübingen, GermanyVirotherapy Center Tübingen (VCT), Department of Medical Oncology and Pneumology, Medical University Hospital, Otfried-Müller-Str. 10, 72076 Tübingen, GermanyDepartment of Internal Medicine, University Medical Center, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Langenbeckstr. 1, 55131 Mainz, GermanyDepartment of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, Skin Cancer Centre Charité, Charité—Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, GermanyVirology and Microbiology, Center for Biomedical Research and Education (ZBAF), Faculty of Health, Witten/Herdecke University (UW/H), Stockumer Str. 10, 58453 Witten, GermanyClinical Cooperation Unit Virotherapy, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, 69120 Heidelberg, GermanyDepartment of Applied Biochemistry, Institute of Biotechnology, Technical University of Berlin, Gustav-Meyer-Allee 25, 13355 Berlin, GermanyDepartment of Neurosurgery, Klinikum Darmstadt, Grafenstraße 9, 64283 Darmstadt, GermanyDepartment of Internal Medicine, University Medical Center, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Langenbeckstr. 1, 55131 Mainz, GermanyDepartment of Urology, Rechts der Isar Medical Center, Technical University of Munich, Ismaninger Str. 22, 81675 Munich, GermanyDepartment of Gene Therapy, Ulm University, Helmholtzstraße 8/1, 89081 Ulm, GermanyChair of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Center for Biomedical Research and Education (ZBAF), Faculty of Health, University Witten/Herdecke (UW/H), Stockumer Str 10, 58453 Witten, GermanyDepartment of Gene Therapy, Ulm University, Helmholtzstraße 8/1, 89081 Ulm, GermanyDepartment of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School (MHH), Carl-Neuberg-Str.1, 30625 Hannover, GermanyInstitute of Immunology, Medical Faculty, University of Duisburg-Essen, Hufelandstrasse 55, 45147 Essen, GermanyLaboratory of Oncolytic Virus Immuno-Therapeutics (LOVIT), German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, 69120 Heidelberg, GermanyDepartment of Internal Medicine, University Medical Center, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Langenbeckstr. 1, 55131 Mainz, GermanyDivision of Veterinary Medicine, Paul-Ehrlich-Institut, Paul-Ehrlich-Str. 51-59, 63225 Langen, GermanyHertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research and Center Neurology, Molecular Neurooncology, University of Tübingen, Orfried-Müller-Str. 27, 72076 Tübingen, GermanyDepartment of Urology, Rechts der Isar Medical Center, Technical University of Munich, Ismaninger Str. 22, 81675 Munich, GermanyDivision of Virus-Associated Carcinogenesis, German Cancer Research Center, Im Neuenheimer Feld 242, 69120 Heidelberg, GermanyClinical Cooperation Unit Virotherapy, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, 69120 Heidelberg, GermanyVirotherapy Center Tübingen (VCT), Department of Medical Oncology and Pneumology, Medical University Hospital, Otfried-Müller-Str. 10, 72076 Tübingen, GermanyClinical Cooperation Unit Virotherapy, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, 69120 Heidelberg, GermanyVirotherapy research involves the development, exploration, and application of oncolytic viruses that combine direct killing of cancer cells by viral infection, replication, and spread (oncolysis) with indirect killing by induction of anti-tumor immune responses. Oncolytic viruses can also be engineered to genetically deliver therapeutic proteins for direct or indirect cancer cell killing. In this review—as part of the special edition on “State-of-the-Art Viral Vector Gene Therapy in Germany”—the German community of virotherapists provides an overview of their recent research activities that cover endeavors from screening and engineering viruses as oncolytic cancer therapeutics to their clinical translation in investigator-initiated and sponsored multi-center trials. Preclinical research explores multiple viral platforms, including new isolates, serotypes, or fitness mutants, and pursues unique approaches to engineer them towards increased safety, shielded or targeted delivery, selective or enhanced replication, improved immune activation, delivery of therapeutic proteins or RNA, and redirecting antiviral immunity for cancer cell killing. Moreover, several oncolytic virus-based combination therapies are under investigation. Clinical trials in Germany explore the safety and potency of virotherapeutics based on parvo-, vaccinia, herpes, measles, reo-, adeno-, vesicular stomatitis, and coxsackie viruses, including viruses encoding therapeutic proteins or combinations with immune checkpoint inhibitors. These research advances represent exciting vantage points for future endeavors of the German virotherapy community collectively aimed at the implementation of effective virotherapeutics in clinical oncology.https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/13/8/1420oncolytic virusvirotherapyresearch in Germanyvirus engineeringvirus targetingtherapeutic transgene |