Overview
- Researchers at Mass General Brigham retargeted HSV-1 to preferentially infect glioblastoma cells and deliver local immunotherapy.
- The virus carries five payloads—IL-12, anti-PD1, a bispecific T-cell engager, 15-hydroxyprostaglandin dehydrogenase, and anti-TREM2—to activate lymphoid and myeloid responses.
- Built-in safeguards include mutations that limit spread to healthy central nervous system cells plus a PET-tracer–binding reporter to visualize distribution.
- In multiple mouse models, a single injection boosted T-cell, NK-cell and myeloid activity, reduced exhaustion markers, and extended survival versus controls.
- The peer-reviewed study lists NIH and American Cancer Society funding, discloses past employment of several authors at Oncorus, and outlines plans to evaluate safety and efficacy in human trials.