The magazine explained that researchers at Brigham and Women's Medical Center have developed an innovative treatment for glioblastoma, one of the most aggressive and difficult-to-treat forms of brain cancer. This method involves modifying the herpes simplex virus (HSV-1) so that it targets only tumor cells, while simultaneously reactivating the immune system to effectively attack the tumor.
The team designed the virus to recognize specific markers of glioblastoma and simultaneously deliver five therapeutic molecules to the tumor microenvironment, including IL-12, anti-PD1, and bispecific T-cell binding molecules, to disrupt the tumor's mechanisms for suppressing the immune response. The virus also contained safety mutations that protect healthy neurons and a genetic marker that allows its spread to be tracked via tomography.
Preclinical tests in mice showed that a single injection of the virus boosted the activity of T cells, natural killer cells, and myeloid cells in tumor tissue, slowed tumor growth, and increased the animals' lifespan. The researchers confirmed that this method combines precision of action and targeted delivery of immune factors with a hig level of safety and can be adapted to combat other types of tumors.
