Oncolytic virotherapy (OV) is a novel modality that selectively replicates in and kills cancer cells, while sparing normal cells. It has gained momentum due to its profound efficacy in clinical settings which is associated with a high safety profile and manageable toxicity. OV also has the capability to potentiate other forms of immunotherapies such as checkpoint inhibitors and adoptive cell therapies, including CARs and TILs, to tackle multiple components of the tumor microenvironment with the main aim of sustaining long-lasting antitumor immunity and enhancing anti-tumor efficacy.
Tremendous efforts have been made towards developing OVs, but most trials have not reached the clinic, since the US FDA approval of IMLYGIC in 2015. We hope to build a comprehensive collection of articles that highlights the most recent advances in different aspects of oncolytic virotherapy to extend our understanding of the field and give insight for future directions. This collection may include topics related to improving the immunogenicity of OVs, persistence of viral infection and host-virus interaction. It will also focus on mechanisms related to virus-induced immunogenic cell death, reversing the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment, the role of surgical stress and the OV mediated reversal of surgical induced immune suppression. Further, we will explore mechanisms of virus-mediated cell death, tumor antigens in off-the shelf products and neoantigens in personalized viral therapy, potentiating other immunotherapies through combination, viral delivery and enhancing viral spreading.
In this Research Topic, we welcome researchers to contribute Reviews (Mini Review, Review, Opinion) as well as novel Original Research articles covering the following themes related to the way in which oncolytic viruses engage with the innate or adaptive immune system to promote tumor rejection:
• Modulation of the tumor microenvironment by viruses
• The use of viruses as directed or agnostic cancer vaccines
• Novel engineering strategies including the incorporation of immune-modulating transgenes
• Combination therapy with additional immunotherapies (checkpoint inhibitors, bispecific molecules, cell therapies)
• Neoantigens and personalized viral therapy
• Mechanisms related to virus-induced immunogenic cell death
• The role of surgical stress and the OVs mediated efficacy
• Viral delivery and enhancing viral spreading
• Scaling-up virus productions and industry challenges
We hope that deepening our understanding of the mechanisms by which viruses engage the immune system in the context of cancer will provide insights to broaden our biological therapeutic arsenal.
Oncolytic virotherapy (OV) is a novel modality that selectively replicates in and kills cancer cells, while sparing normal cells. It has gained momentum due to its profound efficacy in clinical settings which is associated with a high safety profile and manageable toxicity. OV also has the capability to potentiate other forms of immunotherapies such as checkpoint inhibitors and adoptive cell therapies, including CARs and TILs, to tackle multiple components of the tumor microenvironment with the main aim of sustaining long-lasting antitumor immunity and enhancing anti-tumor efficacy.
Tremendous efforts have been made towards developing OVs, but most trials have not reached the clinic, since the US FDA approval of IMLYGIC in 2015. We hope to build a comprehensive collection of articles that highlights the most recent advances in different aspects of oncolytic virotherapy to extend our understanding of the field and give insight for future directions. This collection may include topics related to improving the immunogenicity of OVs, persistence of viral infection and host-virus interaction. It will also focus on mechanisms related to virus-induced immunogenic cell death, reversing the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment, the role of surgical stress and the OV mediated reversal of surgical induced immune suppression. Further, we will explore mechanisms of virus-mediated cell death, tumor antigens in off-the shelf products and neoantigens in personalized viral therapy, potentiating other immunotherapies through combination, viral delivery and enhancing viral spreading.
In this Research Topic, we welcome researchers to contribute Reviews (Mini Review, Review, Opinion) as well as novel Original Research articles covering the following themes related to the way in which oncolytic viruses engage with the innate or adaptive immune system to promote tumor rejection:
• Modulation of the tumor microenvironment by viruses
• The use of viruses as directed or agnostic cancer vaccines
• Novel engineering strategies including the incorporation of immune-modulating transgenes
• Combination therapy with additional immunotherapies (checkpoint inhibitors, bispecific molecules, cell therapies)
• Neoantigens and personalized viral therapy
• Mechanisms related to virus-induced immunogenic cell death
• The role of surgical stress and the OVs mediated efficacy
• Viral delivery and enhancing viral spreading
• Scaling-up virus productions and industry challenges
We hope that deepening our understanding of the mechanisms by which viruses engage the immune system in the context of cancer will provide insights to broaden our biological therapeutic arsenal.