Therapeutics: Transforming growth factor β1 (TGFβ1)
Mouse studies suggest TGFβ1 could improve the efficacy of an oncolytic herpes simplex virus (HSV) to help treat glioblastoma. In oncolytic HSV-treated co-cultures of patient-derived glioblastoma cells and a human NK cell line, pretreatment of NK cells with TGFβ1 decreased their activity against the virus compared with no pretreatment. In a patient-derived xenograft mouse model of glioblastoma,TGFβ1 plus intracranial injection of the oncolytic virus increased viral titers in the brain, decreased tumor growth and increased survival, compared with an anti-TGFβ1 antibody plus the oncolytic virus. Next steps could include testing TGFβ1 in combination with other oncolytic viruses in cancer models.
Amgen Inc. has NV1020, a modified oncolytic HSV, in Phase I/II testing to treat colorectal cancer. Amgen also has G207, a modified HSV-1, in Phase I to treat brain cancer...