Immunovirotherapy for the Treatment of Glioblastoma and Other Malignant Gliomas

Abstract

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) represents one of the most challenging malignancies due to many factors including invasiveness, heterogeneity, and an immunosuppressive microenvironment. Current treatment modalities have resulted in only modest effect on outcomes. The development of viral vectors for oncolytic immunovirotherapy and targeted drug delivery represents a promising therapeutic prospect for GBM and other brain tumors. A host of genetically engineered viruses, herpes simplex virus, poliovirus, measles, and others, have been described and are at various stages of clinical development. Herein we provide a review of the advances and current state of oncolytic virotherapy for the targeted treatment of GBM and malignant gliomas.

Keywords: Brain tumors; Glioblastoma; Herpes simplex virus (HSV-1); Immunovirotherapy; Oncolytic virotherapy; Oncolytic virus.