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Ghajar-Rahimi G, Kang KD, Totsch SK, Gary S, Rocco A, Blitz S, Kachurak K, Chambers MR, Li R, Beierle EA, Bag A, Johnston JM, Markert JM, Bernstock JD, Friedman GK. Clinical advances in oncolytic virotherapy for pediatric brain tumors. Pharmacol Ther 2022; 239:108193. [PMID: 35487285 DOI: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2022.108193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2022] [Revised: 04/10/2022] [Accepted: 04/21/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Malignant brain tumors constitute nearly one-third of cancer diagnoses in children and have recently surpassed hematologic malignancies as the most lethal neoplasm in the pediatric population. Outcomes for children with brain tumors are unacceptably poor and current standards of care-surgical resection, chemotherapy, and radiation-are associated with significant long-term morbidity. Oncolytic virotherapy has emerged as a promising immunotherapy for the treatment of brain tumors. While the majority of brain tumor clinical trials utilizing oncolytic virotherapy have been in adults, five viruses are being tested in pediatric brain tumor clinical trials: herpes simplex virus (G207), reovirus (pelareorep/Reolysin), measles virus (MV-NIS), poliovirus (PVSRIPO), and adenovirus (DNX-2401, AloCELYVIR). Herein, we review past and current pediatric immunovirotherapy brain tumor trials including the relevant preclinical and clinical research that contributed to their development. We describe mechanisms by which the viruses may overcome barriers in treating pediatric brain tumors, examine challenges associated with achieving effective, durable responses, highlight unique aspects and successes of the trials, and discuss future directions of immunovirotherapy research for the treatment of pediatric brain tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gelare Ghajar-Rahimi
- Medical Scientist Training Program, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Kyung-Don Kang
- Division of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Stacie K Totsch
- Division of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Sam Gary
- Medical Scientist Training Program, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Abbey Rocco
- Division of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | | | - Kara Kachurak
- Division of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - M R Chambers
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Rong Li
- Department of Pathology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, and Children's of Alabama, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Elizabeth A Beierle
- Division of Pediatric Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Asim Bag
- Department of Diagnostic Imaging, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - James M Johnston
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - James M Markert
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Joshua D Bernstock
- Department of Neurosurgery, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Gregory K Friedman
- Division of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA; Department of Neurosurgery, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA.
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