Technology

Oncolytic virotherapy

Since the 1940’s naturally occurring viruses have been identified that innately prefer targeting and replicating in cancer cells – oncolytic viruses. Like all viruses, oncolytic viruses penetrate a host cell and “trick” it into replicating more of the virus until he hosts cell’s membrane ruptures, and the cell is destroyed. Oncolytic viruses preferentially replicate in cancer cells. Once all the cancer cells are destroyed, the virus is generally no longer able to replicate and is cleared from the body. In 1956 first human clinical trial was conducted. In 2015 the first oncolytic virus was approved by the FDA for treatment of melanoma.

Researchers work with both engineered and non-engineered oncolytic viruses in their fight against multiple types of cancer. Non engineered are naturally occurring while engineered viruses do not preferentially attach to cancer cells and are genetically modified to do so.

Therapeutic benefits of oncolytic virotherapy are:

Problems

Most known existing viruses that infect humans and land animals have been tested for oncolytic properties – the existing sources of finding new viruses is running dry. Most companies have based their oncolytic viral therapeutic approach by modifying such viruses with proprietary immunotherapy genes.

The therapeutic effect of these known oncolytic viruses is hampered by the patient’s immune system which recognizes and removes very early the virus after administration before it can have an oncolytic effect. Most clinical studies have focused on intratumoral or intravenous delivery of oncolytic viruses. While intravenous holds the most promise of systemic treatment and destroying cancers that have metastasized, a challenge faced by researchers is maintaining therapeutic levels in the presence of the body’s immune system response. The immune system creates antibodies to destroy viruses. Intravenous delivered oncolytic viruses must overcome pre-existing antibodies to have a therapeutic effect. The problem is most oncolytic viruses discovered or their subspecies are human pathogens where patient are likely to have existing antibodies (immune recognition).

Solution

Viruses are the most bountiful entities in the ocean. Just one millilitre of coastal water taken from the ocean’s surface can contain up to 10 million viruses. The number of viruses decreases further offshore and deeper into the water, and as we reach the open sea, there are likely to be around 100,000 viruses per millilitre at a depth of 4,000 metres. It’s estimated that the oceans contain one nonillion viruses – that’s a number equal to one followed by 30 zeroes, which is many more than the stars in our galaxy, the Milky Way. While this number remains constant over time, countless viruses are eaten by microorganisms or deactivated by radiation, while countless more burst forth from infected hosts. A dynamic balance exists between the disappearance of viruses and the appearance of new ones in seawater.

With a source of over 10³⁰ viruses to play, most of which is untapped, we believe there are many viruses which will discover that have oncolytic properties and which our immune system has not recognized before allowing for a huge number of potential new therapeutic candidates that could be developed with our unique MovD^TM platform and our dedicated passion in finding cures for cancer.

Technology

Oncolytic virotherapy

High therapeutic index

Better anti-tumor efficacy

Synergies with existing cancer therapies

Problems

Solution

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