A herpes-based cancer drug could become available in 2016

May 27, 2015 14:55 GMT  ·  By

Researchers in the UK now claim that, in a series of experiments involving over 400 volunteers, they successfully used the herpes virus to treat an aggressive form of skin cancer known as melanoma. 

More precisely, they say that 1 in 4 of the study participants responded well to the innovative treatment, and even more surprisingly, 16.3% remained in remission for 6 months after the initial experiments.

By comparison, only 2.1% of the skin cancer patients included in a control group and treated with more conventional immunotherapy stayed in remission for such a long time.

The scientists didn't use the herpes virus per se

Mind you, the researchers didn't use the herpes virus per se to treat these skin cancer patients. Rather, they used a modified version made into a drug by the name of Talimogene Laherparepvec (T-VEC).

The modified herpes virus used in these experiments was engineered to target not healthy cells but cancerous ones. Having reached cancer cells, the virus would enter them and multiply until they popped open.

This triggered an immune response that further helped destroy tumors or at least shrink them to a considerable extent, say the specialists who tested the herpes-based drug.

“In this case we are harnessing the ability of an engineered virus to kill cancer cells and stimulate an immune response,” explained specialist Paul Workman, as cited by The Guardian.

“It’s like an unmasking of the cancer. The patient’s immune system wakes up and attacks the cancer cells wherever they are in the body,” added scientist Kevin Harrington.

The treatment could soon become available

Given their success in using the genetically engineered form of the herpes virus to treat melanoma, it should come as no surprise that the scientists behind this research project are now looking to make their innovative treatment available to skin cancer patients worldwide.

True, they still have some hurdles to overcome but they are rather optimistic about the future. Thus, they hope it will not be long until both the US Food and Drug Administration and the European Medicines Agency give their drug the green light.

Should all go well, the team expects that they will be granted permission to begin marketing their herpes-based skin cancer drug sometime in 2016, albeit only in the US and in Europe.