Ad-hCMV-TK

Ad-hCMV-TK is a recombinant, replication-defective serotype 5 adenoviral vector engineered to express the herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase (HSV-tk) gene under the control of the cytomegalovirus (CMV) promoter. This "suicide gene" therapy strategy is designed for use in cancer treatment, particularly glioblastoma. When administered, cells transduced with HSV-tk become sensitive to antiviral drugs such as ganciclovir or valacyclovir; upon administration of these drugs, HSV-tk phosphorylates them into toxic metabolites that induce cell death. The approach aims to selectively kill tumor cells while sparing normal tissue. The vector is typically used in combination with other therapies and has been evaluated in clinical trials for high-grade glioma[1][5][6].