Ad.AFPtk

Ad.AFPtk is a **replication-deficient adenoviral vector engineered for gene therapy**, encoding a fusion gene composed of the alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) promoter and herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase (HSV-tk) gene. The AFP promoter restricts the expression of the suicide gene (HSV-tk) to AFP-positive cells, which are most commonly found in **hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)**. Upon administration of Ad.AFPtk, only AFP-positive cancer cells express HSV-tk; subsequent treatment with ganciclovir (a prodrug) is converted by HSV-tk into a cytotoxic metabolite that selectively kills tumor cells. This represents a **targeted suicide gene therapy modality** for AFP-positive cancers, particularly HCC. The adenoviral vector does not replicate in host cells.

Other names

adenoviral vector AFPtkadenoviral AFP-tkAdAFPtkAdAFP-tk