adenovirus vector expressing cytosine deaminase

Adenovirus vector expressing cytosine deaminase is a gene therapy approach designed to treat various solid tumors, including metastatic colorectal cancer and malignant gliomas. It utilizes a replication-deficient adenoviral vector (typically serotype 5) to deliver the bacterial cytosine deaminase (CD) gene, often derived from *Escherichia coli*, directly into tumor cells. Once expressed, the CD enzyme converts the systemically administered, non-toxic prodrug 5-fluorocytosine (5-FC) into the potent chemotherapeutic agent 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) locally within the tumor microenvironment. This localized conversion maximizes the anti-tumor effect and leverages a 'bystander effect,' where 5-FU diffuses to neighboring non-transduced cells, while minimizing the systemic toxicities typically associated with intravenous 5-FU therapy.

Other names

Ad-Ecoli-CDAdenoviral-mediated cytosine deaminase gene therapy