aglatimagene besadenovec + acyclovir

Aglatimagene besadenovec + acyclovir is a combination therapy in which aglatimagene besadenovec (a replication-defective adenoviral vector encoding the herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase [HSV-tk] gene) is directly injected into the tumor. HSV-tk is expressed in transduced tumor cells, which are then selectively sensitized to antiviral prodrugs such as acyclovir or (more commonly in clinical trials) valacyclovir. Upon administration of acyclovir, HSV-tk phosphorylates the drug to its active toxic form, resulting in immunogenic tumor cell death (apoptosis) and secondary CD8+ T cell-mediated anti-tumor immune response. This approach, termed gene-mediated cytotoxic immunotherapy (GMCI), is under investigation for multiple solid tumors, predominantly prostate cancer and pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. Most published and clinical data use valacyclovir as the prodrug, but acyclovir serves as the same mechanistic partner.

Other names

aglatimagene besadenovec + acycloviraglatimagene besadenovec + valacyclovirgene-mediated cytotoxic immunotherapy