by Vaccinia viruses, a versatile group of therapeutic agents, have found various applications in biomedical research due to their susceptibility to different cell types. Among these strains, the modified vaccinia Ankara (MVA), which cannot replicate in mammalian cells, is widely used to initiate robust immune responses, leading to the development of vaccines against COVID-19 and AIDS.
On the other hand, strains like Western Reserve (WR) and Copenhagen (Cop), which efficiently replicate in tumor cells, are employed as immune-oncolytic viruses in viral immunotherapy. However, their reduced immunogenicity can hinder their effectiveness in stimulating patients’ immune responses against tumors.
To address this challenge, researchers from the University of Barcelona, Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IBIDELL), and the University of Munich (Germany) have engineered a novel vaccinia virus strain. This new strain, capable of replicating in tumor cells while preserving heightened immunogenicity, can induce immunogenic cell death in tumors.
The findings of this study, published in the journal Molecular Therapy, were achieved through collaboration with the State Research Agency (AEI). The researchers’ innovative approach could lead to more effective cancer treatments by combining the tumor-targeting properties of immune-oncolytic viruses with the enhanced immune response-inducing capabilities of the new vaccinia virus strain.
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