The key point here is that for any virus to be used as a cancer therapeutic (EXCEPT the reovirus) the virus mus be modified so that it does not replicate in normal cells.
It's interesting though that you attribute some of the characteristics of the Adenovirus to the reovirus that we're discussing here. Oncolytics Biotech, the people that are bringing you the reovirus, also hold the patent on the Adenovirus, when modified to disable its ability to replicate in anything except a cancer cell (a cell with an activated Ras pathway).
Not only does it work quite nicely in all the trials to date, but if you read any of their patents, you'll see that they even know why it works. This is unusual.
rjc
The reovirus can be stopped by the body's immune system, but all testing so far has shown that the defence is so weak, there isn't a problem. Should their be to great an immune response, a simple short term immune suppressant (such as cyclosporin) can be used to solve the problem.
As far as the reovirus mutating, it seems that it hasn't yet over the last 4 million years or so. This is partly because it's a DOUBLE stranded RNA virus, so during replication, it has its own built in "error checking".
Once approved, it should be the ideal therapy as it does best (100%?) against metastatic cancer. A paper from Harvard last month demonstrated that these spreading metastatic cancers all seem to have an active Ras component. It is this activated Ras pathway that allows the reovirus to kill the cancer cells.
Generally correct as a viral infection sets up some antibodies. In this case, the antibody response is very low. It seems that there is a symbiotic relationship going on. The reovirus, and the body are friends, and have been for many thousands of years.
In fact, there is some thought that the reovirus is killing cancer naturally, on an ongoing basis, but only in the respiratory system, or in the gut where it normally hangs out. In addition, it would only be strong enough, in "natural" quantities to take on early cancers (a few cells big).
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The key point here is that for any virus to be used as a cancer therapeutic (EXCEPT the reovirus) the virus mus be modified so that it does not replicate in normal cells.
There's a good overview at http://www.beatcancernow.com/
Be sure to click on the "MORE DETAIL" buttons
rjc
There's a good overview at http://www.beatcancernow.com/
Be sure to click on the "MORE DETAIL" buttons
rjcThe reovirus existed before we did. We are the "foreign species". What we're seeing here is a complimentary relationship.
It's interesting though that you attribute some of the characteristics of the Adenovirus to the reovirus that we're discussing here. Oncolytics Biotech, the people that are bringing you the reovirus, also hold the patent on the Adenovirus, when modified to disable its ability to replicate in anything except a cancer cell (a cell with an activated Ras pathway).
rjc
Not only does it work quite nicely in all the trials to date, but if you read any of their patents, you'll see that they even know why it works. This is unusual. rjc
The reovirus can be stopped by the body's immune system, but all testing so far has shown that the defence is so weak, there isn't a problem. Should their be to great an immune response, a simple short term immune suppressant (such as cyclosporin) can be used to solve the problem.
As far as the reovirus mutating, it seems that it hasn't yet over the last 4 million years or so. This is partly because it's a DOUBLE stranded RNA virus, so during replication, it has its own built in "error checking".
rjc
Once approved, it should be the ideal therapy as it does best (100%?) against metastatic cancer. A paper from Harvard last month demonstrated that these spreading metastatic cancers all seem to have an active Ras component. It is this activated Ras pathway that allows the reovirus to kill the cancer cells.
Generally correct as a viral infection sets up some antibodies. In this case, the antibody response is very low. It seems that there is a symbiotic relationship going on. The reovirus, and the body are friends, and have been for many thousands of years. In fact, there is some thought that the reovirus is killing cancer naturally, on an ongoing basis, but only in the respiratory system, or in the gut where it normally hangs out. In addition, it would only be strong enough, in "natural" quantities to take on early cancers (a few cells big).