Harmless human virus may boost the effects of chemotherapy

A harmless virus may be able to boost the effects of two standard chemotherapy drugs. RT3D, trade name Reolysin, is a new drug developed by Oncolytics Biotech. It is based on a virus (reovirus type 3 Dearing) that is found in most adults' respiratory and gastrointestinal tracts. RT3D has the ability to grow in and kill certain types of cancer cells, but does not grow in normal cells. Previous trials injecting patients with the virus on its own showed limited effectiveness, but the team found that RT3D appeared to magnify the effects of platin and taxane-based chemotherapy. Researchers, therefore, started a clinical trial testing RT3D in combination with chemotherapeutics carboplatin and paclitaxel in patients with advanced cancers. Patients with head and neck cancers were found to have the best responses, so a Phase II expansion study was targeted to patients with these types of cancers. Cancers shrank for about one third of the patients and disease stabilised for a further third.