Discovered early in the 20th century, oncolytic viruses (OVs) have only recently gained widespread attention as a potential tool in the fight against cancer.
Just as the name would suggest, an oncolytic virus is capable of infecting, attacking and killing cancer cells while leaving healthy cells untouched.
They can also play a role in activating the body’s natural immune system against the virus or engineered to actively inhibit the tumour’s self-defence mechanisms and allow the immune system to identify the cells as cancerous.
A new report from Novotech reveals the OV market is expanding at pace, with a compounding annual growth rate of 14.2% between 2019 and 2024.
New tool in oncology war chest
More than 95% of ongoing trials involving oncolytic viruses are targeting the oncology market, specifically solid tumours including melanoma, glioblastoma and pancreatic cancer.
Some trials are also investigating their potential in treating infectious disease and autoimmune conditions.
Many are also studying these viruses in combination with other cancer treatments, including immune checkpoint inhibitors, chemotherapy or CAR-T cell therapies.
The core challenges facing the new treatment type involve overcoming the tumour microenvironment (a complex ecosystem of cells and molecules surrounding a tumour), immune resistance and manufacturing at scale.
Several trials are investigating treatment delivery systems that can overcome some of these challenges, with current methods including:
- Intratumoral delivery - High precision but limited to accessible tumours.
- Intravenous delivery - Suitable for metastatic tumours but faces challenges like immune neutralisation and limited targeting.
- Emerging nanoparticle systems - These enhance stability, tumour specificity and immune evasion. Liposome-encapsulated oncolytic viruses and inorganic nanoparticles, such as silica-based systems, show promise in preclinical and early-phase trials.
- Cell-based carriers - Immune cells and stem cells are being explored as vehicles for OVs to improve targeting and mitigate systemic immune responses.
- Biomaterial shields: Techniques such as hydrogel encapsulation improve localized release and reduce off-target effects.
While OVs are showing high potential as a clinical treatment for cancer, they still face many challenges.
Novotech believes investment in scalable manufacturing, early regulatory engagement, and cross-sector collaboration in clinical integration will be necessary to develop oncolytic viruses into approved treatments.
The report calls for a focus on refining research designs and developing predictive biomarkers to personalise treatments, ensuring OV therapy becomes a more accessible and effective option for patients with resistant or advanced cancers.
It also highlights the need for continued global efforts to expand indications beyond oncology into areas like infectious diseases and neurological disorders.