[The use of oncolytic adenovirus for the treatment of cancer].

Oncolytic viruses represent a new treatment modality that may help overcome some of the most important limitations of classical radio- and chemotherapy. This new technique is based on conditioned replication of the viral genome only in cells with the genetic alterations characteristic of tumor lesions. This facilitates the selective lysis of tumor masses concomitant to viral autoamplification. As a result, the pharmacodynamic parameters involved are completely different from those of antitumor drug substances. ICOVIR-5 is an oncolytic adenovirus with a good toxicity and antitumor efficacy profile following intravenous administration. However, prior clinical experience has also revealed its most important limitations for ensuring clinical efficacy. The identification of these limitations, together with the possibilities for manipulating viral genomes, now open to door to the molecular designing of candidates offering more efficient antitumor activity and constituting genuine management alternatives in application to treatment-refractory tumors.