Cell-based oncolytic virus immunotherapy

Class

Cell-based oncolytic virus immunotherapy (autologous cytokine-induced killer cells loaded with an oncolytic virus)

Pathway

Autologous cytokine-induced killer (CIK) cells (CD3+/CD56+ NK-T cell enriched) are loaded with an adapted oncolytic virus and infused to deliver virus-mediated tumor lysis combined with immune cell cytotoxicity, generating an inflammatory tumor microenvironment

Notes

original target text: Cell-based oncolytic virus immunotherapy (autologous cytokine-induced killer cells loaded with an oncolytic virus)

This approach combines two forms of cancer immunotherapy into one cellular product. Cytokine-induced killer (CIK) cells are white blood cells expanded from a patient's own blood and enriched for markers (CD3 and CD56) associated with natural killer-like and T-cell cytotoxic activity; they can recognize and kill tumor cells through mechanisms that do not require prior antigen-specific training. These cells are loaded with an oncolytic virus, a virus engineered or selected to preferentially infect and destroy tumor cells while sparing normal tissue. The cell carrier serves as a delivery vehicle, protecting the virus from immune clearance in the bloodstream and guiding it toward tumor sites, where infected tumor cells lyse and release viral progeny alongside tumor antigens and inflammatory signals. The combination is intended to convert tumors that are otherwise poorly infiltrated by immune cells, so-called "cold" tumors, into inflamed, "hot" microenvironments that are more susceptible to sustained immune attack. This dual mechanism, direct viral oncolysis plus cell-mediated cytotoxicity, is being explored broadly in solid tumors where single-modality immunotherapies have shown limited penetration or durability, particularly in cancers with immunosuppressive microenvironments.