Patent property of suicide gene therapy involving prodrugs 1996 - 1999

Abstract

Suicide gene therapy can be defined as a two-step treatment for solid tumours. In the first step, specific gene delivery technology leads to the expression of a foreign prodrug-activating enzyme only in tumour cells. During the second step, a non-toxic prodrug is administered which is converted by the expressed enzyme to a potent cytotoxic agent. The patent literature covering new gene-directed enzyme prodrug therapy (GDEPT) systems, improvements to GDEPT systems and improved delivery for suicide gene therapy, is discussed.

• enzymes
• prodrugs
• suicide gene therapy
• vectors