Characterization and evaluation of a new oncolytic Vaccinia Virus strain LIVP6.1.1 for canine cancer therapy

Abstract

Virotherapy on the basis of oncolytic vaccinia virus (VACV) strains is one novel approach for canine cancer therapy. In this study we described for the first time the characterization and the use of new VACV strain LIVP6.1.1 as an oncolytic agent against canine cancer in a panel of four canine cancer cell lines including: soft tissue sarcoma (STSA-1), melanoma (CHAS), osteosarcoma (D-17) and prostate carcinoma (DT08/40). Cell culture data demonstrated that LIVP6.1.1 efficiently infected and destroyed all four tested canine cancer cell lines. In two different xenograft models on the basis of the canine soft tissue sarcoma STSA-1 and the prostate carcinoma DT08/40 cell lines, a systemic administration of the LIVP6.1.1 virus was found to be safe and led to anti-tumor and immunological effects resulting in the significant reduction of tumor growth in comparison to untreated control mice.

 

In summary, the pre-clinical evaluation has demonstrated the efficacy of LIVP6.1.1 for canine cancer therapy. Furthermore, a clinical trial with canine cancer patients has already been started.

Keywords: :

• cancer
• canine cancer therapy
• oncolytic virus
• oncolysis
• canine xenografts

Disclosure of Potential Conflicts of Interest

This work was supported by Genelux Corporation, San Diego, USA, and a Service Grant to the University of Wuerzburg, Germany also funded by Genelux Corporation. I.G., U.G., A.F., N.G.C., Y.A.Y., Q.Z. and A.A.S. are employees and shareholders of Genelux. M.A. and S.W. were supported by grants of Genelux Corporation. S.S.P. is a graduate fellow and supported by a grant of the German Excellence Initiative to the Graduate School of Life Sciences, University of Wuerzburg. No additional external funding was received for this study. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.

Acknowledgments

We thank Mrs J. Langbein-Laugwitz, Mr J. Aguilar, Mr T. Trevino and Mrs I. Smirnow for technical support, Dr I. Nolte and Dr A. Macneill for providing of canine cell lines used in this study and Dr Z. Sokolovic for critical reading of the manuscript.

Notes

† These authors contributed equally to this work.