Looking at immune changes in glioblastoma tumors after a new oncolytic herpes virus treatment
Project 2: Analyses of the human GBM microenvironment form clinical trial specimens treated with the oncolytic HSV, rQNestin34v.2
This work looks at how an injected oncolytic herpes virus affects immune cells in tumors from people with recurrent high-grade gliomas.
Quick facts
| Grant type | P01 program project |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Brigham and Women's Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11181512 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This project uses tumor tissue from people who received an injected oncolytic herpes simplex virus (rQNestin34.5v.2) for recurrent glioblastoma. Researchers will measure immune cell presence and activity, including T cell and B cell receptor signals, in those clinical specimens. They will link those molecular immune findings to MRI tumor growth patterns and patient survival from a completed phase 1 trial (NCT03152318). The team aims to identify immune changes that might explain who benefits from this viral immunotherapy and help guide future treatments.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are people with recurrent high-grade gliomas (glioblastoma) who are eligible for or have received intratumoral oncolytic HSV therapy.
Not a fit: Patients with other types of cancer or those who are not candidates for intratumoral viral therapy are unlikely to be directly helped by this specific research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help doctors know which glioblastoma patients are most likely to respond to oncolytic virus therapy and inform better immune-based treatments.
How similar studies have performed: Similar oncolytic herpes viruses have shown immune activity in other cancers and one oHSV is approved for melanoma in the US with another approved for GBM in Japan, while early data from this rQNestin agent show increased tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes and hints of clinical correlation.
Where this research is happening
Boston, United States
- Brigham and Women's Hospital — Boston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Chiocca, E. Antonio — Brigham and Women's Hospital
- Study coordinator: Chiocca, E. Antonio
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.