Exogenous tap inhibitor armed oncolytic viruses and therapeutic uses thereof

Abstract

The present invention relates to exogenous TAP inhibitor armed oncolytic viruses that replicate selectively in cancer cells, evade CD8+ cytolytic T-cells, and induce the immune system to recognize tumor cells. Preferred viruses of the invention have a heterologous gene that encodes a function that affects antigen presentation by inhibiting TAP. The viruses of the invention also comprise one or more heterologous genes encoding immunomodulatory polypeptides, prodrug converting enzymes, or matrix degrading enzymes. Compositions and therapeutic methods using the oncolytic viruses are also provided, including compositions and therapeutic methods for treating cancers, such as melanoma, head and neck cancer, ovarian cancer, breast cancer, glioblastoma, bladder cancer, prostate cancer, lung cancer, liver cancer, colorectal cancer, pancreatic cancer, and renal cancer.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.