Back to results
US 6,555,108 B1Granted
Implanting HSV-TK retrovirus producing cells to treat tumors
AssigneeThe General Hospital Corporation
InventorsXandra O. Breakefield, Robert L. Martuza, Marion Priscilla Short
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention discloses compositions and methods for selective killing neoplastic cells. Retroviral vectors are used to selectively express a gene in neoplastic cells. The gene or gene product targets the cells for selective killing.
Claims9
A method for selectively transferring chemosensitivity to solid neoplastic cells, so that said cells may be killed, said method comprising:
- (a) contacting said solid neoplastic cells with retrovirus vector—producing packaging cells, wherein the retrovirus vector produced by said packaging cells infects said solid neoplastic cells, said vector comprising a herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase gene whose gene product is capable of transferring chemosensitivity to said solid neoplastic cells;
- (b) contacting said solid neoplastic cells with an agent which recognizes said gene product, thereby killing said solid neoplastic cells having chemosensitivity to said agent.
A method for treating solid tumors in a host, said method comprising:
- introducing retroviral vector-producing packaging cells into said solid tumor, wherein the retroviral vectors produced by said packaging cells infect tumor cells in said solid tumor, said vectors comprising a gene for herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase whose gene product kills the tumor cells upon interaction with an agent;
- and
- administering said agent to said host, thereby killing said infected solid tumor cells.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.