Translation of Targeted Oncolytic Virotherapeutics from the Lab into the Clinic, and Back Again: A High-Value Iterative Loop

As our knowledge and understanding of cancer biology have exploded over the past decade, some have proposed that this is a golden age of targeted cancer therapeutics. These novel therapeutics target specific molecules and pathways in cancers. Most notably, numerous monoclonal antibodies and small-molecule tyrosine kinase inhibitors have been developed and approved for a variety of cancers. Although these agents generate billions of dollars in sales, their impact on the overall survival of patients with metastatic solid tumors is in general minimal (although rare exceptions exist).