Treatment of tumors with genetically engineered herpes virus

Abstract

Disclosed are methods for treating cancer by administering an effective amount of a modified Herpes simplex virus.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method for killing cancer cells comprising the step of administering to an individual suffering from cancer an amount of a Herpes simplex virus (HSV) comprising a modified HSV genome wherein said modification comprises a modification of an inverted repeat region of said HSV genome such that one γ 1 34.5 gene remains intact and said amount of HSV being effective to kill cancer cells.  
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the modification of the inverted repeat region of the genome comprises an alteration of a copy of a γ 1 34.5 gene which renders that copy of the gene incapable of expressing an active gene product.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the alteration of the γ 1 34.5 gene comprises an insertion of a DNA sequence comprising one or more nucleotides into the coding region or regulatory region of the gene.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the alteration of the γ 1 34.5 gene comprises a deletion of all or part of the coding region or regulatory region of the gene.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 ,  2 ,  3 , or  4  wherein the modified HSV genome further comprises an alteration in a unique region of the HSV genome.  
     
     
         6 . The method of claims  1 ,  2 ,  3 , or  4  wherein the cancer is a noncentral nervous system cancer.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 ,  2 ,  3 , or  4  wherein the cancer is a central nervous system cancer.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the cancer is non-central nervous system cancer.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the cancer is a central nervous system cancer.