Phase I Vaccinia Virus JX-594 for Relapsed/Refractory Neuroblastoma and Other Pediatric Solid Tumors
Project Title: Phase I Vaccinia Virus JX-594 for Relapsed/Refractory Neuroblastoma and Other Pediatric Solid Tumors
Researcher: Timothy Cripe, MD, PhD
Institution: Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, Texas Children’s Hospital
Study Type: Phase I clinical trial
Project Summary
Solving Kids’ Cancer initiated and funded the first trial in children using JX-594, a
virus strain derived from the same vaccine used to eradicate smallpox, for treating children
with solid tumors. JX-594 had been previously tested in adult cancer clinical trials showing
benefits, including for those whose cancers are resistant to other therapies. Researchers
believe that oncolytic viruses like JX-594 will be an important component in combination
with other immunotherapies to put patients into durable remission.
Impact
One of the children experienced a reduction in tumor size and showed an increase in immune system activity as a result of the virus. The study results were published in Molecular Therapy in March 2015.