Research

​Cancer therapy using oncolytic viruses

Our knowledge of virus replication and the ability to design and engineer viruses enable us to modify viruses to specifically recognize, infect and destroy cancer cells.
In addition, these viruses, termed oncolytic viruses, once injected to the cancer patient, induce the innate immune system of the patient and thus serve as an efficient adjutant for the new emerging biological drugs against a variety of tumors. Oncolytic viruses can be introduced to patients either directly into the tumor tissue or systemically via the blood circulation.

We have developed (In collaboration with Prof. Z. Rones Zakai) a new oncolytic virus, based on New Castle Disease Virus, termed NDV HUJ ( for Hebrew University Jerusalem). We have conducted multiple preclinical ex vivo studies using a new organ culture system with tumor and normal tissues tissues derived from tumor surgeries and demonstrated the preferential infection of the tumor tissues.
Next we carried out in vivo mice models of lung and colon carcinoma and could show efficacy of NDV-HUJ in shrinking of the tumors and extending the survival of the animals. Finally we carried out a clinical phase 1/2 study with glioblastoma patients (in collaboration with Ovecure Corp). demonstrating the safety of the treatment. We currently developing new oncolytic viruses based on NDV that will selectively infect and destroy certain types of tumors.

​Application of engineered viruses for the therapy of a variety of diseses

The focus of my research for many years has been to apply viruses, that in nature cause diseases, into efficient vectors for the therapy of a variety of diseases. This is done by genetic engineering certain viruses to carry therapeutic genes and by targeting the viruses to infect selectively diseased tissues.

1) We have applied this expertise to the development of the Bio-Pump technology for the sustain delivery of hormones, such a Erythropoitein EPO, to patients with kidney failure and consequent chronic anemia.

2) We developed a unique oncolytic virus (termed NDV-HUJ) that selectively infect and destroy tumor tissues and have carried the experimentation's through the preclinical and early phase 1/2 human clinical trial. We currently expending the studies both at developing new a selective oncolytic viruses and carry on with the clinical trials.