Current Issues and Future Directions of Oncolytic Adenoviruses

Oncolytic adenoviruses (Ads) constitute a promising new class of anticancer agent. They are based on the well-studied adenoviral vector system, which lends itself to concept-driven design to generate oncolytic variants. The first oncolytic Ad was approved as a drug in China in 2005, although clinical efficacy observed in human trials has failed to reach the high expectations that were based on studies in animal models. Current obstacles to the full realization of efficacy of this class of anticancer agent include (i) limited efficiency of infection and specific replication in tumor cells, (ii) limited vector spread within the tumor, (iii) imperfect animal models and methods of in vivo imaging, and (iv) an incomplete understanding of the interaction of these agents with the host. In this review, we discuss recent advances in the field of oncolytic Ads and potential ways to overcome current obstacles to their clinical application and efficacy.