Matthias Gromeier

Dr. Matthias Gromeier is an Associate Professor in the Department of Neurosurgery at Duke University Medical Center,^[1][2] who has developed a way to re-engineer a polio virus to inspire the human immune system to kill cancer cells in a specific set of cancers. The re-engineered virus, called PVSRIPO, cannot replicate itself in normal cells, but can replicate itself in cancer cells that have an overabundance of the protein marker that the polio virus targets.^[3]

PVSRIPO is thought to induce an anti tumor immune response against the tumor. Phase I trials in glioblastoma (GBM, one of the most deadly brain cancers) results have been very promising. The traditional treatment against GBM, surgical resection followed by chemo usually gives rise to only a 12 month survival in patients; SOME patients treated with PVSRIPO are still alive symptomless 3.5 years after treatment. It should be noted that only the worst cases of GBM, that did not respond to any other treatments were enrolled in trial. The lab is now testing the virus in other tumors: breast, pancreas and many more coming.

References