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Talimogene Laherparepvec

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Immunotherapy of Melanoma

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Abstract

Talimogene laherparepvec or T-VEC is a first-of-its-kind immunotherapy approved for the treatment of melanoma. Its use was approved by US FDA in October, 2015 for the treatment of patients with melanoma in skin and lymph nodes. It belongs to the category of oncolytic virus based drugs that selectively replicates in the tumor cells and causes lysis of target cells. T-VEC consists of a live, attenuated Herpes Simplex Virus-1 (HSV-1) that is genetically modified to express human GM-CSF in its target cells. In the current chapter, the composition of T-VEC and its anti-tumor potential are discussed. The chapter begins with an introduction to oncolytic viruses and describes the mechanisms by which they induce tumor regression. Next, the strain of virus that is used for the preparation of T-VEC and the modifications introduced in the strain during the preparation are detailed. The clinical trials that tested the safety and efficacy of oncolytic viruses including T-VEC in melanoma patients are described. Then, Imlygic, the marketed formulation of T-VEC and its clinical pharmacology are discussed. The mechanism of action of T-VEC at cellular level is then explained followed by details of reported adverse effects, drug interactions, and contraindications. Finally the chapter is concluded with a discussion on the limitations of T-VEC.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Medicine, Department of Dermatology and Skin Science, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

    Anand Rotte & Madhuri Bhandaru

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  1. Anand Rotte
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  2. Madhuri Bhandaru
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Correspondence to Anand Rotte .

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Rotte, A., Bhandaru, M. (2016). Talimogene Laherparepvec. In: Immunotherapy of Melanoma. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-48066-4_14

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