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Katherine Chan, MD, on viral vs non-viral vectors in bladder cancer
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"Viral vectors are basically a blueprint of the virus that's used to carry the DNA payload into the target tissue, but the problem is they have some issues," says Katherine Chan, MD, MPH.
Detalimogene voraplasmid (EG-70) is an investigational non-viral gene therapy that is designed to stimulate both the innate and adaptive immune response. In a recent interview with Urology Times®, Katherine Chan, MD, MPH, explained the difference between viral and non-viral vectors in gene therapy.
EG-70 is currently in phase 1/2 development for the treatment of patients with non–muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC).
Chan is the senior medical director at enGene and a urologist at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.
Specifically, Chan outlines some of the challenges with viral vectors, which can include storage and handling requirements, manufacturing concerns, and a prolonged thaw time.
She added, “Importantly, from a patient perspective, they're immunogenic, which means they can trigger an adverse immune response.”
According to Chan, EG-70, which is delivered with a non-viral vector, helps to overcome some of these challenges. For example, the therapeutic can be stored using a regular freezer in clinic and doesn’t come with any concerns about contact precautions.
