Oncolytic viruses: Natural Born Killers

Amgen’s Imlygic was approved last year - a move that finally added onco­lytic viruses (OVs) to the healthcare toolkit. Although the treatment’s scope of application as a stand-alone therapy is limited, many are viewing the event as Ground Zero for an explosive new age in medicine. Evidence is mounting that the full potential of virotherapies can only be realised in combination with other immuno­therapies, chemotherapies or small-molecule therapies. A number of other European drug developers have now jumped on Amgen’s bandwagon.