 HF10 is an attenuated, replication-competent mutant strain of Herpes Simplex Virus type 1 (HSV1). HF10 is an isolate of a spontaneously formed variant of HSV1 and does not contain any foreign DNA. The virulence of HF10 is significantly reduced compared to wild-type HSV1 because it carries mutations in genes controlling virulence. These mutations include deletions of relatively long nucleotide sequences, effectively preventing a reversion to the wild-type phenotype. HF10 was isolated and established by Professor Yukihiro Nishiyama, Nagoya University, School of Medicine. Dr. Nishiyama, a collaborator of Mfs Science, is a leading authority in HSV research.
Live viruses to treat cancer have been investigated in several studies and this new approach to cancer therapy has been termed goncolytic virotherapyh. HF10 is one of the promising new strains for oncolytic virotherapy. HF10 shows a strong killing effect against tumor cells because of its high replication competence in these cells. Importantly, HF10 exhibits an increased tumor selectivity and a reduced neurovirulence compared to HSV1. Administration of HF10 induces a strong immune response which is expected to further enhance the anti-tumor activity of this virus.
Since HF10 induces a strong immune response, HF10 also has potential as a live attenuated vaccine against HSV infection.
Clinical Development
Three investigator-initiated clinical trials with HF10 were performed in the hospital of Nagoya University, Japan. A small number of patients with breast cancer, pancreas cancer and head and neck cancer were treated with HF10. These clinical trials demonstrated oncolytic activity and tolerability of HF10 in cancer patients.
A phase 1/2 trial of HF10 in patients with head and neck cancer is in progress in the United States by Mfs Science. The target indications will be extended to other tumors such as melanoma, breast cancer and disseminated peritoneal tumors. HF10 will also be developed as a live attenuated vaccine against HSV infection in the future.
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