Definition

An attenuated oncolytic influenza A virus, with hemagglutinin and neuraminidase genes of influenza virus strain A/California/07/2009 codon-pair deoptimized, with potential oncolytic activity. Upon intratumoral administration, oncolytic influenza A virus selectively targets and replicates in cancer cells without being able to infect and replicate in normal, healthy cells. This induces selective oncolytic virus-mediated cytotoxicity in cancer cells, which leads to cancer cell lysis. Following the lysis of infected cells, the replicated virus is released and can infect adjacent tumor cells, which both induces further tumor cell oncolysis and may activate the immune system to exert an anti-tumor immune response against the tumor cells.