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In the search for ever more effective and selective ways to fight cancer, researchers at Columbia University’s School of Engineering and Applied Science in collaboration with those at Rockefeller University have bioengineered a bacterium that selectively ferries a cell-killing virus into cancer cells. They call this system CAPPSID which stands for Coordinated Activity of Prokaryote and Picornavirus for Safe Intracellular Delivery.

The prokaryote in question is a salmonella species and the picornavirus is the Senecavirus. This salmonella selectively invades tumor cells and delivers not only the virus but also an enzyme necessary to activate the virus once inside the tumor cell. This permits the virus to slip past the immune system, sneak into cancers, and attack tumor cells from the inside.

Using a preclinical mouse model, the bacteria successfully homed in on their tumors, delivered the virus, and then self-destructed to release it. To prevent the virus from killing normal mouse cells, the virus can only proliferate in the presence of the protease enzyme supplied by the cancer-homing bacterium.

This is the first example of directly engineered cooperation between bacteria and viruses with the goal of cancer eradication. , and it may open the door to a new class of living medicines for solid tumors. Clinical studies are now in the planning stages making it possible that this technology could be added to existing cancer therapy…..someday soon

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41551-025-01476-8

#cancer #bacteria #viruses #salmonella #picornavirus #trojanhorse