Patent ID: 8530437

Claim:
A method of enhancing the efficacy of in vivo lysis or killing of tumor cells that overexpress the squamous cell carcinoma related oncogene (SCCRO) by a non-neurovirulent oncolytic herpes simplex virus, the method comprising the step of administering a non-neurovirulent oncolytic herpes simplex virus to tumor cells in a patient in need of treatment, wherein the herpes simplex virus genome comprises a nucleic acid encoding an antisense to the squamous cell carcinoma related oncogene (asSCCRO), which squamous cell carcinoma related oncogene comprises the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 or SEQ ID NO: 3; and wherein the nucleic acid in the herpes simplex virus genome encodes a nucleotide sequence having at least 95% sequence identity to: (i) a nucleotide sequence complementary to the polynucleotide sequence of SEQ ID No. 1 or 3; or (ii) the mRNA transcript of SEQ ID No. 1 or 3, wherein the tumor cells overexpress the squamous cell carcinoma related oncogene (SCCRO), and wherein the herpes simplex virus lyses or kills tumor cells that overexpress SCCRO with enhanced efficacy.