Tocagen Inc (TOCA)

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retroviral replicating vectors (RRVs) have emerged as a potential backbone for useful therapies across a wide range of oncologic malignancies. RRVs selectively infect tumor cells without directly lysing them. This differentiates them from directly oncolytic and highly inflammatory viruses such as adenovirus and herpes viruses (1–3). Thus, RRVs provide a platform for therapies based on tumor-specific gene delivery strategies without the inherent limitation of rapidly killing infected cells. RRV are selective for tumor cells partially due to virus-selective advantages in the tumor microenvironment from blunted innate immune responses as well as suppressed adaptive immune responses relative to normal dividing cells (3–6). Viral dependency on mitosis for integration contributes to cancer cell selectivity (7), and the noninflammatory nature of the infection (and replication competency) allows subsequent spread

http://clincancerres.aacrjournals.org/content/24/19/4680