Explainer | China is working on oncolytic virus therapies. They could be ‘next frontier’ for cancer

Research into the low-cost treatments has shown promise, with around 60 clinical trials currently under way

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Cancer remains a leading cause of death worldwide. Image: Shutterstock

Published: 4:09pm, 31 Mar 2025

Could a US$140 injection shrink aggressive tumours, reawaken the immune system and even extend the life of a late-stage cancer patient?

That is the potential of oncolytic virus therapy, according to Chinese scientists working on the genetically engineered “tumour meltdown” treatment.

They say these low-cost, high-impact viruses are showing promise in clinical trials – there are around 60 currently under way in China – and that they could transform cancer care.

What’s an oncolytic virus?

These viruses can be thought of as hidden assassins. Modified in labs, the idea is that they infiltrate tumours, replicate themselves inside cancer cells and explode them like microscopic grenades.

But they also have the potential to release proteins that could train the immune system to hunt down remaining cancer cells.

Research on the viruses began over a century ago, but recent developments involving genetic engineering have supercharged their potential.

So far, five oncolytic virus therapies have been approved worldwide, mostly in the United States and Japan. But Chinese researchers are making rapid advances in this area, with therapies that could offer an innovative and affordable approach to treatment.