Talimogene Laherparepvec in Patients With Unresectable Pancreatic Cancer

Talimogene laherparepvec is a conditionally replication competent herpes simplex type-1 virus designed for use in solid tumors. It has been specifically modified to replicate in tumors and to provide a local source of the immune-stimulating cytokine, granulocyte macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF). It is injected directly into cancer tumors and is believed to destroy tumor cells by direct infection of the tumor cells and an enhanced immune response due to the release of tumor antigens and GM-CSF expression. This was an open-label, dose-escalation study evaluating the safety and efficacy of talimogene laherparepvec administered by direct injection into pancreatic tumors using endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)-guided fine needle injection (FNI). Only 1 tumor mass within the body and tail of the pancreas was injected in any participant. The protocol called for evaluation of 4 dosing regimens in sequential cohorts of participants; however, cohort 4 was not opened for enrollment.