Magnetic delivery of anit-cancer magnetosomes using MRI

Background: Oncolytic virotherapy to destroy cancer has fast gained acceptance as a
cancer treatment modality with the recent FDA approval for Amgen's T-VEC (an oncolytic
HSV) in melanoma. However, following intravenous administration oncolytic viruses (OV) are
massively compromised by host defense mechanisms limiting applicability to accessible
tumours where injection of OV directly into the tumour is necessary. MRI scanners offer new
opportunities to magnetically guide anticancer therapies accurately to tumours. We
hypothesise that such precise delivery of OVs using MRT will massively improve therapeutic
efficacy following injection into the blood stream, whilst preventing unwanted immune attack
of the virus.
The Aims of this project are (1) To use the powerful-pulsed magnetic field gradient of an MRI
scanner to deliver magnetosome-OV complexes (Mag-OV) to mice with metastatic tumours.
The MRI scanner will also be used also be used to track therapy after administration by
generating longitudinal images of the treated tissue (2) To use mathematical models to (i)
identify the key physical processes in the targeting protocol, (ii) predict efficacy of MRT in
other murine cancer models (iii) to scale it up to application in humans.