Killer virus turned against childhood brain cancer

NCT ID NCT03911388

Recruiting now Disease control Sponsor: M.D. Anderson Cancer Center Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Jul 30, 2026 · Updated 3 times

Summary

This early-stage trial tests whether a specially engineered herpes virus (G207) is safe to inject directly into the brain tumors of children whose cancer has returned. Up to 24 children aged 3 to 21 will receive the virus, and some will also get a small dose of radiation to help the virus work better. The goal is to see if the treatment is safe enough to study further.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance: engineered herpes simplex virus (G207) with or without low-dose radiation
What this could lead to: If this works, it could point toward a new treatment option for children with hard-to-treat brain tumors that have come back after standard therapy.
What could go wrong: This is a very early (phase 1) safety trial with only 24 children, so it is not yet known if the virus helps shrink tumors. The virus may cause serious side effects, and combining it with radiation adds unknown risks.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

anaplastic astrocytoma astrocytoma (excluding glioblastoma) atypical teratoid rhabdoid tumor brain cancer brain disorder brain glioblastoma brain neoplasm cancer cancer of cerebellum central nervous system cancer central nervous system disorder central nervous system neoplasm cerebellar astrocytoma cerebellar neoplasm childhood central nervous system primitive neuroectodermal neoplasm choroid plexus carcinoma ependymoblastoma ependymoma epithelial neoplasm germ cell tumor giant cell glioblastoma glandular cell neoplasm glioblastoma glioma glioma susceptibility 1 gliosarcoma herpes simplex encephalitis medulloblastoma metastatic neoplasm neoplasm Neoplasm Metastasis Neoplasms by Histologic Type Neoplasms by Site Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal Neoplasms, Nerve Tissue nervous system cancer nervous system disorder nervous system neoplasm Neuroectodermal Tumors, Primitive neuroepithelial neoplasm oligodendroglioma primitive neuroectodermal tumor rhabdoid tumor viral infectious disease

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

ASTROCYTOMA ASTROCYTOMA, CEREBELLAR BRAIN DISEASES CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM DISEASES CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM NEOPLASMS, MALIGNANT CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM NEOPLASMS, PRIMARY CEREBELLAR NEOPLASM MALIGNANT PRIMARY CEREBELLAR NEOPLASM, MALIGNANT CEREBELLAR NEOPLASMS CEREBELLAR NEOPLASMS, PRIMARY CEREBELLAR PNET, CHILDHOOD GLIOBLASTOMA MULTIFORME GLIOBLASTOMA OF CEREBELLUM HSV MEDULLOBLASTOMA RECURRENT NEOPLASM MALIGNANT NEOPLASM METASTASES NEOPLASMS NEOPLASMS BY HISTOLOGIC TYPE NEOPLASMS BY SITE NEOPLASMS, BRAIN NEOPLASMS, GERM CELL AND EMBRYONAL NEOPLASMS, GLANDULAR AND EPITHELIAL NEOPLASMS, NERVE TISSUE NEOPLASMS, NEUROEPITHELIAL NERVOUS SYSTEM CANCER NERVOUS SYSTEM DISEASES NERVOUS SYSTEM NEOPLASMS NEUROECTODERMAL TUMORS NEUROECTODERMAL TUMORS, PRIMITIVE PEDIATRIC BRAIN TUMOR PRIMITIVE NEUROECTODERMAL TUMOR (PNET) OF CEREBELLUM VIRUS

Contacts and locations

Locations

MD Anderson Cancer Center
RECRUITING

Houston, Texas, 77030, United States
Siteman Cancer Center at Washington University
ACTIVE_NOT_RECRUITING

St Louis, Missouri, 63110, United States
University of Alabama at Birmingham Cancer Center
ACTIVE_NOT_RECRUITING

Birmingham, Alabama, 35233, United States

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