Experimental virus and immunotherapy combo takes on deadly brain tumors

This early-phase trial is testing a combination of two treatments for people with recurrent or newly diagnosed glioblastoma and other aggressive brain cancers. The first treatment is pembrolizumab, an immunotherapy that helps the immune system attack cancer cells. The second is M032, a genetically engineered herpes simplex virus that produces IL-12, a protein that boosts immune activity. The study aims to see if this combination is safe and whether it can improve survival. About 28 participants will receive both treatments, with the virus injected directly into the tumor during surgery.