A trial of gene therapy for early prostate cancer (GDEPT)

This trial was looking at a type of gene therapy for early prostate cancer. It was open to men with early stage cancer, who were going to have surgery to remove the prostate gland (radical prostatectomy).

With this treatment, a specially treated virus is injected directly into the prostate cancer. It carries a gene that can turn a harmless drug called CB1954 into a very active anti cancer drug. The harmless drug travels through the bloodstream. When it reaches the virus infected cancer cells, it is activated by the gene in the virus and kills the cancer.

This trial was trying to find out how good the virus was at getting the genes into the cells in the prostate gland, and to find out about any possible side effects. The aim of this trial was to find the highest dose of the virus that could be given safely. The men who took part in this trial did not have the anti cancer drug.