REVIEW Oncolytic parvoviruses: fro L o

de ie es n m as years that followed. However, with dramatic advances in our understanding of molecular biology and virology apy. For a general introduction to the field we redirect the readers to these excellent recent reviews [2,3]. As a Marchini et al. Virology Journal (2015) 12:6 DOI 10.1186/s12985-014-0223-yand neck cancer, respectively, and a recombinant vacciniaCancer Research Center (DKFZ), Im Neuenheimer Feld 242, 69120 Heidelberg, Germanyand the advent of genetic engineering, the last two de-cades have brought with them a resurgence of interest in the field (for a review on the history of oncolytic vir-otherapy see [1]). Virotherapeutics can be subdivided result of their oncosuppressive abilities demonstrated in numerous preclinical models, no fewer than twelve OVs are currently being evaluated in clinical trials against a number of different cancers. In particular, a modified herpes simplex virus (HSV) (OncoVEX GM-CSF) [4] and reovirus (Reosyn, Reolysin) [5] have reached phase III clinical trials against recurrent melanoma and head * Correspondence