An innovative research project supported by the Olivia Association

At the Olivia Association, we are committed to supporting research projects that offer hope for children with serious cancers, especially when they are led by the doctors and researchers who accompanied Olivia throughout her illness.

The research project led by Dr Jasper van der Lugt is part of this approach. It explores an innovative therapeutic approach for the treatment of diffuse midline gliomas (DMG/DIPG), particularly aggressive brain tumors in children and young adults, for which current treatments still offer very limited benefits.

This project relies on the use of an oncolytic virus, specifically modified to target and destroy tumor cells while preserving as many healthy brain cells as possible. Simultaneously, this treatment aims to stimulate the immune system so that it recognizes and fights the tumor.

By supporting this project, the Olivia Association hopes to contribute to the development of new therapeutic strategies, capable not only of slowing the progression of the disease, but also of improving the quality of life of the children and young patients concerned.

**Oncolytic virus treatment of diffuse midline gliomas

Text by Dr. Jasper van der Lugt

This study is testing a new experimental treatment for children and young adults with an aggressive type of brain tumor called diffuse midline glioma (including DIPG), a disease for which current treatments offer very limited benefit.

The treatment uses a specially modified virus, called Delta-24-RGD (also known as DNX-2401), that is designed to infect and kill tumor cells while leaving healthy brain cells largely unharmed, and at the same time activate the body’s immune system to recognize and attack the cancer.

Earlier studies in both adults and children have shown that a single injection of this virus can be given safely and, in some patients, may slow tumor growth and extend survival beyond what is usually seen with radiation therapy alone.

This study builds on that experience by testing whether giving the virus multiple times directly into the tumor can strengthen and prolong the immune response, potentially leading to better and longer-lasting tumor control.

The main goal is to confirm that repeated treatments are safe, while also looking for early signs that this approach may help patients live longer and maintain a better quality of life.

Throughout the study, doctors carefully monitor patients using brain imaging and biological samples to better understand how the virus affects the tumor and the immune system, helping guide the development of future, more effective treatments.