Laboratory of Tick-Borne Encephalitis and Other Viral Encephalitides, Chumakov Federal Scientific Center for Research and Development of Immune-and-Biological Products of Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 108819, Russia
Mikhail F. Vorovitch
Laboratory of Tick-Borne Encephalitis and Other Viral Encephalitides, Chumakov Federal Scientific Center for Research and Development of Immune-and-Biological Products of Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 108819, Russia
Yulia K. Biryukova
Laboratory of Tick-Borne Encephalitis and Other Viral Encephalitides, Chumakov Federal Scientific Center for Research and Development of Immune-and-Biological Products of Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 108819, Russia
Nikolay B. Pestov
Laboratory of Tick-Borne Encephalitis and Other Viral Encephalitides, Chumakov Federal Scientific Center for Research and Development of Immune-and-Biological Products of Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 108819, Russia
Ekaterina A. Orlova
Laboratory of Tick-Borne Encephalitis and Other Viral Encephalitides, Chumakov Federal Scientific Center for Research and Development of Immune-and-Biological Products of Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 108819, Russia
Nickolai A. Barlev
Laboratory of Tick-Borne Encephalitis and Other Viral Encephalitides, Chumakov Federal Scientific Center for Research and Development of Immune-and-Biological Products of Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 108819, Russia
Nadezhda M. Kolyasnikova
Laboratory of Tick-Borne Encephalitis and Other Viral Encephalitides, Chumakov Federal Scientific Center for Research and Development of Immune-and-Biological Products of Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 108819, Russia
Aydar A. Ishmukhametov
Laboratory of Tick-Borne Encephalitis and Other Viral Encephalitides, Chumakov Federal Scientific Center for Research and Development of Immune-and-Biological Products of Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 108819, Russia
Oncolytic viruses offer a promising approach to tumor treatment. These viruses not only have a direct lytic effect on tumor cells but can also modify the tumor microenvironment and activate antitumor immunity. Due to their high pathogenicity, flaviviruses have often been overlooked as potential antitumor agents. However, with recent advancements in genetic engineering techniques, an extensive history with vaccine strains, and the development of new attenuated vaccine strains, there has been a renewed interest in the Flavivirus genus. Flaviviruses can be genetically modified to express transgenes at acceptable levels, and the stability of such constructs has been greatly improving over the years. The key advantages of flaviviruses include their reproduction cycle occurring entirely within the cytoplasm (avoiding genome integration) and their ability to cross the blood–brain barrier, facilitating the systemic delivery of oncolytics against brain tumors. So far, the direct lytic effects and immunomodulatory activities of many flaviviruses have been widely studied in experimental animal models across various types of tumors. In this review, we delve into the findings of these studies and contemplate the promising potential of flaviviruses in oncolytic therapies.