The PNP Technology

How It Works

Step 1. The vector (Ad/PNP) containing the E. coli PNP gene is injected into the tumor where it infects the tumor cell and produces the E. coli PNP enzyme.

Step 2. Two days after vector delivery, the patient is treated with fludarabine phosphate (F-araAMP), which is converted to fludarabine (F-araA) by plasma enzymes. F-araA diffuses into the tumor cell where it is converted to 2-fluoroadenine by the E. coli PNP enzyme.

Step 3. Fluoroadenine kills the tumor cell in which it was originally made and also destroys neighboring tumor cells not infected with the vector.