I think Pete did a really good job at answering your question....

I think Pete did a really good job at answering your question.

Having another treatment for GBM is not a bad thing. Have a look at how most Car T approvals so far have been for acute lymphoblastic leukaemia and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. So basically non solid tumor blood cancers. CHM is trying its Car T against a solid tumor cancer, firstly with GBM. This is a great point of difference from other Car T. It is also using a different delivery system. This is also very important, as other CarT treatments are harsh to the Patient, with high Adverse events rates. So if CHM can get their drug to show efficacy and high safety its approval pathway should be shortened.

The other drug you are talking of is a oncolytic virus. Now these are very cool tech. But they way they work is different to CarT. Both the oncolytic viruses and CarT are the new kids on the cancer fighting street. Both show much better efficacy than Chemo and radiation. CarT, up until now, has been given expedited approval, but with lots of safety warnings, and at the moment is only used of patients that have not responded to SOC. CHM has designed its drug and drug application to overcome these safety concerns. If successful, it could well get expedited approval as a SOC.

Notice both drugs are being investigated for more than one target. So neither is being investigated as a one hit wonder. So I really hope both drugs do well. One day this cancer threat will hopefully be a non-event. But that will only happen by investigating drugs like these.

But as Pete so correctly has already said, there is no other treatment available at the moment for the patients that CHM are treating. I am sure they wont be disappointed if that oncolytic herpes simplex virus-1 can start helping patients before their own approval is received. But, note that the Virus has only been tested in young patients only so far, that is under 18yrs of age. Children tend to do better than adults with long-term recoveries from GBMs. The 5 year survival rate for children with Grade III or Grade IV tumors is 25%. In adults, the 5 year survival rate is just 10%. So there is a market for both drugs in GBM. CHM could still be only treatment available for non pediatric patients if successful.