Wikipedia
RIGVIR is a virotherapy medication approved by the State Agency of Medicines of the Republic of Latvia. It was developed in the 1960s and 1970s by the team of Aina Muceniece (1924–2010) and patented in 2002.
RIGVIR is a drug containing a live and natural virus which has cytolytic and immunomodulating effects. Cytolytic action – finding and destroying malignant cells, applies only to the cancer cells without affecting the normal tissue cells. Regarding immunomodulation, because of its structure RIGVIR selectively affects cells in sensitive tumors. RIGVIR activates cells of the immune system due to what causes specific immune response against itself. It is not genetically modified and not a pathogenic virus It is not able to be replicated in the human body. It is issued in oncology for the prevention of secondary immunodeficiency.
In 2015 RIGVIR was approved in Georgia and included in the Latvian national guidelines for skin cancer and melanoma treatment. In 2016 RIGVIR was approved in Armenia.
A retrospective study published in Melanoma Research showed that IB-IIC melanoma patients treated with oncolytic virus RIGVIR were 4.39–6.57-fold lower mortality than those, who according to melanoma treatment guidelines did not receive virotherapy and were only observed.
RIGVIR passed all phases of clinical trials and registered in Latvia (Reg. No.: 04-0229) and is used as a prescription drug for the treatment of cancer. RIGVIR – 7 strain ECHO-virus, a solution for intramuscular injection. Code: ATX: L03AX. Must be stored and transported at a temperature of -20 °C ± 2 °C.