The present invention relates to recombinant oncolytic viruses that comprise in their viral genome the genetic information for a si-RNA, sh-RNA, antisense-DNA, antisense-RNA, scAB or sd-AB for inhibiting the gene AVEN in a target or host cell, and pharmaceutical compositions thereof. The present invention further relates to the use of said oncolytic viruses as gene delivery tool and/or for tumor detection. The present invention further relates to the medical uses of said oncolytic viruses, in particular in oncolytic virotherapy and for the diagnosis, prevention and/or treatment of diseases, such as cancer.
