Melanoma Treatments in Development
2010
Researcher Discovers New Way to Treat Deadly Eye Cancer
A researcher and the University of Colorado School of Medicine has discovered a new way to treat one of the most deadly forms of eye cancer called choroidal melanoma.
August 30, 2010
Chemoablation of Metastatic Melanoma with RoseBengal Shows Robust Response.
Chemoablation with an injectable 10% solution of rose bengal disodium (PV-10), induces a robust response in a majority of patients with metastatic melanoma, as reported at the 2010 annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology.
June 9, 2010
Study: Bristol-Myers Squibb's Ipilimumab Increases Survival of Patients with Melanoma
Bristol-Myers Squibb reported at ASCO positive results from a Phase III study showing that overall survival was "significantly extended" in patients with previously treated metastatic melanoma who received ipilimumab. Trial investigator, Steven O'Day, commented: "For the first time, a significant improvement in overall survival has been demonstrated in previously treated advanced melanoma patients in a large, randomised Phase III study."
June 7, 2010
Wall Street Media Presents Eric Whitman, MD on Delcath's Positive Clinical Results
Wall Street Media presents an exclusive video of Dr. Eric Whitman, a highly regarded surgical oncologist who specializes in melanoma and is Director of the Atlantic Melanoma Center.
June 7, 2010
Ipilimumab Compassionate Use Trial for Patients with Unresectable Melanoma Is Now Available
Combination Chemotherapy Treatment Not Effective
A combination of two different chemo-therapy treatments previously approved for the treatment of kidney and liver cancer are not effective against advanced melanoma.
June 7, 2010
Update 2-Vical Cancer Drug Shows Promise in Mid-Stage Trial
Vical Inc reported positive data from a mid-stage trial of its experimental treatment for metastatic melanoma.
May 12, 2010
Woman: New Pill Stopped Cancer
About a patient on PLX4032.
March 9, 2010
Genta Announces $25 Million Financing
Proceeds "to ensure adequate followup to determine overall survival results from Genta's recently completed Phase 3 trial of Genasense(R) (oblimersen sodium) Injection plus chemotherapy as first-line treatment of patients with advanced melanoma..."
March 8, 2010
Abbott, GSK Extend MAGE-A3 Companion Dx Collaboration into Skin Cancer
"GSK is conducting a Phase III study for a MAGE-A3-targeting therapeutic for the adjuvant treatment of melanoma. To receive the drug in the study, participants' tumors must be shown to express MAGE-A3 via a molecular test that Abbott is developing." March 8, 2010
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A Doctor's Crusade against Cancer
Cogent letters to editor on Dr. Flaherty, melanoma patients, and PLX-4032, beginning with the letter from the President of the AIM at Melanoma Foundation, stressing the need to appreciate that "there is no ‘magic bullet' ... finding treatments will require long-term persistence and effort..."
February 28, 2010
Lorus Announces Publication Demonstrating Antitumor Efficacy of Interleukin 17E
"... IL-17E alone had potent antitumor activity in a number of solid tumors, including melanoma, breast, colon... In combination studies, IL-17E was compatible with a wide variety of approved anticancer drugs..."
February 24, 2010
Miracle Drug on the Horizon for Melanoma?
February 24, 2010
A Protein that Fuels Cancer, and a Drug to Fight It
"Normally, a gene called B-RAF produces a protein that spurs cells to multiply only when growth is needed. But a mutation in the gene produces a protein that is defective - perpetually switched on. That leads to the rapid cell growth that characterizes cancer. The drug PLX4032 binds to the defective protein, deactivating it."
February 22, 2010
Tremelimumab Shows Low but Durable Response Rate in Advanced Melanoma
"In a phase II trial in patients with advanced refractory or relapsed melanoma, tremelimumab (CP-675,206) showed a 6.6% objective response rate, with these responses lasting more than six months..."
February 18, 2010
Melanoma Drugs have Unintended Effects in Some Tumors
Dr. R. Marais et al. of UK and US showed in preliminary studies that giving BRAF inhibitors "to patients whose tumors have normal copies of the BRAF gene could actually accelerate tumor growth..."
February 9, 2010
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Pfizer Strengthens Oncology Arm - Analyst Blog
"Recently, Pfizer (PFE) entered into ... agreement with
Switzerland-based Debiopharm Group regarding ... Tremelimumab for the treatment of patients with melanoma.... Globally, the number of melanoma cases is increasing faster than any other cancer."
January 19, 2010
Melanoma Patients: Should You Ask About PARP Inhibitors?
"PARP inhibitors have been of particular interest for patients who have a cancer that is associated with a BRCA mutation, such as those with familial breast or ovarian cancer." (Also some skin cancers.) "Inhibiting PARP makes the cancer cell more susceptible to the chemotherapy. One of these is the drug temozolomide, used to treat ...melanoma."
January 19, 2010
2009
GM-CSF-Based Second-generation Oncolytic Herpesvirus Vaccine Promising for Melanoma
Phase 2 trial has "a 26% response rate for patients with metastatic melanoma treated with a second-generation granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) oncolytic herpes simplex virus (HSV) vaccine."
December 2, 2009
InCytu Cancer Vaccine Implant Able to SeaRch Out and Destroy Cancer Tumors
"Cellarium is a small bioactive sponge which regulates dendritic cells and T-cells to eliminate normally fatal tumors in a preclinical model of late stage melanoma.... Once implanted just under the skin, the Cellarium sponge disk releases a cytokine, a protein that recruits dendritic cells, the body's powerful immune-system messenger."
December 1, 2009.
Trial of New Treatment for Advanced Melanoma Shows Rapid Shrinking of Tumors
Dr. P. Chapman on effect of PLX4032 in patients with the BRAF mutation."
September 23, 2009
New Gene-Targeted Drug Offers Hope in Skin Cancer
On PLX4032 from Roche and Plexxikon, as well as on Roche's Avastin.
September 23, 2009
Roche's Avastin Misses Melanoma Goal, After All
"The 214-patient study found the median overall survival in the Avastin arm was 12.3 months, against 9.2 months in the control arm, but there was a 19 percent likelihood that this result happened by chance." Will continue to study drug for melanoma.
September 23, 2009
Roche Says Avastin Melanoma Study Data "Outdated"
"A late-breaking abstract from the ECCO-ESMO cancer congress in Berlin released on Monday had suggested the drug was the first ever to show a significant improvement.... But a last-minute analysis of the clinical data means the picture has now changed."
September 22, 2009
Skin Cancer Blasted with X-rays
"While brachytherapy -- fighting cancer with internal sources of radiation -- has been in use for decades, the Axxent Electronic Brachytherapy System is especially appropriate for treating skin cancers, according to Xoft, because it emits targeted, low-levels of radiation, so there is little or no radiation scatter."
September 7, 2009
Genetic Study Points to Potential Treatment for Melanoma
Dr. Y. Samuels' study. "A survey of genetic changes in melanoma skin cancer has found that nearly one patient in five may have mutations in a gene called ERBB4.... [M]ay make tumors susceptible to therapies that target the mutations. One such drug, lapatinib (Tykerb), which is used to treat some breast cancers, slowed the growth of cells with ERBB4 mutations in the laboratory."
September 8, 2009
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Adjuvant Radiation THerapy May Improve Outcomes of Melanoma
"Researchers from the M. D. Anderson Cancer Center have reported that adjuvant radiation therapy (RT) improves local control of melanoma following therapeutic lymph node dissection for lymph node-metastatic disease and may improve disease-specific survival."
September 4, 2009
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New Genetic Culprit In Deadly Skin Cancer Revealed
"Drawing on the power of DNA sequencing," NIH research identified new genetic mutations involved in melanoma. "A major cause of melanoma is thought to be sun exposure; the ultraviolet radiation in sunlight can damage DNA and lead to cancer-causing genetic changes within skin cells."
September 1, 2009
Breast Tumor Drug Could Treat Many Skin Cancer Cases
Dr. Y. Samuels of US National Human Genome Research Institute and Dr. S. Rosenberg of NCI "are planning a clinical trial of the drug, known as lapatinib or Tyverb, in patients with certain kinds of malignant melanoma, after genetic research suggested their tumours might be susceptible to it. ...This common melanoma mutation, called ERBB4 or HER4, is also present in certain lung cancers, which can be treated with lapatinib."
August 31, 2009
Cancer Vaccines Led to Long-Term Survival for Patients with Metastatic Melanoma
Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian has announced "promising data from a clinical study showing patient-specific cancer vaccines derived from patients' own cancer cells and immune cells were well tolerated and resulted in impressive long-term survival rates in patients with metastatic melanoma whose disease had been minimized by other therapies."
July 28, 2009
PLX-4032, the New Great Hope for Targeted Therapy in Melanoma
"PLX-4032, a Plexxikon drug being co-developed with Roche, has shown remarkable results in a Phase I trial for melanoma and appears poised for rapid progression through Phase II and Phase III testing with perhaps accelerated FDA approval on the horizon.... This Phase I study examined primarily melanoma patients whose tumors were shown on genetic sequencing to contain the V600E mutation."
July 27, 2009
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Gleevec Shows Promise as Targeted Melanoma Treatment
"Gleevec (Imatinib), a target specific cancer treatment drug against KIT oncogene mutations, shows early evidence of efficacy in treating melanomas with susceptible genetic mutations...."
July 28, 2009
Bristol-Myers Buys Medarex Drugmaker for $2.4 Billion (Update3)
"The deal gives Bristol-Myers full ownership of the skin-cancer drug ipilimumab, which it had been developing jointly with Medarex...Ipilimumab, an experimental drug for metastatic melanoma, is in the third and final stage of testing...."
July 23, 2009
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NeoGenomics Enters into Strategic Supply Agreement with Abbott for Development of a Melanoma Cancer Test
"The goal for the new test is to provide the ability to more accurately diagnose malignant melanoma and provide more accurate prognostic information, thus assisting dermatologists in better managing patient care."
July 25, 2009
Taking a Shot at Antigenics
"Oncophage is a revolutionary patient-specific therapeutic vaccine ....[S]tudied in phase III trial for metastatic melanoma...."
July 23, 2009
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Breast Cancer Drug Abraxane Promising for Malignant Melanoma Treatment
"An approved breast-cancer drug nab-paclitaxel, trade named Abraxane, has been found promising in clinical trial for the treatment of metastatic malignant melanoma...."
July 20, 2009
SciClone Pharmaceuticals - Charting a New Course?
"In the U.S., Zadaxin is under development as a potential treatment for stage IV melanoma. In late 2008, SciClone and the FDA reached an agreement on the design of a phase III registration trial for Zadaxin for stage IV melanoma."
June 29, 2009
SDSU [South Dakota State Univ.] Researchers Awarded NIH Grant for Skin Cancer Treatment
Study "the chemo-preventive effects of sarcodiol, a part natural, part manufactured product from Red Sea coral..."
June 15, 2009
Roche to Present Major Advances with Targeted Cancer Medicines at ASCO [American Society of Clinical Oncology]
Roche and Plexxikon "will present promising results from a Phase I trial of PLX4032/R7204. This is a highly selective medicine that targets the mutated cancer-causing BRAF protein that occurs in 60% of melanoma (skin) cancers...."
May 18, 2009
Vical Receives $2.5 Million Payment for Continued Funding of Allovectin-7(r) Phase 3 Trial
Payment from AnGes for progress in Phase 3 melanoma trial. Received "$20.1 million to date of the $22.6 million total committed by AnGes. The trial is expected to complete enrollment of the planned 375 subjects by year-end 2009."
May 18, 2009
Ipilimumab Linked to Melanoma Survival: Studies
"More than a third of advanced melanoma patients treated with ipilimumab, an antibody being developed by Bristol-Myers Squibb Co (BMY.N) and Medarex Inc (MEDX.O), continued to survive after 18 months...."
May 14, 2009
Medarex Announces Presentations at Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology
For May 30, will include clinical abstract, "Survival, Response, Safety and Biomarker Data of Ipilimumab in Melanoma."
April 29, 2009
Synta Pharmaceuticals Announces First Patient Treated in Elesclomol Monotherapy Solid Tumor Clinical Study
First patient treated for a study of elesclomol as the sole agent.
Mentions other ongoing trials of the drug in combination with other drugs, such as paclitaxel for melanoma.
February 10, 2009
Tremelimumab Dose Selected for Further Testing
"......due to favorable safety,tumor response in melanoma".
January 27, 2009
Synta, Developer of New Class of Cancer Drugs, Eagerly Awaits Results from Key Trial
Synta in suspense still for some weeks on whether its drug elesclomol is a breakthrough in treating melanoma. History of Synta.
January 27, 2009
2008
UVA Damage May Be Prevented by Astaxanthin
“Astaxanthin is more efficient than other carotenoids in protecting the skin from UV damage,” from a lab study at San Gallicano Dermatology Institute in Rome.
November 3, 2008
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Updated Survival Data from Three Phase 2 Ipilimumab Studies Showed Almost Half of Previously Treated Metastatic Melanoma Patients Alive Beyond One Year
Bristol-Myers Squibb Data Presented at 33rd Congress of the European Society for Medical Oncology. First half of page is blank. Discusses 3 phase-2 studies.
September 15, 2008
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Elesclomol Two-Year Survival and Integrated Safety Data Presented at the 33rd Congress of the European Society for Medical Oncology
September 15, 2008
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Genta's Phase III Melanoma Study Receives Positive Review from DMB
“Agenda is a Phase III, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial that is intended to support global registration of Genasense for patients with advanced melanoma.”
September 16, 2008
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Sanofi Launches Phase 2 Study of Melanoma Treatments
“120 patients are being enrolled in the United States and Canada for the trial, called ‘MEL11,’" a therapeutic cancer vaccine.
September 17,2008
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No Benefit for Extended-Schedule Temozolomide in Treating Advanced Melanoma: Presented at ESMO
From study at 92 institutions in Europe, US and Latin America, presented at European Society for Medical Oncology Congress.
September 15, 2008
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Dermoscopy May Help Distinguish Melanoma Lacking Significant Pigment From Benign Lesions
“Misdiagnosis may lead to delayed biopsy and inappropriate treatment, and the editorialists note that the face and feet are anatomical areas where the diagnosis of amelanotic melanoma is frequently missed. Dermoscopy allows clinicians to view colors in skin lesions not visible to the naked eye…..”
September 15, 2008
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