Positive results from late stage melanoma drug trial

Recently, it was reported that the oncolytic virus based Amgen's melanoma drug talmogene laherparepvec (TVEC) had met its first major goal of the trial and that 16% of patients with stage III or IV treated with the drug show tumor shrinkage in the span of 6 months. TVEC works by destroying tumor cells and by stimulating the immune system to destroy the bad cells as well. These functions of the drug are due to the virus used in creating the drug is based on a herpes simplex and the TVEC carries a gene for GM-CSF. The company doing the trial is not sure of what their future plan of action will based of these results; however, there are those that do not think that the drug will ever be used in treating melanoma because 16% is not a very high number, and also because TVEC has to be injected directly into the tumors in order to be effective.

I chose this article because I have known several people that have been affected by melanoma. Recently, one of them passed away. She was diagnosed with stage IV melanoma, and there was not much that could be done besides chemotherapy and removal of some of the tumors. It is nice to see that people are working hard to find new ways to battle this cancer.

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