The United States Food and Drug Administration has approved a drug that is part of a new class of cancer medications that are able to stimulate the immune system to treat melanoma. Accelerated approval has been granted to Merck's immuno-oncology drug, Keyrtruda, or pembrolizumab, for use in the treatment of patients who have advanced melanoma conditions that are no longer responding to conventional therapy.
According to the scientists at Merck & Co., the drug is able to reset the immune system so that it can recognize and attack the cancer cells that are responsible for the melanoma. It is designed to boost the body's immune response by blocking the PD-1 and PD-L1 proteins that are being used by the tumors to evade cells that fight the disease. According to the president and CEO of the Melanoma Research Alliance, Wendy Selig, "This is the latest in a string of major breakthroughs in melanoma treatment that will galvanize the field of melanoma research and cancer treatment. Pembrolizumab has demonstrated real potential to save the lives of late stage melanoma patients who had little hope of survival just a few years ago."
According to the National Cancer Institute, there are about 76,000 Americans that are diagnosed each year with melanoma, which is the deadliest form of skin cancer. Around 10,000 of those patients will die from the disease within the year. The FDA said that clinical trials of this breakthrough drug have shown promising results in shrinking the tumors in over 20% of patients that have advanced melanoma. As such, they have approved its use nearly 2 months ahead of schedule deadline. Selig added that, "Though we have much work left to do we are committed to funding breakthrough research to speed delivery of cures all melanoma patients." This drug from Mark is the first one that has been approved by the FDA for the treatment of melanoma.