Clinical Progress In Melanoma Treatment

Three US companies, Ribi ImmunoChem Research, Somatix and Vical,presented promising data at ASCO on their investigational compounds for the treatment of melanoma.

Ribi reported that results from a Phase III trial show that its therapeutic melanoma vaccine, Melacine, "provides [a significantly] superior quality-of-life during active therapy for Stage IV melanoma, as compared to a four-drug chemotherapy control." It was noted that 86 serious events occurred in the chemotherapy group, compared to one in the vaccine group.

Melacine consists of lysed cells from two human melanoma cell lines in combination with Ribi's Detox adjuvant, an immunostimulant. It is administered once-weekly for five weeks, with a two-week break followed by a further five weeks' therapy.