Breakthrough Melanoma Drug Approved— First in a New Class of “Targeted” Treatments

Breakthrough Melanoma Drug Approved— First in a New Class of “Targeted” Treatments

Vemurafenib was approved by the FDA

Possible approval for new Melanoma drug

The FDA might approve Roche's Melanoma drug, Vemurafenib, in the next week or so.  Patients taking Vemurafenib (which was created for melanoma patients with the BRAF mutation) were "63 % less likely to die from the disease than patients given chemotherapy." BRAF, a genetic mutation that lets melanoma tumors grow, is found in almost half of all melanomas.

I have previously mentioned Ipi (or Ipilimumab) as a treatment for Melanoma.  Ipi was approved in March.  If Vemurafenib is approved, that would make two drugs in less than 6 months that were approved for Melanoma.

Which is great news for this melanoma survivor.  I don't know that either one would work for me, but if my Melanoma were to come back I am hopeful that there are new treatments that might work.  Hopefully I will never have a need for any of them, but I am glad that there is research being done.

Something HAS to be done. There HAS to be a cure.  Hopefully it will be found in my lifetime.