News
Full Sails Ahead: Immunotherapy Shows Continued Survival Benefit for Patients Facing Advanced Melanoma
By Cody Barnett, MPH, MRA Senior Director of Communications & Patient Engagement | 28 July 2021 In News, Science, Treatment
After carefully following patients enrolled in Checkmate 067 over the last 6.5 years, he and the research team determined that 49% of patients treated with Opdivo + Yervoy were alive at 6.5 years and 77% of these patients remained treatment-free. This represents the longest reported median overall survival in a phase 3 melanoma clinical trial – ever.
Biomarkers: What They Are, Why They Matter, and Where They are Going
22 July 2021 In Allies & Partnerships, Science, Treatment
The melanoma treatment field has been rewarded recently with an abundance of riches. But all these exciting new treatment options for patients can also create complexity and confusion. Fortunately, help is on the way in the form of biomarkers — molecular or cellular indicators for whether a patient is likely to respond or is currently responding to their therapy, or whether they are likely to have a recurrence of their cancer.
Melanoma Research Alliance Announces 13 Dermatology Fellowship Award Recipients
The Melanoma Research Alliance, the largest non-profit funder of melanoma research, is proud to announce its 2021 Dermatology Fellowship Award recipients.
Setting the Groundwork for Patient-Centric 1st in Human Clinical Trial Funding Opportunities
7 July 2021 In Allies & Partnerships, News, Science
From Michael Kaplan, MRA President & CEO: There is a reason the word “Alliance” is in our name! The Melanoma Research Alliance (MRA) knows that to achieve our mission of ending suffering and death due to melanoma, broad partnerships and collaborations are required. In this spirit, MRA entered its first partnership with...
2021 AACR and ASCO Melanoma Highlights
By Marc Hurlbert, PhD, MRA Chief Executive Officer | 29 June 2021 In News, Science, Treatment
Over the last few months, thousands of scientists and physicians from around the globe gathered virtually for two of the largest cancer research conferences – AACR and ASCO. Melanoma research advances were showcased at both events and it’s an exciting time with numerous presentations of clinical trials for new melanoma treatments. Here we highlight some of the most exciting results from both conferences.
For Amanda, Research is Personal
By Cody Barnett, MPH, MRA Senior Director of Communications & Patient Engagement | 26 June 2021
For Amanda, melanoma research will always be personal. In addition to her own history – she is very aware that her four children will also always be connected to this disease. “We’ve made some real progress – and that’s great – but we aren’t there yet. My kids now have a history of this, too – and I’m also doing this for them. Discoveries don’t happen by accident – we have to be willing to invest in them.”
New Immunotherapy Drugs Targeting LAG-3 Show Great Promise
By Kristen Mueller, PhD | 23 June 2021 In News, Science, Treatment
Researchers presented a series of highly encouraging clinical trial results at the recent American Society for Clinical Oncology (ASCO) annual meeting that suggest that new drugs targeting the protein LAG-3 – developed by BMS and Regeneron – may be an important addition to the current treatment arsenal.
Averting and Treating Immune-related Adverse Events Associated with Checkpoint Immunotherapies
14 June 2021 In Science, Treatment
Checkpoint inhibitors are therapies that empower the immune system to kill cancer cells. However, sometimes immune-related adverse events (irAE) can also occur as a result. To help overcome this challenge, MRA has issued a number of research grants, including some in partnership with the American Cancer Society (ACS) and the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC), to support an array of approaches.
Advancing Melanoma Research in Times of Uncertainty
By Cody Barnett, MPH, MRA Senior Director of Communications & Patient Engagement | 9 June 2021 In Allies & Partnerships, Melanoma Stories, Policy, Prevention, Science, Treatment
Each year, the annual MRA Scientific Retreat brings hundreds of people from across the melanoma research ecosystem together to exchange ideas, report on scientific progress, celebrate achievements, and mourn the losses. In these ways, the 2021 Retreat was no different.
Separating Hope From Hype in Melanoma Research
By Cody Barnett, MPH, MRA Senior Director of Communications & Patient Engagement | 4 June 2021 In Science, Treatment
In the last decade alone 13 therapeutic approaches have earned FDA approval giving patients, families, and clinicians new tools to treat melanoma. But there can be a fine line between hope and hype, especially today when news — both true and inflated — travels instantly via the internet and social media.