MELOE target for melanoma

Despite the identification of an increasing number of melanoma-specific antigens, including MAGE-1, Melan-A and tyrosinase,¹ response rates for melanoma immunotherapy still hover at only 5-10%,² due in part to the heterogeneity of the melanoma cells and their expressed antigens.

Now, a group at the Institut National de la Sante et de la Recherche Medicale(INSERM) has identified a new melanoma-specific antigen-melanoma-overexpressed antigen-1 (MELOE-1)-that they think potentially could have higher expression and specificity for melanoma cells than previously identified antigens.³Whether those advantages play out, the consensus among corporate researchers is that more antigens like MELOE-1 ultimately should improve vaccine efficacy...