Drugs currently approved by the FDA for treatment of melanoma include aldesleukin, dabrafenib, dacarbazine, ipilimumab, trametinib, and vemurafenib. This article will explore pharmacologic agents currently being investigated for the treatment of melanoma.

The FDA approved both dabrafenib and trametinib for the treatment of patients with metastatic or unresectable melanoma, as well as a companion diagnostic to properly identify the patients exhibiting the mutations that are targeted by these agents.

Arta Monjazeb, MD, and Michael Kent, DVM, from the UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center, describe an early phase trial exploring the potential of translating successful treatment from dogs to humans with advanced melanoma or sarcoma.

Citing concerns about the safety profile of the device, ODAC unanimously recommended against the approval of the Melblez chemosaturation system for use with melphalan hydrochloride in the treatment of patients with ocular melanoma metastasized to the liver.

Lambrolizumab, an investigational antibody designed to target the programmed death-1 (PD-1) pathway in patients with melanoma, received a breakthrough therapy designation from the FDA after promising results from a small single-arm study.