Melanoma immunotherapy recruits for clinical trial

A global cancer trial that seeks to use a patient's own immune system to target and destroy melanomas is set to get underway in New Zealand. Aotearoa has the highest rates of melanoma - the most serious, and deadly skin cancer - in the world. Next month, recruitment begins for a clinical trial of an INT - Individualised Neoantigen Therapy. The therapy, used in combination with cancer drug Keytruda, is personalised to each patient, based on their tumour's unique genetic mutations. The Phase 3 clinical trial is recruiting patients who have had melanomas surgically removed, but are ineligible for the Pharmac funded Keytruda. Trial oncologist Gareth Rivalland speaks to Kathryn.