A Historic Moment in the Melanoma Community

From the desk of MRF CEO Kyleigh LiPira:

Last week, the first-ever FDA approved drug was announced for uveal melanoma. It was cause for major celebration as this represents the first approval for a disease that to-date is where cutaneous melanoma was 25 years ago with respect to FDA approved agents. While we know this news is bittersweet for patients who do not qualify for this drug, we also know that it signifies the beginning of hopefully even more FDA approvals in the future. Many patients played key roles in the approval process. From participating on the clinical trials to working with the MRF as we held the first-ever FDA listening session for ocular melanoma, they shared their stories and urged the FDA to speed up the approval process.

At the MRF, we believe that patients are critical to the research and drug development process and their input is vital to its success. Patients are a part of the MRF’s grant review process and their feedback on grants is a key factor in the Scientific Advisory Committee’s final scoring of what the Foundation supports. If you would like to lend your voice to this process, we encourage you to do so. It is time well spent and the outcomes could influence the future of melanoma treatments.

With gratitude,

FDA Approves First Uveal Melanoma Treatment

On January 26, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced the approval of KIMMTRAK (tebentafusp-tebn), the first and only FDA-approved treatment for metastatic uveal melanoma, developed by Immunocore. The approval follows Phase III clinical trial data that showed a statistically and clinically meaningful overall survival benefit in unresectable or metastatic uveal melanoma. The therapy is expected to be available in the United States within weeks, and a global early access program is underway. Click below to read the official press release, including quotes from MRF CEO Kyleigh LiPira, MBA and CURE OM Co-Founder and Director Sara Selig, MD, MPH:

Register Today: 2022 Virtual Advocacy Days

Sign up today: the 2022 Virtual Advocacy Days will be March 7-11, 2022! The MRF's Advocacy Days is the largest melanoma advocacy event of the year and unites melanoma advocates from across the country to meet with members of Congress to urge them to make melanoma a national priority. Due to the continued impact of the pandemic, the 2022 Advocacy Days will be entirely virtual, but we will still be a powerful voice on Capitol Hill! In order to schedule virtual meetings with Congressional offices, registration is required by February 28, 2022. For questions about the event or the MRF’s Advocacy program, please email advocacy@melanoma.org.

The MRF thanks 2022 Advocacy Days sponsors Bristol Myers Squibb, Genentech and Pfizer.