Melanoma vaccine (Ichor Medical/Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center)

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the safety and immunogenicity of a DNA vaccine encoding a melanosomal antigen in melanoma patients at risk for disease progression or recurrence. In this study, the vaccine will be administered intramuscularly using a device that applies brief electrical fields to the tissue at the site of injection (a technique known as electroporation). It is expected that this device will improve the delivery of the vaccine. This study is being performed to determine if this procedure can be administered safely and if it is capable of inducing immune responses to the vaccine.

The goal of this study is to find out about the safety of injecting the gene (DNA) for mouse TYRP2 in patients with melanoma. DNA is a material that contains the information needed to produce many substances in the body. TYRP2 is a substance found in melanoma cells that helps to produce their black color. The DNA used in this study is the gene for mouse TYRP2.
The gene is introduced into bacteria, which are grown in large quantities. The DNA vaccine is then made from bacteria that is inactive.
We would like to see if we can immunize patients against TYRP2 by injecting mouse TYRP2 DNA. We will also follow the patients closely to see if there are any side effects. Mouse TYRP2 DNA is very similar to human TYRP2 DNA. We believe, based on lab experiments, that injection of mouse TYRP2 DNA could result in the production of immune substances (antibodies and T cells) that recognize melanoma cells. Antibodies are substances produced by your immune system to defend your body against bacteria and viruses. T cells are a type of white blood cell that can also fight infections. The small differences between mouse and human TYRP2 may allow your immune system to make the antibodies and T cells against melanoma. There is no evidence yet that injection of TYRP2 DNA results in any clinical benefit in patients.