FDA Approves Viral Immunotherapy for Advanced Melanoma

Why it matters locally: While a national approval, the availability of new advanced melanoma treatment options like Tudriqev could offer hope for Montanans battling this aggressive skin cancer, especially given Montana's higher rates of skin cancer diagnosis.

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WASHINGTON D.C. -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today approved Tudriqev (vusolimogene oderparepvec-wtpg) for advanced melanoma. This approval specifically targets cases of the skin cancer that have not responded to prior treatments. Tudriqev is a genetically modified oncolytic viral therapy. It works by infecting and replicating within cancer cells, causing them to burst and release new viruses and tumor-associated antigens, which can then stimulate an immune response against the cancer.