Immunotherapies have revolutionised the therapeutic management of melanoma by increasing the immune response against this dreaded skin cancer. However, not all patients respond to immunotherapies and some relapse within two years following treatment induction.
We have identified TNF, a small protein produced in response to immunotherapies, as being involved in the resistance of tumours to the immune system in preclinical models of melanoma.

Thus, antibodies to TNF neutralise this protein and significantly increase the immune response against melanoma, leading to complete tumour regression when combined with anti-PD-1 antibodies.

Our project aims to evaluate the potential benefit of anti-TNF on the anti-cancer immune response in melanoma patients treated with the combination of anti-PD-1 and anti-CTLA-4 antibodies.

The MELANICa project is coordinated by Prof. Bruno Ségui (CRCT team 4) in collaboration with Prof. Nicolas Meyer (IUCT-O onco-dermatology service) and Prof. Maha Ayyoub (IUCT-O Immunology service and CRCT team 1). It has received support of €100,000 from the Claudius Regaud Institute / University Cancer Institute of Toulouse-Oncopole.