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Background: Patients with advanced melanoma have a poor outcome. We hypothesize that combination immunotherapy can synergistically activate host immunity to generate an effective treatment for patients with high-risk, resected stage 3, recurrent, refractory, or stage 4 melanoma. Methods: We conducted a phase 2 clinical trial of HyperAcute Melanoma (HAM) vaccine (NLG-12036, NewLink Genetics) combined with pegylated interferon (Sylatron, Merck). Trial design consisted of a 12-week regimen with the initial 4 weekly treatments consisting of HAM alone (intradermally) followed by 8 additional treatments of HAM plus Sylatron (subcutaneously, 6 μg/kg). Trial endpoint outcomes include clinical response, overall safety, and correlative findings for observed antitumor effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Important advances have been made in the treatment of chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML). In the past two decades, treatment of this disease has changed and now includes the use of hydroxyurea, interferon, tyrosine kinase inhibitors, and high-dose chemotherapy followed by hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Because several relatively effective forms of therapy now exist, the care and management of patients with CML has become more complex. Through continued research and drug development, additional therapies are expected to emerge offering new hope and expanded treatment options for patients with CML. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]