FDA advisers backed Replimune's RP1 melanoma therapy, bringing the investigational skin cancer drug closer to approval for advanced melanoma.

The recommendation has renewed attention on the investigational drug, which is designed to treat certain patients with advanced melanoma, the most serious form of skin cancer. The FDA advisory committee reviewed clinical trial data on RP1 and voted that the therapy's benefits outweighed its risks for its proposed indication. While several forms of skin cancer exist, melanoma is the most aggressive because it is more likely to spread to other parts of the body if not detected and treated early. While RP1 has not yet received final FDA approval, the positive vote suggests that regulators see promising evidence supporting its potential role in treating a difficult form of skin cancer. At the same time, it serves as a reminder that preventing skin cancer remains essential.