Molecular Pathology Laboratory Network

Genentech recently announced that a Phase III study showed vemurafenib significantly improved overall survival in people with previously untreated BRAF V600 mutation-positive metastatic melanoma, compared to chemotherapy.

Study results indicated the risk of death was reduced by 63 percent for people who received vemurafenib compared to those who received chemotherapy. In addition, vemurafenib significantly reduced the risk of disease progression by 74 percent compared to chemotherapy.

Vemurafenib is designed to inhibit the activity of the mutant BRAF protein found in approximately half of all cases of melanoma.

Results were featured at the Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) on June 5. Data was also published in the online edition of the New England Journal of Medicine.

To identify the BRAF mutation in melanoma cases, MPLN offers BRAF Mutation Analysis.  For more information about this test for melanoma, contact a client service specialist at 800-932-2943.