New melanoma therapy prevents brain metastasis in preclinical studies
Source: Drug Target Review, April 2025
A government-funded research team has identified focal adhesion kinase (FAK) as a key driver of melanoma metastasis to the brain. This discovery could revolutionise treatment by not only addressing the condition but also preventing its spread to the brain.
The research team, led by Dr Sheri Holmen, an investigator at Huntsman Cancer Institute and professor in the Department of Surgery at the University of Utah (the U), is testing a novel combination drug therapy. This therapy has the potential to transform melanoma treatment by both treating the condition and preventing its spread to the brain.
A critical need for advanced melanoma treatments
Holmen and her team identified focal adhesion kinase (FAK), an enzyme that regulates cell growth and contributes significantly to the disease’s progression, as a key driver of melanoma metastasis to the brain.