A global cancer trial that seeks to use a patient's own immune system to target and destroy melanomas is set to get underway in New Zealand.
Aotearoa has the highest rates of melanoma - the most serious, and deadly skin cancer - in the world.
Next month, recruitment begins for a clinical trial of an INT - Individualised Neoantigen Therapy.
The therapy, used in combination with cancer drug Keytruda, is personalised to each patient, based on their tumour's unique genetic mutations.
The Phase 3 clinical trial is recruiting patients who have had melanomas surgically removed, but are ineligible for the Pharmac funded Keytruda.
Photo: AFP / Tek Image/Science Photo Library
