Gangliosides are glycosphingolipids that are present in the plasma membranes of vertebrates and are involved in multiple cellular processes. In the Center of Molecular Immunology an NGcGM3 ganglioside based vaccine has been developed and is conceptualized as a targeted therapy in cancer. NGcGM3/VSSP vaccine had been used as treatment of metastatic melanoma patients and had showed to be safe and immunogenic. The treatment improved antitumoral response or maintain the response obtained with previous onco-specific treatment as chemotherapy. The results indicate that the vaccine improved overall survival of metastatic melanoma patients after first line-chemotherapy. The clinical trial ongoing currently will allow corroborating these results.
Keywords: NGlycolylated ganglioside; clinical trial; metastatic melanoma; vaccine.