The arsenal for the treatment of metastatic melanoma is limited. A new approach to therapy using checkpoint blockade has improved overall survival in this patient population. Ipilimumab a CTLA-4 monoclonal antibody is a first in class drug that has pioneered this revolution. In this review, the authors provide an account of the different stages that led to the development of ipilimumab, its approval in the clinical setting for the treatment of advanced melanoma and ongoing investigations of combinatorial immune therapy.
Keywords: CTLA-4 antibody; checkpoint blockade; immunomodulatory; ipilimumab; melanoma; metastatic melanoma.