Experimental Injectable Therapy Offers Nonsurgical Treatment of Common Skin Cancer
A new study led by researchers at Moffitt Cancer Center suggests that an investigational injectable therapy called VP-315 could one day offer patients with basal cell carcinoma a nonsurgical treatment option. The findings were presented at the 2025 Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer Annual Meeting.
Moffitt Cancer Center is at #SITC25! We are thrilled to be joining cancer researchers from across the world this week to collaborate and share the latest in cancer immunotherapy.
— Moffitt Cancer Center (@MoffittNews) November 7, 2025
Visit us at Booth #521 to connect with our team and learn about our latest innovations in cancer… pic.twitter.com/FndRXGd8R0
While basal cell carcinoma rarely becomes aggressive, it often appears on cosmetically sensitive areas such as the face, nose and ears. Patients who develop one lesion are likely to develop more over time.
“In the elderly and those with surgical fatigue, a nonsurgical option is particularly welcome,” said Kenneth Tsai, MD, PhD, principal investigator of the study and co-director of the Donald A. Adam Melanoma and Skin Cancer Center of Excellence at Moffitt.
A Novel Approach Inspired by Nature
Kenneth Tsai, MD, PhD
VP-315 is a first-in-class, oncolytic peptide therapy modeled after natural antibacterial peptides found in the body. These peptides can disrupt bacterial membranes, and in cancer treatment the same concept applies.
“VP-315 attacks cell membranes, leading to the release of ‘danger signals’ from abnormal cells such as cancer cells,” Tsai explained. “That release prompts the immune system to recognize and attack the tumor.”
This dual action not only destroys tumor cells directly but also stimulates an immune response that may continue fighting basal cell carcinoma beyond the initial treatment site.
Evidence of a Broader Immune Effect
One of the study’s most exciting findings is what researchers described as an “abscopallike effect.”
“This means that even untreated lesions have the potential to benefit and regress from distantly treated ones,” Tsai said.
This suggests VP-315 might not only shrink tumors at the injection site but also help train the immune system to target other cancerous cells caused by basal cell carcinoma throughout the body.
In the phase 2 trial, VP-315 was injected directly into basal cell carcinoma tumors. The results were noticeable: 51% of treated lesions showed complete regression. Across all treated tumors, there was an 86% overall reduction in size.
“The main message is that it’s feasible to definitively treat basal cell carcinoma with direct intralesional therapy,” Tsai said.
The treatment was well-tolerated, with most side effects reported as mild to moderate.
Looking Ahead
Researchers believe VP-315 could represent an important shift in how basal cell carcinoma is treated, particularly for patients who are not ideal candidates for surgery or who develop multiple lesions over time.
“This opens the door to being able to treat basal cell carcinoma without surgery entirely,” Tsai said.
Further clinical trials will determine how durable these responses are and whether VP-315 can be combined with other immunotherapies to improve outcomes even more.
