To study the effect of MC1R inhibition on melanoma engraftment and growth in vivo we devised a strategy that would result in local expression of ASIP as an alternative to systemic delivery of ASIP, which is predicted to have adverse effects including obesity, development of type-II diabetes, and premature infertility [30, 31]. The gene discussed is MC1R; the disease is obesity due to melanocortin 4 receptor deficiency.