Dendreon, the Seattle-based biotech that pioneered a therapeutic cancer vaccine, filed for bankruptcy protection November 10. The company's Provenge (sipuleucel-T) was the first immunotherapy to treat patients with advanced-stage prostate cancer and its approval in 2010 was hailed as a landmark (Nat. Biotechnol. 28, 531–532, 2010). The autologous cellular vaccine involves incubating a patient's own antigen-presenting cells with a fusion of prostatic acid phosphatase and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor to stimulate an immune response. But Provenge never took off. The drug is cumbersome to produce, expensive at $93,000 for a course, and shows limited benefits over standard therapies. Sales have been disappointing at $283.7 million in 2013, well below analysts' projected $4.3 billion in annual sales by 2020. Dendreon, whose market value once topped $7 billion, unsuccessfully sought a buyer last year. The company cut 750 positions in 2012 and 2013 from a total 1,500, and sold a New Jersey plant. Now, the company will either sell itself or its assets, or if no buyers are forthcoming, the noteholders will take ownership and Dendron will become a private company.