A recombinant plasmid DNA vaccine encoding epitopes of tyrosinase with potential antineoplastic activity. Synchrotope TA2M vaccine contains a plasmid encoding 2 epitopes, amino acid sequences 207-216 and 1-17 of tyrosinase, a protein frequently expressed by melanoma cells. Vaccination with the TA2M plasmid DNA vaccine may induce the production of anti-tyrosinase antibodies as well as elicit a cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL) response against tyrosinase-expressing tumor cells, resulting in decreased tumor growth.