Moderna shares soar 177% after successful trial of experimental skin cancer jab
The company said a critical late-stage study of an experimental vaccine showed the treatment stopped melanoma from spreading.
Merck and Moderna announced on Wednesday that their experimental melanoma vaccine, intismeran autogene, showed promising results in a recent trial. When combined with Merck's Keytruda treatment, the vaccine demonstrated "statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvements" for patients with skin cancer. Unlike traditional vaccines, this therapeutic vaccine aims to enhance the patient's immune system to target the tumor.
The news had a positive impact on the stock prices of both companies, with Moderna shares surging more than 90% to approximately US$120 and Merck's shares increasing by 10%. The companies highlighted this as the first positive Phase 3 outcome for a personalized neoantigen therapy and an mRNA-based cancer treatment. They did not disclose specific study details or the timeline for FDA approval.
Melanoma is a particularly aggressive form of skin cancer, with over 330,000 new cases diagnosed globally in 2022. Moderna's CEO, Stephane Bancel, expressed excitement about turning the once aspirational concept of personalized mRNA treatments into reality.
Written by urgent.news from South China Morning Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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