Moderna shares surge after it says its experimental mRNA cancer treatment passed a key test

Moderna shares skyrocketed on Wednesday as the company unveiled promising results from an initial study of an experimental cancer treatment. This treatment, if approved by regulators, would be the first of its kind. The experimental cancer vaccine, named intismeran, is being developed in collaboration with Merck and is designed to be tailored to individual patients based on unique mutations within their tumors.

The study compared the combination of intismeran and Keytruda, a Merck immunotherapy drug, on melanoma patients with Keytruda alone. Patients who received the combination therapy lived longer without cancer returning or metastasizing compared to those who received Keytruda alone. However, the exact duration of survival and overall survival rates were not disclosed by the companies.

They plan to present the study results at an upcoming international medical meeting. As a result of the positive news, Moderna's shares surged more than 120%, reaching $140.12 per share. Merck's shares also rose by approximately 11%. Meanwhile, separate news from Flin Flon revealed that three individuals faced kidnapping and other charges after a police traffic stop, where one passenger was threatened with a machete and forcibly placed in a vehicle intended for a bank.

In Winnipeg's sports scene, the Jets' new goaltender, Stuart Skinner, made a strong debut, stopping 31 of 32 shots faced in a pre-season victory against the Colorado Avalanche. Additionally, Dayna Spiring, a former Catholic schoolteacher and the first woman to hold prominent positions in the CFL and Winnipeg Football Club, has joined the Northern Super League Winnipeg as its president, being the first woman to have her name engraved on the Grey Cup.

Lastly, Premier Wab Kinew endorsed a railway bypass route for Winnipeg for further feasibility study, despite criticism regarding the economics of such a project.