Promising Results for mRNA Cancer Vaccine from Moderna and Merck
Combining a vaccine and immunotherapy approach could open new ways to treat cancer.
Moderna and Merck are optimistic about the potential of a new mRNA-based cancer vaccine called intismeran, when combined with Merck's immunotherapy pembrolizumab (Keytruda). The two companies reported promising results from a recent clinical trial, showing that patients with melanoma who received the combination therapy lived longer without cancer recurrence or spread compared to those who received Keytruda alone.
Intismeran, which is not yet approved, uses a patient's own cancer mutations to teach the immune system to recognize the tumor as a threat, unlike traditional immunotherapy. Keytruda, approved in 2014 and 2019 for melanoma, works by unveiling cancer cells from the immune system. The combination therapy lowered the risk of melanoma recurrence and distant spread or death by 49% and 59%, respectively.
The FDA approved Moderna's first mRNA flu shot in August 2025, but the company is also exploring using intismeran alone, particularly in earlier-stage cancers. The company is currently studying intismeran in stage 1 lung cancer and other cancer types, hoping to replicate its success in melanoma and improve overall cancer outcomes.
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