$40,047,425,768,420 in U.S. Debt, and an Experimental Vaccine for Skin Cancer

Moderna and Merck's personalized vaccine has shown promising results in a large, late-stage trial, demonstrating the potential of mRNA technology beyond the Covid-19 pandemic. The vaccine, combined with Merck's Keytruda immune drug, reduced melanoma recurrence and slowed its spread, outperforming immunotherapy alone. Moderna's shares surged 177% on Wednesday, while Merck's rose nearly 13%.

This marks the first positive final-stage trial for any mRNA-based cancer therapy, offering hope for treating the deadliest form of skin cancer and providing a new market for Merck post-patent loss. Jedd Wolchok, a melanoma expert, noted that training the immune system to recognize specific cancer targets could enhance the benefits of existing immune drugs.

While the exact improvement in recurrence-free survival is yet to be determined, the companies plan to discuss filing for approval with regulators and present the data at an upcoming medical meeting. CEO Stephane Bancel of Moderna anticipates possible approval as early as 2027. However, questions remain about the cost and feasibility of producing bespoke cancer treatments at scale, as Keytruda alone can cost over $200,000 per year for some cancers.