Skin cancer breakthrough delivers second act for Moderna's mRNA vaccines
A personalised vaccine developed by Moderna and Merck reduced the recurrence of melanoma in a large, late-stage trial, raising expectations for treating the deadliest form of skin cancer and showing the promise of the embattled mRNA technology. The trial met its main goal as the vaccine, combined with Merck’s immune drug Keytruda, prevented the cancer’s return after it was surgically removed more…
Moderna and Merck's personalized vaccine trial has shown promising results, reducing the recurrence of melanoma in patients. When combined with Merck's immune drug Keytruda, the vaccine prevented the cancer's return more effectively than immunotherapy alone, according to Bloomberg. The companies announced the trial's success on Wednesday, with Moderna's shares jumping 177% and Merck's rising by nearly 13%.
This marks the first positive final-stage trial for any mRNA-based cancer therapy, signaling a potential second act for the mRNA technology that propelled Moderna to fame during the pandemic. Jedd Wolchok, a melanoma expert, believes the vaccine could enhance the benefits of existing immune drugs, while Merck looks forward to a new market for their Keytruda drug following a patent loss.
The melanoma vaccine, called intismeran autogene, works by customizing it based on the patient's specific tumour mutations, taking about six weeks to produce. The trial is still ongoing to determine if patients live longer with the vaccine, and both companies plan to discuss filing for approval with regulators and present the data at an upcoming medical meeting.
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- Skin cancer breakthrough delivers second act for Moderna's mRNA vaccines thenationalnews.com
