Loading Curie Briefs...
Getting the latest healthcare news for you
Getting the latest healthcare news for you
Moderna's mRNA cancer vaccine scores a major win. The personalized vaccine Intismeran, combined with Merck's Keytruda, met both primary and secondary goals in a late-stage trial for high-risk melanoma — reducing cancer recurrence and spread. The news sent Moderna's stock to a two-year high, more than doubling its share price and adding ~$30 billion in market value.
Moderna's mRNA cancer vaccine scores a landmark win in melanoma
Moderna and Merck announced that Intismeran — a personalized mRNA cancer vaccine — succeeded in a large, late-stage trial for high-risk melanoma. The treatment pairs Moderna's made-to-order mRNA vaccine (tailored to mutations in each patient's own tumor) with Merck's blockbuster immunotherapy Keytruda. It met its primary goal of reducing cancer recurrence and its secondary goal of preventing metastatic spread. No new safety signals emerged in the trial.
The results build on earlier mid-stage data showing the combination reduced the risk of recurrence or death by 49% after five years. The companies plan to present full results at an upcoming medical meeting and share them with regulators.
By the Numbers
Why it matters: This trial is a pivotal proof-of-concept that mRNA technology — best known for COVID-19 vaccines — can be harnessed to fight cancer. If approved, Intismeran could represent a new era of individualized oncology treatment, with significant implications for how melanoma and potentially other cancers are managed.
