Moderna and Merck Develop Pioneering mRNA Cancer Vaccine That Slashes Return of Deadly Skin Cancer

Moderna and Merck have developed an experimental mRNA vaccine that, when combined with Merck's immunotherapy Keytruda, reduces the risk of death or recurrence of skin cancer by 44% compared to Keytruda alone.
The vaccine is custom-built based on an analysis of a patient's tumors after surgical removal and is designed to train the immune system to recognize and attack specific mutations in cancer cells.
The midstage trial enrolled men and women at high risk of their melanoma returning, and the results suggest that adding a personalized cancer vaccine based on mRNA technology to Keytruda could prolong the time patients have without recurrence or death.
The companies are in talks with U.S. regulators about the design of a late-stage trial, which is likely needed for approval of the combination regimen.
The mRNA technology allowed for the inclusion of as many as 34 neoantigens, which could create a more potent immune response.