Merck-Moderna Vaccine Cuts Melanoma Death-or-Recurrence Risk 42%

A Phase 3 trial involving 1,137 people with high-risk melanoma removed by surgery found that Moderna and Merck’s personalized mRNA vaccine, intismeran autogene, combined with Keytruda reduced the risk of recurrence or death by 42% compared with Keytruda alone. The combination also reduced the risk of distant spread or death by 38%; after two years, 82.2% of patients remained recurrence-free, compared with 70% of those receiving Keytruda alone. The vaccine is tailored to mutations in each patient’s tumor to help the immune system recognize and attack remaining cancer cells. The trial has not established an overall-survival benefit, and longer follow-up is needed. The companies are also testing the personalized vaccine approach in other cancer types.