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

A Phase 3 trial involving more than 1,100 people found that Moderna and Merck’s personalized mRNA vaccine, given with Keytruda, reduced the risk of melanoma recurrence or death by 42% and the risk of the cancer spreading by 38% over the first two years after treatment. The vaccine is tailored to mutations in each patient’s tumor, marking a significant advance for personalized cancer treatment and the first Phase 3 evidence of efficacy for an mRNA-based personalized cancer therapy. The companies are preparing to present detailed results at the European Society for Medical Oncology meeting, while Merck says it is working to shorten the roughly six-week production process that could affect how quickly the treatment can reach patients.