Moderna and Merck report positive late-stage trial results for mRNA cancer vaccine

Moderna and Merck announced today that their personalized mRNA-based cancer vaccine, in combination with Merck's immunotherapy medication Keytruda, met primary endpoints in a late-stage trial. The vaccine is designed to identify specific mutations within a patient's tumor and train the immune system to target those cancer cells.

The ongoing study involved 1,137 patients with high-risk melanoma that had been surgically removed. Early results indicated that the combination treatment significantly reduced the risk of cancer recurrence and the risk of cancer spreading to other parts of the body, compared to using Keytruda alone.

Modena's stock price surged over 120% following the news, reaching its highest point in an extended period. Merck's shares saw a more modest increase of approximately 11%. This marks the first positive Phase 3 outcome for a personalized cancer therapy and for any mRNA-based cancer treatment.

Modena CEO Stéphane Bancel described the findings as "a pivotal moment for the field of cancer research." The companies are currently testing the vaccine in nine ongoing trials across various tumor types, including lung, bladder, and kidney cancer.