Algorithm-Driven Cancer Vaccine Sparks Debate Over Personalization

Moderna and Merck's cancer vaccine is making waves in the biotech industry. The vaccine, which uses an algorithm to personalize genetic instructions for each patient, has shown promising results in Phase 3 trials.

The algorithm analyzes thousands of tumor mutations and chooses 34 neoantigens to encode into a bespoke mRNA vaccine. This personalized approach is seen as a key factor in the vaccine's success, but some Wall Street investors are skeptical about its necessity.

According to cancer vaccine expert Alex Rubinsteyn, 'everyone claims what they have is proprietary intelligence.' The algorithm used in Moderna and Merck's vaccine is indeed considered proprietary, and its exact workings remain a mystery.