Merck and Moderna's Melanoma Vaccine Trial Yields Promising Results

US pharmaceutical firms Merck and Moderna have announced encouraging results from a trial of their experimental vaccine against melanoma, potentially paving the way for approval. The vaccine, called intismeran autogene, showed statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvements when used with Merck's Keytruda treatment in skin cancer patients.

Unlike conventional vaccines, therapeutic vaccines like intismeran treat rather than prevent a disease by training the body's immune system to attack tumors. The news sent shares in biotech specialist Moderna soaring, up over 90% to around $120 a share in early New York trading, while Merck's stock was up 10%. This represents the first positive Phase 3 readout for an individualised neoantigen therapy and for an mRNA-based cancer therapy.

The companies referenced messenger RNA technology, which has proven effective against serious forms of Covid-19. The results from this trial could have significant implications for future cancer treatments.