Merck-Moderna Cancer Treatment Trial Yields Positive Results

A joint trial between Merck and Moderna has yielded positive results for their cancer treatment. The Phase 3 INTerpath-001 study met its main goal of keeping patients free from cancer longer after surgery, as well as a key secondary goal of lowering the risk that the cancer would spread to distant parts of the body.

The trial tested an individualized mRNA therapy called intismeran autogene, given with Merck's Keytruda, against Keytruda alone. The combination delivered statistically significant and clinically meaningful gains on both measures compared with Keytruda alone.

Merck and Moderna plan to share full data at a future medical meeting and discuss possible approval filings with regulators.

The news has caused several stocks related to the cancer treatment sector to rise, including BioNTech, Novavax, Maravai LifeSciences, Repligen, Tempus AI (TEM), MRVI, RGEN, and NVAX. TEM stock climbed 22% on Wednesday after the announcement.

Tempus's purchase of Personalis for $1.5 billion is also seen as a contributing factor to the positive results. Personalis furnishes the high-precision genomic sequencing that pinpoints each patient's unique tumor mutations, which Moderna then uses to engineer the corresponding individualized mRNA dose.