Moderna-Merck Cancer Vaccine Shows Promising Results in Large Trial

The personalized cancer vaccine developed by Moderna and Merck has shown promising results in a large trial. The vaccine, known as intismeran autogene, targets mutations unique to an individual patient's tumor.

When combined with Merck's immunotherapy Keytruda, the vaccine helped reduce the risk of melanoma recurrence and spread in patients whose tumors had been surgically removed. This was according to interim data from a large trial released on August 19.

The vaccine is designed to target up to 34 mutations unique to each patient's cancer, which are identified by sequencing the tumor after it has been removed. The companies then use this information to create a customized vaccine that trains the immune system to recognize and attack cancer cells.

Experts believe that the treatment may work best in highly mutated cancers such as melanoma, but it is not clear whether the vaccine technology will be effective against other types of cancer.