Moderna's Cancer Vaccine Scores Big Win in Late-Stage Trial

Moderna and Merck announced that their personalized mRNA cancer vaccine, Intismeran, met its goals in a large trial. The treatment combines Keytruda, an immunotherapy drug from Merck, with a made-to-order mRNA vaccine from Moderna that targets specific mutations found in the patients' tumors.

The companies tested the vaccine on 1,137 high-risk patients with stage IIB-IV melanoma who had undergone surgery to remove their tumors. The trial showed that Intismeran reduced the risk of recurrence and spread of cancer compared to Keytruda alone.

Moderna's shares surged as much as 160% after the announcement, adding nearly $40 billion to the company's market capitalization. Merck also climbed 11%, driven by hopes that the vaccine will expand its prospects in cancer treatment.