Moderna's Melanoma Vaccine Combo Succeeds in Large Trial

Moderna's stock surged after its mRNA vaccine combined with Merck's immunotherapy Keytruda showed promise in treating melanoma. The treatment, called Intismeran, met both of its primary targets in a late-stage trial: reducing cancer recurrence and preventing the spread of cancer to other parts of the body.

The study involved 1,137 patients with stage IIB-IV melanoma who received up to nine doses of Keytruda plus the personalized mRNA vaccine or Keytruda alone. The results showed no new safety signals emerged in the trial.

Analysts had predicted that this cancer treatment could generate about $3 billion by 2035, making it a significant catalyst for Moderna and potentially boosting investor sentiment.