Moderna's Vaccine Combo with Keytruda Shows Promising Results in Melanoma Trial
A personalized mRNA vaccine, developed by Merck and Moderna, has shown promising results in a late-stage trial for treating melanoma skin cancer. The treatment, known as Intismeran, combines Keytruda with a made-to-order mRNA vaccine based on an analysis of mutations found in the patients' own tumors.
The trial enrolled 1,137 high-risk patients with stage IIB-IV melanoma that had been surgically removed. Volunteers were randomized to receive up to nine doses of Keytruda plus the personalized vaccine or Keytruda alone for about one year. The companies said no new safety signals have emerged in the trial.
The success of the late-stage trial sent Moderna's shares surging 90% in premarket trading, with the company's stock price reaching $118.61. Merck's shares also climbed 7.5%. The data is expected to ease investor worries over the companies' long-term growth drivers.
Moderna CEO Stephane Bancel said the treatment does not use patients' own cells, unlike some personalized cell therapies, which could allow the manufacturing process to be scaled and the price reduced. The companies have not decided on pricing for the vaccine, saying the data had only become available 'a couple days ago'.