First personalized mRNA cancer vaccine succeeds in Phase 3 trial
What's the story
Merck and Moderna's personalized cancer vaccine has shown promising results in its first late-stage trial. The mRNA-based shot, when used with Merck's immunotherapy Keytruda, met key goals in a Phase 3 study involving over 1,100 patients with advanced melanoma, a type of skin cancer. The combination treatment significantly delayed the return of melanoma and lowered the risk of cancer spreading to other parts of the body.
Market reaction
Stock prices soar on positive trial results
The positive results from the Phase 3 trial sent Merck's shares up by over 12% and Moderna's stock skyrocketing by an incredible 177%.
The massive spike in their respective stock prices is a reflection of the companies' market capitalization, which was around $333 billion for Merck and nearly $25 billion for Moderna as of Wednesday.
Treatment advancement
Potential new treatment for advanced melanoma patients
The initial data from the trial indicates that the combination regimen could be a potential new treatment for melanoma.
This form of skin cancer is responsible for most skin cancer deaths, despite only accounting for about 1% of all cases.
Most recurrences of melanoma occur within two to three years after initial treatment and removal, making this new therapy a potential game-changer in patient care.
Treatment strategy
Personalized cancer vaccine and its approach
The personalized vaccine from Merck and Moderna targets the specific mutations in each patient's tumor, rather than a one-size-fits-all approach.
This method is aimed at training the immune system to recognize and kill unique cancer markers.
The combination with Keytruda further boosts the body's response against cancer, making it a promising strategy in the fight against this deadly disease.
Next steps
Next steps for drugmakers in bringing treatment to market
The Phase 3 study will continue to assess other outcomes, including the overall survival benefit of the regimen.
The drugmakers plan to present the data at an upcoming international medical meeting but have not yet announced when they will apply for approval in the US.
Merck and Moderna are evaluating the vaccine across several clinical trials targeting other tumor types, including non-small cell lung cancer, bladder cancer, and renal cell carcinoma.