Combination of Moderna cancer vaccine and Merck Keytruda reduces skin cancer spread.

Moderna's experimental cancer vaccine, used in combination with Merck's Keytruda, reduced the risk of deadly skin cancer spreading to other parts of the body by 65% in a clinical trial. The trial enrolled 157 patients with stage three or four of the disease who had their cancer surgically removed. Melanoma is responsible for the majority of skin cancer deaths and the rate of melanoma has increased rapidly over the past few decades. The FDA gave Moderna and Merck a breakthrough therapy designation in February to speed up the development and review of treatments for serious and life-threatening diseases.