mRNA cancer vaccine shows promise in reducing melanoma relapse and death.

Merck and Moderna presented detailed mid-stage results for a combination therapy containing vaccine maker’s personalized cancer shot mRNA-4157 and pharma giant’s blockbuster cancer therapy Keytruda at a medical event on Sunday. The novel therapeutic regimen cut the risk of recurrence or death by 44%, leading to a statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvement in recurrence-free survival (RFS) compared to Keytruda alone in patients with skin cancer, melanoma. In 2023, Merck and Moderna expect to begin a Phase 3 trial for the combination therapy in adjuvant melanoma before expanding studies to additional cancer types, such as non-small cell lung cancer.