Moderna and Merck report melanoma vaccine trial delayed cancer return
The companies say an mRNA shot helped keep high-risk melanoma from coming back in a late-stage study, though the durability of the effect is still being tracked.
Moderna and Merck said on Wednesday that an experimental mRNA vaccine helped delay the return of high-risk melanoma in a late-stage trial. The result could point to a new way to reduce recurrence after surgery, although the companies said follow-up is still under way.
According to the firms, patients who received the shot alongside Merck’s immunotherapy stayed free of cancer longer than those given the standard treatment alone. The study focused on people whose melanoma had a high chance of coming back after initial treatment.
The companies said the vaccine also appeared to lower the risk that the disease would spread. They have not yet said how long the benefit may last.
The findings add to growing interest in personalised cancer vaccines built with mRNA technology, which has already been used in some infectious-disease shots. Further data from the trial will be needed before regulators can assess whether the approach should move toward wider use.
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