Moderna's mRNA Cancer Vaccine Shows Promising Results in Melanoma Trials

By Rachel Kim

Moderna's personalized mRNA cancer vaccine, Intismeran, in combination with Merck's Keytruda, has shown promising results in reducing the recurrence and spread of melanoma in patients with advanced stages of the disease. The Phase 3 INTerpath-001 trial, which included over 1,100 patients, successfully met its primary endpoint of recurrence-free survival (RFS) and a key secondary endpoint of distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS).

According to data from the Phase 2b KEYNOTE-942/mRNA-4157-P201 trial, the combination therapy reduced the risk of cancer recurrence or death by 49%, with a hazard ratio (HR) of 0.510. Additionally, the risk of distant metastasis was reduced by 59%, with a hazard ratio of 0.411. These findings were presented at the 2026 ASCO Annual Meeting.

The safety profile of the combination therapy remains consistent with previous reports, with no new safety signals identified. Following these results, Moderna's stock experienced a significant increase, reflecting investor confidence in the potential of this treatment.