New Delhi : Moderna and Merck’s personalised mRNA cancer vaccine has shown encouraging results in a late-stage trial involving high-risk melanoma patients. The vaccine, used alongside Merck’s immunotherapy drug Keytruda (pembrolizumab), was found to help reduce the risk of melanoma returning or spreading after surgery, marking a significant step forward in the development of personalised cancer treatments.
The findings represent a significant development in the emerging field of mRNA cancer vaccines, which are designed to train a patient’s immune system to identify and attack cancer cells based on mutations found in an individual’s tumour. Unlike traditional vaccines designed to prevent infections, personalised mRNA cancer vaccines are developed specifically for an individual patient. After a tumour is surgically removed, its genetic mutations can be analysed to identify targets that may help the immune system recognise remaining cancer cells.
The approach is part of a broader effort to develop personalised cancer treatment and more targeted forms of immunotherapy. The Phase 3 trial enrolled 1,137 patients with high-risk stage IIB to IV melanoma whose tumours had been surgically removed. Participants were randomly assigned to receive either Keytruda combined with the personalised mRNA vaccine or Keytruda alone for approximately one year.
The results are particularly important because Keytruda is already an established treatment for melanoma. Demonstrating that a personalised cancer vaccine can improve outcomes when added to an existing immunotherapy could strengthen the case for combining mRNA technology with cancer immunotherapy. The companies described the findings as the first positive late-stage results for an individualised mRNA cancer vaccine. The results could represent an important step toward using personalised vaccines as part of routine cancer care.
Moderna President Stephen Hoge said the companies are already discussing the treatment with regulators. Because the therapy has received breakthrough therapy designation, the companies believe it could potentially become available as early as next year, subject to regulatory approval. However, the companies have not yet released the full detailed trial data, and results for overall survival—whether the treatment helps patients live longer are still pending.
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