A personalized mRNA cancer vaccine developed by Moderna and Merck reduced the risk of melanoma recurrence by 42 percent compared to standard treatment, according to a large clinical trial. Oncologists described the results as an important advance because patients lived significantly longer without their cancer returning.
The therapy, named intismeran autogene, is an individualized treatment that targets unique mutations in a patient's tumor, known as neoantigens. This approach relies on the same mRNA technology that enabled the rapid development of vaccines against Covid-19.
Developers and experts suggest the success of this specific vaccine may open the door for new treatments for other types of cancer.