Merck and Moderna Say Personalized mRNA Melanoma Vaccines Cut Death or Recurrence by 42% in a Late-Stage Trial
Merck and Moderna announced Thursday that personalized mRNA vaccines against melanoma—the deadliest form of skin cancer—reduced the risk of death or recurrence by 42 percent compared with standard treatment in a late-stage trial. The companies are already engaging with regulatory authorities to get the vaccine approved. The result has bolstered hope that mRNA vaccines and individualized cancer-targeting medicines offer a new paradigm for cancer therapies.
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The 42 percent figure is for death or recurrence combined, not deaths alone. That is the first distinction to keep in mind.
Still, a late-stage trial result that moves a combined risk by 42 percent is a serious number—and the companies are now taking it to regulators, which is not the same as approval.