Moderna’s mRNA cancer vaccine works even better than thought

In a breakthrough development, Moderna’s cancer vaccine, mRNA-4157 (V940), when combined with Keytruda, has shown a significant reduction in the risk of melanoma recurrence and death. The vaccine, which works by instructing the body to produce proteins found only on cancer cells, has demonstrated promising results in an ongoing phase 2b trial. The study showed a 49% reduction in recurrence or death and a 62% decrease in distant metastasis or death compared to patients receiving Keytruda alone. Looking ahead, Moderna and Merck have initiated a phase 3 trial and are exploring the potential applications of the vaccine beyond melanoma, with hopes of accelerated approval by 2025.