In brief

• A personalised mRNA vaccine combined with immunotherapy reduced the risk of melanoma recurrence or death by 42 percent over two years in a phase III trial.
• The INTerpath-001 study enrolled 1,137 patients after surgical removal of their tumours.
• The vaccine, developed by Moderna and Merck, is made from each patient's own tumour and given with Keytruda.
• Full data were presented at the ESMO congress in Madrid.

Trial results

The international phase III study, called INTerpath-001, enrolled 1,137 patients whose tumours had been surgically removed (Вакцина проти раку показала вражальні результати: що вдалося з’ясувати вченим – TSN). The main aim of the trial was to establish whether the vaccine can prevent the disease from returning after surgery.

How the vaccine works

The candidate, intismeran autogene (mRNA-4157), is developed by Moderna and Merck. Each dose is prepared from the individual patient's tumour, so the vaccine is tailored to that person (Spersonalizowana szczepionka mRNA zmniejszyła ryzyko nawrotu czerniaka o 42 proc. Wyniki badania III fazy - wiadomości Medycyna i Zdrowie – politykazdrowotna.com) (Настоящий прорыв. Первая персонализированная мРНК-вакцина против меланомы снижает риск рецидива и смерти на 42% – NV). It is given after surgery together with Keytruda, Merck's immunotherapy drug, known as pembrolizumab (Spersonalizowana szczepionka na raka działa, ale nikt nie wie dlaczego – onet.pl) (Szczepionka mRNA na raka przed kluczowym testem. Moderna i Merck odkrywają karty – Strefa Inwestorów). The goal is to train the immune system to recognise and attack cancer cells that may remain in the body after an operation.

Who it is for and what comes next

The approach is aimed at melanoma patients who face a higher risk of the cancer coming back after surgery. Moderna released additional results on October 24, and the full data were presented at the ESMO congress in Madrid (Niezwykle skuteczna szczepionka na raka. Może wyeliminować jeden rodzaj nowotoworu? Zdumiewające wyniki badań – Onet). Investors are following the detailed figures to judge how large the benefit is in practice.

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• Experimental mRNA cancer vaccine cuts melanoma recurrence risk by 42%