Moderna and Merck & Co. announced successful results from a final-stage clinical trial of a personalised mRNA-based cancer vaccine that reduced melanoma recurrence in patients [1, 2, 3]. This marks the first time an mRNA cancer vaccine has succeeded in a large-scale human trial [1, 2, 3].
Unlike traditional vaccines that prevent infectious diseases, this vaccine is designed to treat existing cancer and lower the risk of relapse [2, 3]. It works by instructing the patient's cells to produce fragments of mutated tumour proteins called neoantigens. These neoantigens train the immune system to recognize and attack cancer cells [2, 3].
The vaccine is personalised for each patient. An algorithm identifies up to 34 specific mutations in their tumour, and the vaccine targets these mutations to maximize immune response. Jane Healy, head of oncology early development at Merck, said, "Thirty-four is quite a lot of chances, of shots on goal. The approach was designed to cover a sufficient amount of the spectrum of a patient’s cancer" [2].
The announcement sparked a surge in investor confidence, with Moderna shares jumping 177% on the day the results were reported [1, 2, 3]. mRNA vaccine technology gained worldwide attention during the Covid-19 pandemic but faced public skepticism, including criticism from US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. [1, 2, 3].
Bloomberg reported on August 21 about the vaccine results and the resulting spike in Moderna’s stock price [2, 3]. This personalised mRNA cancer vaccine may open a new front in cancer treatment by reducing the risk of melanoma recurrence through a highly individualized immune response.
