Merck and Moderna's experimental mRNA vaccine cut melanoma recurrence or death by 42%
A personalized mRNA melanoma vaccine, intismeran autogene, reduced the risk of recurrence or death by 42% when combined with pembrolizumab, compared with pembrolizumab alone, in a Phase 3 trial. Moderna and Merck developed the vaccine. Global principal investigator Georgina Long of Melanoma Institute Australia presented the results at the 2026 European Society for Medical Oncology Congress in Madrid.
More context
An experimental personalized mRNA vaccine cut the risk of melanoma recurrence or death by 42% in a Phase 3 trial when given with pembrolizumab. The comparison was with pembrolizumab alone. The vaccine, intismeran autogene, was developed by Merck and Moderna and is tailored to features of an individual patient’s tumor to help the immune system recognize cancer cells. The INTerpath-001 trial involved more than 1,100 patients at 157 research sites, UA News reported. Among participants who showed no signs of cancer six months after treatment began, the risk reduction was 58%, UA News said. Global principal investigator and medical oncologist Georgina Long of Melanoma Institute Australia presented the findings at the 2026 European Society for Medical Oncology Congress in Madrid.
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Reporting
- UA News — mRNA vaccine cut melanoma recurrence or death risk by 42% | UA.NEWS
- Vietnam.vn — New hope for cancer patients from an unprecedented vaccine.
- newatlas.com — Landmark melanoma vaccine cuts deaths in landmark trial
- sciencealert.com — World-First Cancer Vaccine Cuts Melanoma Recurrence or Death Risk by 42% in Landmark Trial : ScienceAlert
- liga.net — The world's first melanoma vaccine reduced the risk of death by 42%
- boldnewsonline.com — Personalised Cancer Vaccine Cuts Melanoma Recurrence Risk by 42% in Late-Stage Trial
Verifier’s note
ScienceAlert reports that the personalized mRNA vaccine reduced melanoma recurrence or death risk by 42% in a Phase 3 trial, and New Atlas, LIGA, Bold News Online, and Vietnam.vn report the same finding. UA.NEWS also reports it but says it is reporting ScienceAlert’s account.