Pharmaceutical companies Moderna and Merck announced on August 19, 2026, that their mRNA-based vaccine, designed to target individual cancer mutations, was effective in a Phase 3 clinical trial for patients with melanoma. The trial involved 1,137 patients with stage IIB–IV melanoma who had previously undergone surgery. Participants were randomly assigned to receive either the mRNA vaccine, known as intismeran or mRNA-4157, in combination with Merck's monoclonal antibody treatment Keytruda, or Keytruda alone. The trial was conducted in a placebo-controlled and double-blind manner, ensuring that neither the patients nor the doctors knew which treatment was administered.
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Moderna and Merck report success in Phase 3 melanoma trial for mRNA cancer vaccine
Moderna and Merck announced the success of their mRNA cancer vaccine in a Phase 3 trial for melanoma, involving 1,137 patients. The trial compared the vaccine combined with Keytruda to Keytruda alone, conducted in a double-blind and placebo-controlled format.
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mRNA cancer vaccine succeeded in Phase 3 melanoma trial, Moderna and Merck say
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Moderna and Merck report success in Phase 3 melanoma trial for mRNA cancer vaccine