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NewsNBC 6 South FloridaAugust 19, 2026Miami-Dade

Merck and Moderna report experimental mRNA melanoma vaccine reduces cancer recurrence in late-stage trial

Merck and Moderna announced that their personalized mRNA cancer vaccine, Intismeran, combined with the immunotherapy drug Keytruda, showed success in preventing the return or spread of melanoma in a late-stage clinical trial. The companies plan to present full data at an upcoming medical meeting and submit findings to regulators for review.

healthcarecancer researchpharmaceuticalsmRNA technologyFDA
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Why It Matters

This study represents a potential new treatment pathway for high-risk melanoma patients, though the therapy is not yet approved for general use and remains subject to ongoing regulatory and funding scrutiny.

Key Facts

  • The late-stage study enrolled 1,137 patients randomized to receive either the vaccine-drug combination or Keytruda alone.
  • The vaccine is personalized to individual patients using genetic material from their specific tumors.
  • The treatment targets neoantigens, which are abnormal proteins on the surface of cancer cells.
  • An earlier study of 157 patients showed the vaccine halved the risk of melanoma returning after five years.
  • Side effects were reported as mostly mild or moderate, though some patients delayed or discontinued treatment due to adverse reactions.
  • The FDA recently approved the first mRNA-based flu vaccine from Moderna.
  • Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. previously cut $500 million in federal contracts for mRNA vaccine research.
  • The companies have not yet published the full results of the 1,137-patient study in a peer-reviewed journal.

Who's Mentioned

other157“Number of patients in the smaller, earlier study.”other1,137“Number of patients enrolled in the late-stage study.”organizationModerna“Biotechnology company developing the mRNA vaccine.”personDr. Janice Mehnert“Senior investigator and director of melanoma medical oncology at NYU Langone Hea”personDr. Vinay Prasad“Former FDA vaccine chief.”personRobert F. Kennedy Jr.“Health Secretary.”otherIntismeran“The personalized mRNA cancer vaccine being tested.”otherKeytruda“Merck's cancer immunotherapy drug used in the study.”personStéphane Bancel“CEO of Moderna.”organizationMerck“Pharmaceutical company developing the vaccine and Keytruda.”