Vaccine Breakthrough Stops Cancer Returning in Trial
A new personalized vaccine given in combination with a drug has stopped skin cancer returning in patients during a trial, representing a potentially watershed moment in cancer treatment. The vaccine, developed by drug companies Merck and Moderna, was given to patients with high-risk melanoma, a type of skin cancer, after surgery.
Early results show this new jab extended the length of time these patients were cancer free, but it’s unclear for how long. According to an announcement by the two firms:
- The vaccine, called Intismeran, was given in combination with Keytruda, an immunotherapy drug already used in cancer treatment.
- Compared with taking Keytruda on its own, the companies said taking the drug and vaccine together significantly increased the time patients remained cancer free and reduced the risk of the disease spreading to other organs.
The phase three trial involved more than 1,000 patients who had high-risk stage two, three, or four melanoma – meaning they ranged from having large tumours in a specific area to cancers that had already spread to other parts of the body.
"Shows promise," says Dr. Talisia Quallo of Cancer Research UK, acknowledging the research’s potential but emphasizing the need for further review of the interim data.
Merck and Moderna are calling this a personalized vaccine, meaning it works by targeting an individual patient’s tumour. Using mRNA technology – similar to some COVID-19 vaccines – scientists target specific mutations within cancer cells by surgically removing a small part of a patient’s tumour and sequencing its DNA. The result is a personalized anti-cancer jab that instructs the immune system to recognize and attack any remaining tumour cells.
The two companies are also testing other similar personalized vaccines for lung, bladder, and kidney cancers.
"This is a pivotal moment" in cancer research, said Stephane Bancel, CEO of Moderna. Shares in both Moderna and Merck have surged since the announcement.
