Moderna's Cancer Vaccine: Everything You Need To Know

A new cancer vaccine has delivered encouraging results in its first large trial, potentially bringing the treatment closer to approval. Developed by Moderna and Merck, the vaccine uses mRNA technology to create a personalized treatment for each patient. Doctors analyze a patient's tumor to identify its unique mutations, then design a vaccine intended to train the immune system to recognize and attack those cancer cells. In the trial, over a thousand people with advanced melanoma received the vaccine alongside Merck's Keytruda after surgery had removed their detectable cancer. The combination significantly reduced the risk of melanoma returning and lowered the risk of the cancer spreading elsewhere in the body. The trial is still continuing to determine whether the treatment helps patients live longer overall. Merck and Moderna are also testing the vaccine against lung, bladder, and kidney cancers. If future results remain positive, the treatment could eventually offer a more personalized way to fight cancer.