Moderna's stock soars over 100% after the success of its cancer vaccine

The pharmaceutical companies Moderna and Merck announced a positive result in the phase 3 trial of their personalized vaccine against melanoma, a breakthrough that could mark a turning point in cancer treatment and caused a significant jump in the stock prices of both companies.

The treatment, called intismeran autogene, is administered in combination with pembrolizumab, an immunotherapy already used against various types of cancer. According to the companies, the study met its goals of relapse-free survival and metastasis-free survival.

Although the companies have not yet released the complete data from the trial, the announcement was met with enormous anticipation by the market. Shares of Moderna rose by as much as 87%, while Merck's stock advanced by about 8%.

The first cancer vaccine to successfully reach phase 3

The result is considered historic because it would be the first time a personalized cancer vaccine has demonstrated efficacy in a phase 3 trial, the final stage before seeking approval for a treatment.

It also represents a particularly relevant advance for messenger RNA technology, the same platform that enabled the development of COVID-19 vaccines.

Unlike traditional vaccines, this treatment does not aim to prevent a person from contracting a disease. The vaccine is specifically manufactured for each patient after the tumor has been removed.

To develop it, researchers analyze a sample of the melanoma and study the particular characteristics of the tumor cells. With that information, a personalized messenger RNA vaccine is designed, aimed at training the immune system to recognize and attack cancer cells if they reappear.

More than 1,100 patients participated in the trial

The study included 1,137 patients with melanoma, considered the most aggressive type of skin cancer.

All participants had previously undergone surgery to remove the tumor but were at high risk of the disease recurring.

The patients were divided into two groups. Approximately one-third received only pembrolizumab, while the other two-thirds received the combination of immunotherapy with the personalized vaccine.

Preliminary results confirmed that the combination met the established goals for preventing relapse and the spread of cancer to other organs.

It remains to be seen how much survival improved and what the concrete reduction in relapse risk was in this phase of the study. Moderna and Merck indicated that they will present the complete data at an international medical congress.

The background that generated anticipation

The announcement comes after encouraging results obtained in an earlier stage of research.

In June, during the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) congress, the companies presented data indicating that the combination had achieved a 49% reduction in the risk of relapse or death and a 59% reduction in the risk of metastasis compared to the immunotherapy used as a reference treatment.

The new phase 3 trial aimed to confirm those results in a much larger sample and bring the technology closer to potential regulatory approval.

Moderna and Merck advance towards other types of cancer

The potential of this technology is not limited to melanoma. The companies already have eight additional trials underway to evaluate personalized messenger RNA-based vaccines against other types of cancer.

Among the diseases being studied are lung, bladder, and kidney cancer.

The concept behind these treatments aims to leverage one of the main advantages of messenger RNA: the ability to rapidly develop a therapy tailored to the specific biological characteristics of each patient's tumor.

Now, Moderna and Merck will need to present the complete results and begin discussions with regulatory authorities to seek approval for the treatment.

If the definitive data confirm the announced results, the personalized vaccine against melanoma could become one of the most significant advances in oncology in recent years, opening the door to a new generation of treatments specifically designed for each patient's cancer.