Moderna and Merck have announced updated results from their Phase IIb trial of mRNA-4157/V940, a personalized mRNA-based cancer vaccine targeting melanoma. The data, released on 02 December 2024, show a 49% reduction in risk of recurrence or death when the vaccine is used in combination with Merck’s PD-1 inhibitor Keytruda, compared to Keytruda alone.
The trial enrolled patients with stage III/IV resected melanoma, a population at high risk of relapse. The vaccine, tailored to each patient’s tumor neoantigens, trains the immune system to recognize and attack residual cancer cells. After a median follow-up of 27 months, the combination therapy continued to show durable recurrence-free survival, with no new safety concerns.
These results build on earlier data presented at ASCO 2023 and reinforce the potential of mRNA technology beyond infectious diseases. Moderna and Merck plan to initiate a Phase III trial in early 2025, and are exploring similar approaches in non-small cell lung cancer and other solid tumors.
The success of mRNA-4157/V940 marks a turning point in personalized oncology, combining the precision of genomic profiling with the scalability of mRNA platforms. If approved, it could become the first mRNA-based cancer vaccine to reach the market, opening new avenues for immunotherapy.