Moderna (MRNA) and Merck (MRK) announced updated, more positive three-year results for their vaccine in development against the deadliest type of skin cancer, melanoma.
Used alongside Merck’s Keytruda, the vaccine demonstrated higher survival rates and prolonged efficacy in a Phase 2 trial presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology annual meeting in Chicago.
The vaccine, a key part of Moderna’s portfolio, has boosted investor confidence after a difficult year, in which demand for its Covid-19 vaccine, its only product on the market, fell sharply. The recent data adds to the preliminary results released by the companies in December.
The value of Moderna and Merck shares rose more than 5% and 2%, respectively, on Monday.
In the most recent analysis, about 75% of participants treated with the combination therapy were alive and free of melanoma recurrence at 30 months, compared with 55.6% of participants who received Keytruda alone. This improvement was consistent across patient groups, regardless of the level of tumor mutations or the presence of the PD-L1 protein, involved in regulating the immune system.
Dr. Kyle Holen, Moderna’s lead for cancer therapeutics development and research, highlighted the vaccine’s potential for effectiveness across a “broad spectrum” of melanoma patients. The overall survival rate of patients who received the combination therapy was 96% after 30 months, compared to 90.2% of those who received Keytruda alone.
As previously disclosed by the companies, patients with advanced melanoma who received the combination therapy were 49% less likely to die or have their melanoma return than those who were treated with Keytruda alone over a period of approximately three years. Additionally, the combination therapy reduced the risk of the melanoma spreading to other parts of the body or dying by 62%.
The most frequently reported adverse effects were tiredness, discomfort at the vaccine injection site, and chills, most of which were low in severity. Participants who received the combination therapy reported a slightly higher frequency of immune system-related side effects than those who received Keytruda alone.
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