MRNA-based cancer vaccines show promising results in combination with Keytruda.

Merck and Moderna's experimental mRNA-based vaccine reduced the risk of the most deadly skin cancer spreading by 65% over treatment with immunotherapy alone in a midstage trial. The customized mRNA vaccine, given in combination with Merck's Keytruda, cut the risk of death or recurrence of melanoma by 44% compared with Keytruda alone. The mRNA technology can be used to assemble personalized vaccines that train the immune system to attack the specific type of cancer cells in a patient's tumors, leading to a new generation of cancer therapies.