Moderna Stock Doubles on Melanoma Vaccine Success

Moderna's stock more than doubled on Wednesday morning after the company announced successful results from a Phase 3 trial of its experimental mRNA vaccine designed to treat melanoma, a deadly form of skin cancer. The treatment, developed in partnership with Merck, showed significant efficacy in preventing the cancer from returning or spreading in high-risk patients who had undergone surgery.

According to CBS News, Moderna's shares surged $91.52, or 145%, to $154.48 in morning trading after touching an intraday high of $163. Merck's shares rose $14.35, or 10.6%, to $149.52.

The trial included 1,137 patients who had stage IIB–IV melanoma that had been surgically removed prior to their treatment in the trial. Patients were randomized two-to-one to receive either a combination treatment of Moderna's personalized mRNA vaccine Intismeran with Merck's Keytruda immunotherapy drug or Keytruda alone.

As reported by Reuters, interim results found the treatment met both its primary target of reducing cancer recurrence and its secondary goal of preventing tumors from spreading compared with Keytruda alone. The trial was placebo-controlled and double-blind, meaning neither the doctors nor the patients knew which treatment patients were randomly assigned to receive.

The drugmakers plan to present the unpublished data to regulators at an upcoming international medical meeting, according to UPI. Professor Georgina Long, the study's principal investigator, called the results a 'landmark moment for adjuvant melanoma treatment.' The advancement has the potential to establish a new treatment paradigm in the adjuvant melanoma setting.

The success of the trial marks a significant milestone for Moderna and Merck. As noted by CNBC, Moderna CEO Stephane Bancel described it as a pivotal moment for cancer research, highlighting the potential of personalized mRNA treatments designed specifically for individual patients' cancers. The companies are already in talks with regulators about the treatment, which could be available as soon as next year.

The experimental vaccine trains the patient’s immune system to fight tumors by targeting mutations in cancer cells. According to Al Jazeera, Moderna President Stephen Hoge stated that thousands of patients who have had high-risk melanoma tumours removed in surgery could benefit by next year if the vaccine is approved by regulators.

The development represents the first positive late-stage trial result for an mRNA cancer vaccine. As reported by Reuters, Dr. Julie Gralow, chief medical officer of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, called this result a 'monumental leap forward,' validating mRNA technology as a cancer treatment.

The companies are also studying the combination in mid-stage trials for bladder and kidney cancers as well as early-stage trials in pancreatic and stomach cancers. According to Reuters, numerous trial results from these studies are expected within the next year or two.