Early-Stage Trial Signals Potential Breakthrough in Cancer Treatment
Moderna (MRNA) witnessed a significant uptick in its shares, climbing 8% to a three-month high following positive results from an early-stage trial of its individualized cancer vaccine developed in collaboration with Merck. The trial, targeting patients with head and neck cancer, demonstrated encouraging responses.
The vaccine, mRNA-4157, is engineered to train patients’ immune systems to identify and combat specific mutations present in cancer cells. Previously, it exhibited promising outcomes in treating melanoma during a mid-stage study.
Jefferies analyst Michael Yee highlighted the trial’s validation of the individualized therapy platform, indicating its potential applicability beyond melanoma. Notably, the combination of mRNA-4157 with Keytruda, a cancer immunotherapy drug, exhibited substantial survival benefits compared to previous trials testing Keytruda alone.
Presented at the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting, data from the trial involving 22 patients underscored the vaccine combination’s ability to activate immune responses safely and effectively. Moderna’s continued progress in diverse vaccine development, including its efforts against respiratory syncytial virus and cancer therapies, reflects a positive trajectory for the company amid a shift from COVID-related product sales.
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