Moderna and Merck’s Cancer Vaccine Shows Promising Results in Combination with Keytruda

1. Improved Survival Rates: Moderna and Merck's experimental vaccine, used in combination with Keytruda, demonstrated enhanced survival benefits and long-term efficacy in patients with aggressive skin cancer, with approximately 75% of patients remaining cancer-free and symptom-free at the 2½-year mark.
2. Breakthrough Therapy Designation: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration granted breakthrough therapy designation to the cancer vaccine for the treatment of melanoma, which expedites the approval process for drugs addressing serious conditions with unmet medical needs.
3. Phase-Three Trials: The companies are conducting a phase-three trial on the vaccine and Keytruda as a treatment for late-stage melanoma, with progress reported to be ahead of schedule.
4. Rare Disease Program: Moderna's methylmalonic acidemia candidate, mRNA-3705, has been selected for the FDA's START pilot program for rare disease, which aims to accelerate the development of treatments for rare conditions.
5. Multi-Pronged Cancer Strategy: Merck is building a three-pronged cancer strategy, including the Moderna-partnered vaccine, to address the looming patent cliff for Keytruda in 2028.