Moderna and Merck have reportedly developed an mRNA-based cancer vaccine called mRNA-4157 (V940), which shows promising results in preventing melanoma recurrence and reducing the risk of death. The vaccine aims to instruct the body to make up to 34 neoantigens found only on cancer cells.
Neoantigens play an essential role in identifying cancer cells, and the vaccine’s idea is to prompt the body to prepare the immune system to recognize and attack any new cancer cells bearing neoantigens, preventing recurrence and eliminating the possibility of metastasis.
Patients with high-risk melanomas are likely to experience recurrence, even after treatment with conventional approaches, such as chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Hence, researchers are testing whether this cancer vaccine combined with an FDA-approved cancer drug, Merck’s Keytruda, could reduce the risk of melanoma recurrence and death.
In an ongoing phase 2b KEYNOTE-942 study, Moderna and Merck are evaluating the vaccine’s ability to prevent melanoma recurrence or death when combined with Keytruda compared to Keytruda alone. The combo therapy showed excellent results, reducing high-risk patients’ risk of recurrence or death by 44% compared to those treated with only Keytruda in the two years after treatment.
Further analysis from the trial revealed that those who received both therapies were 49% less likely to experience recurrence or death, a median of three years after treatment compared to people in the Keytruda-only group. Moreover, the risk of distant metastasis or death was 62% lower in the combination therapy group than those treated with Keytruda.
The results of the trial signify a novel treatment option for melanoma patients. Combining the cancer vaccine and Keytruda can help reduce the risk of recurrence and prolong life without increasing toxicity or other adverse effects.
If the vaccine’s safety and efficacy are confirmed by data from additional trials, it could become a game-changer in preventing melanoma recurrence and reducing the risk of death, offering hope to those suffering from this deadly form of cancer.
