by Moderna and Merck, two of the world’s leading drug makers, have announced positive results from a trial in which messenger RNA (mRNA) technology was used to create personalized vaccines for skin cancer patients. The trial, which involved 150 people who had undergone surgery to remove melanoma tumors, saw a 44% reduction in the risk of death or relapse among patients who received the experimental vaccine in addition to the skin cancer treatment Keytruda, compared to those who only received Keytruda.
mRNA technology has already been used to develop vaccines against Covid-19, and scientists believe it has the potential to be used in the fight against other viruses and diseases like cancer. Moderna and Merck will publish the full results of the study, which have not yet been peer-reviewed, and will launch a Phase 3 trial involving a larger number of patients in 2023.
