Melanoma Vaccine Reduces Recurrence by 49%
Analysis based on 7 articles · First reported Jun 01, 2026 · Last updated Jun 01, 2026
The positive results of the intismeran and pembrolizumab combination therapy are expected to significantly boost the stock prices of Moderna>>> and Merck & Co.>>> due to the potential for increased sales and market expansion in cancer treatment. This breakthrough could also lead to increased investment and innovation across the biotechnology and pharmaceutical sectors, particularly in mRNA vaccine technology and immunotherapy.
A new study led by NYU Langone Health has shown that a combination therapy of the personalized mRNA vaccine intismeran (manufactured by Moderna>>>) and the immunotherapy drug pembrolizumab (Keytruda, manufactured by Merck & Co.>>>) significantly reduces the risk of melanoma recurrence and death by 49% after five years. The phase 2b trial, KEYNOTE-942, involved 157 patients in the United States>>> and Australia>>> and demonstrated that 68.8% of patients receiving the combination therapy remained cancer-free, compared to 49.1% in the pembrolizumab-alone group. The therapy also reduced the risk of distant metastasis by 59%. Janice Mehnert>>>, the study's senior investigator, highlighted the potential for mRNA vaccines in treating other cancers. The findings are being presented at the 2026 annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology>>>.
Set up alerts, explore entity relationships, search across thousands of events, and build custom intelligence feeds.
Open Dashboard