Moderna shares surge on promising melanoma vaccine trial results

Moderna's stock soared up to 176% after the biotech and partner Merck announced positive interim results from a Phase III trial of an experimental personalized melanoma vaccine. The vaccine, based on mRNA technology, combined with the immunotherapy Keytruda, met key endpoints in a study of over 1,100 patients with high-risk or advanced melanoma Source: portafolioco. The companies reported "statistically significant and clinically relevant" improvements in recurrence-free survival and distant metastasis-free survival compared to Keytruda alone Source: portafolioco.

Market reaction

Moderna shares closed at $174.38, up nearly 177%, while Merck rose over 12% Source: portafolioco. Before the jump, Moderna's market cap was around $25 billion versus Merck's $333 billion, highlighting the magnitude of the move Source: portafolioco.

Expert caution

Despite the enthusiasm, scientists urged caution. The announcement came via press releases, not peer-reviewed publications, and lacked explicit survival or relapse data Source: portafolioco. José Bautista, a molecular biology professor, said the companies offered an "interpretation" of results, though he acknowledged the scientific potential Source: portafolioco. Lennard Lee of Oxford called the results important and encouraging, noting this is the first positive Phase III trial for a personalized neoantigen therapy and an mRNA-based cancer treatment Source: portafolioco. Marisol Soengas, a melanoma researcher, echoed the need for final data and raised questions about generalizability and cost Source: portafolioco.

What's next

Merck and Moderna plan to present full data at a medical congress and begin regulatory filings for approval Source: portafolioco. The trial, named INTerpath-001, enrolled 1,137 patients Source: portafolioco.