Moderna shares surge as melanoma vaccine succeeds in large trial

Moderna's stock experienced a significant surge following the announcement of successful results from a large-scale clinical trial for its experimental melanoma vaccine, mRNA-4157/V940. Developed in partnership with Merck, the personalized mRNA-based vaccine, combined with Merck's immunotherapy Keytruda (pembrolizumab), demonstrated a statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvement in recurrence-free survival (RFS) and distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS) in patients with completely resected Stage IIB-IV melanoma. This combination therapy reduced the risk of recurrence or death compared to Keytruda alone.

The Phase 3 INTerpath-001 trial enrolled 1,137 high-risk melanoma patients who had undergone surgical removal of their tumors. This marks the first positive Phase 3 outcome for an individualized neoantigen therapy and an mRNA-based cancer therapy. Both companies plan to present the full data at an upcoming international medical meeting and engage with regulatory authorities for potential filings.

The news sent Moderna's shares soaring by over 90% in early trading, with some reports indicating increases of more than 145% to 155%, reaching an intraday high of $163. Merck's shares also saw a rise of approximately 8% to 10%. This "landmark moment" for adjuvant melanoma treatment has the potential to establish a new treatment paradigm and represents a significant step in diversifying Moderna's portfolio beyond its COVID-19 vaccine.