Merck and Moderna say skin cancer treatment shows promising results in a late-stage trial for melanoma

WASHINGTON — Merck and Moderna said their experimental cancer vaccine treatment is showing promising results for delaying recurrence and spread in high-risk melanoma patients. 

The new drug showed better recurrence-free survival in melanoma patients who received it in combination with Keytruda, a prescription immunotherapy drug made by Merck, than with Keytruda alone. According to the release, the interim results showed that the vaccine-drug combo appeared to extend the time before cancer returned. 

“Today’s results represent a landmark moment for adjuvant melanoma treatment. This is the first Phase 3 study to show that intismeran, a treatment designed based on the unique mutational ‘fingerprint' of a patient's own tumor, given in combination with pem...