Moderna Just Doubled on a Massive Cancer Breakthrough. Here’s Why MRNA Stock Isn’t a Buy Yet.

The last time you heard of Moderna (MRNA) was likely because of its mRNA Covid vaccine, but that same tech, once administered en masse, could soon become a life-changing, specialized cure for cancers. The recent breakthrough came from its intismeran autogene, or more formally mRNA-4157/V940, Moderna's personalized mRNA cancer therapy developed alongside Merck (MRK), which met its primary recurrence-free survival endpoint in a late-stage melanoma trial.

The result sent MRNA stock soaring 176.97% on Wednesday because intismeran autogene is designed around the unique mutations found in an individual patient's tumor and trains the immune system to recognize and attack cancer cells left behind after surgery. More importantly, this isn't just a melanoma result.