A new skin cancer vaccine may be on the way. In a preliminary study released Tuesday, Moderna and Merck announced that when messenger RNA (mRNA) technology is combined with cancer immunotherapy drug pembrolizumab, it creates a vaccine that has been shown effective against melanoma, a deadly form of skin cancer.
The experimental vaccine from Moderna uses mRNA technology, which is most commonly found in coronavirus vaccines, and Keytruda, Merck’s cancer immunotherapy drug, to treat patients battling melanoma. Patients in the trial who received both the mRNA and Keytruda treatment saw a reduced risk of recurrence or death by 44% compared to patients who received Keytruda alone.
