Moderna, Merck say vaccine improved survival in patients with deadly skin cancer

The main findings from the midstage study of the experimental vaccine developed by Moderna and Merck for treating melanoma are as follows:

1. The combination of the experimental vaccine and Merck's Keytruda improved survival and showed long-lasting efficacy in patients with a deadly form of skin cancer.
2. Nearly 75% of patients who took the combination were alive without any signs or symptoms of their cancer returning at the 2½-year mark, compared to 55.6% of patients who got Keytruda alone.
3. The overall survival rate of patients who took the vaccine in combination with Keytruda was 96% after 2½ years, compared to 90.2% among those who took Keytruda alone.
4. Patients with severe forms of melanoma who received the combination were 49% less likely to die or have their cancer return than those who took Keytruda alone after roughly three years.
5. The combination also reduced the risk of melanoma spreading to other parts of the body, or death, by 62%.
6. The most common side effects associated with the vaccine were fatigue, injection site pain, and chills, with the majority being mild.

These findings suggest that the experimental vaccine, when combined with Keytruda, could potentially help treat a broad range of melanoma patients and provide a new approach to cancer treatment.

The survival rate at the 2½-year mark for patients who took the vaccine and Keytruda combination was 96%, while for those who took Keytruda alone, it was 90.2%.