Key facts
- Intismeran autogene combined with KEYTRUDA reduced melanoma recurrence or death risk by 49% over five years.
- The therapy uses patient-specific tumor mutations to train the immune system.
- The study involved 157 patients with high-risk stage 3 and 4 melanoma.
- The combination therapy is well-tolerated with a manageable safety profile.
- A phase 3 study is underway to further evaluate the treatment.
A personalized mRNA cancer therapy, intismeran autogene, when combined with Merck's immunotherapy drug KEYTRUDA, has demonstrated a significant reduction in the risk of melanoma recurrence or death. Data from a phase 2b study, presented at the ASCO Annual Meeting, showed a 49% decrease in risk over a five-year follow-up period compared to KEYTRUDA alone. The therapy, developed by Moderna and Merck, works by using mutations from a patient's own tumor to train their immune system to identify and attack cancer cells. Researchers reported that the combination therapy is well-tolerated with a manageable safety profile, and it is now progressing to a phase 3 study for further evaluation.