Trending Now - Tailored Mrna Vaccine Significantly Reduces Melanoma Recurrence Risk

WHO:

NBC News - Moderna is the company developing the experimental mRNA vaccine.

NPR - Dr. Janice Mehnert is a melanoma specialist and researcher at NYU Langone Health and the senior author of the study.

NPR - Dr. Sarah Arron is a dermatologist and skin cancer surgeon in the San Francisco Bay Area who commented on the research.

NPR - Dr. David Berman is Moderna's chief development officer.

WHAT:

NBC News - An experimental mRNA vaccine from Moderna shows promise in preventing melanoma recurrence.

NPR - The clinical trial included 157 patients in Australia and the U.S. who had surgery to remove their tumors.

NPR - After five years, 68.8% of patients receiving the combination therapy remained cancer-free, compared to 49.1% of those receiving Keytruda alone, resulting in a 49% reduction in recurrence risk.

NPR - 92% of patients who received the combination therapy were alive at the five-year mark, compared to 71% of those who only used Keytruda.

NPR - The vaccine is called intismeran and is designed to be personalized for each patient's tumor.

WHERE:

NPR - The clinical trial took place in Australia and the U.S.

WHEN:

NPR - The five-year results of the trial were published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology on a Monday.

NPR - A Phase 3 trial is currently underway, which includes nearly 1,000 patients, with results expected in the coming months.

WHY:

NPR - The vaccine aims to harness the power of the immune system early in a patient's disease course to optimize outcomes and reduce the risk of dying from melanoma.

HOW:

NPR - The personalized mRNA vaccine is created by sequencing a patient's tumor to identify up to 34 unique molecular fingerprints called neoantigens, which are then encoded into a custom vaccine.

NPR - The combination therapy works by using Keytruda to lift the cancer's "don't attack me" shield, allowing T cells to recognize and target the cancer, while the mRNA vaccine amplifies this effect.

(UPDATED June 1, 2026 18:57 UTC)

Moderna's experimental mRNA vaccine, known as intismeran, shows promising results in preventing melanoma recurrence, according to a study led by Dr. Janice Mehnert from NYU Langone Health. In a clinical trial involving 157 patients in Australia and the U.S., those receiving the combination therapy had a 49% reduction in recurrence risk, with 68.8% remaining cancer-free after five years compared to 49.1% for those treated with Keytruda alone. Additionally, 92% of patients who received the combination therapy were alive at the five-year mark, and a Phase 3 trial is currently underway with nearly 1,000 patients, with results expected in the coming months.