Moderna shares surge after experimental mRNA cancer treatment passes a key test
- Moderna shares more than doubled after the company reported initial results from an experimental cancer treatment study.
- The treatment uses an mRNA-based cancer vaccine called intismeran, which is designed to be customized to individual patients' tumor mutations.
- Moderna is developing the therapy with Merck, and current studies pair intismeran with Merck's Keytruda immunotherapy drug.
- In the study, melanoma patients receiving the combination of intismeran and Keytruda lived longer without their cancer returning or spreading than those given Keytruda alone.
- The companies did not release data on overall survival or say how long patients remained cancer-free, and they plan to present the findings at an upcoming international medical meeting.
- Merck shares also rose after the announcement.
Moderna said initial results from a study of its experimental mRNA cancer treatment met a key milestone, sending its shares up more than 120% on Wednesday. The therapy, if approved, would be the first of its kind according to the company.
The treatment uses intismeran, an mRNA-based cancer vaccine being developed with Merck and designed to match mutations in each patient's tumor. In the current study, it was tested together with Merck's Keytruda in melanoma patients and compared with Keytruda alone.
The companies said the combination group lived longer without the cancer returning or spreading, but they did not disclose overall survival results or how long the benefit lasted. The findings are set to be presented at an upcoming international medical meeting. For markets, the news was positive for Moderna and also supportive for Merck shares.
Moderna股价飙升，此前其实验性mRNA癌症疗法通过关键测试
Moderna表示，其实验性mRNA癌症治疗研究的初步结果达到了一个关键节点，推动公司股价在周三上涨超过120%。公司称，如果获批，这将是同类首款疗法。
这项治疗使用名为intismeran的mRNA癌症疫苗，由Moderna与默克共同开发，设计思路是根据每位患者肿瘤中的突变进行个体化匹配。当前研究中，它与默克的Keytruda联合使用，并在黑色素瘤患者中与单用Keytruda进行了比较。
两家公司表示，联合治疗组在癌症未复发或未扩散的情况下存活时间更长，但未披露总生存数据，也没有说明这一获益持续了多久。研究结果计划在即将举行的一场国际医学会议上公布。从市场角度看，这一消息对Moderna股价是明显利好，对默克股价也构成正面影响。