Moderna and Merck reported that in a randomized phase IIb trial of 240 high-risk melanoma patients, the combination of Moderna’s personalized mRNA cancer vaccine intismeran autogene and Merck’s Keytruda immunotherapy cut the combined risk of recurrence or death by 49% compared with Keytruda alone over a five-year follow-up. Patients received up to six doses of the individualized vaccine, which encodes neoantigens identified from each patient’s tumor. The safety profile was consistent with previous studies, with no new grade 3 or higher adverse events attributed to the vaccine.

In a Bloomberg TV interview, Moderna’s CEO Stephane Bancel stated that the company will not initiate any new late-stage vaccine trials in the U.S., citing growing scrutiny of immunizations by federal officials. He noted that while existing respiratory vaccine programs will continue, the decision reflects a strategic shift toward oncology and rare disease mRNA applications. Bancel emphasized that Moderna remains committed to advancing trials in regions with more supportive regulatory environments.

Moderna shares rose 16% in intraday trading following the publication of the melanoma trial results, marking the largest single-day gain since the study’s interim readout in late 2024. Analysts at three major Wall Street firms upgraded their earnings forecasts for 2027 by an average of 12%, driven by expectations that a successful phase III cancer vaccine could add more than $3 billion in annual revenues by 2030. Several brokerage notes highlighted the diversification of Moderna’s pipeline beyond infectious disease as a key catalyst for renewed investor interest.