mRNA vs. Melanoma

Scientists might have a shot at developing a cancer vaccine.

Drug giants Merck and Moderna announced Wednesday that their experimental mRNA-based vaccine, Intismeran, helped prevent melanoma from returning or spreading in late-stage trials of high-risk patients whose tumors had been removed. Unlike chemo, which kills cancer cells, intismeran autogene works with the immunotherapy drug Keytruda to rev up patients’ immune systems and train them to find and fight specific mutations causing cancer.

Each vaccine is tailor-made using genetic code from patients’ tumors, making it expensive to produce. Moderna CEO Bancel called the 10-year project a “pivotal moment” for cancer research, and progress is underway for similar vaccines to treat other cancers (including kidney, lung, bladder, pancreatic and gastric).

The Merck-Moderna study’s full results will be released soon, and they hope to have the drug on the market by 2027.

Wondering how mRNA vaccines work? Check out our shallow-dive explainer.

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God Our Creator, You are the Great Inventor of Everything, the only one who creates out of nothing things that did not exist before; who speaks, and the universe bursts into being to do Your bidding. Our drive to invent is a gift from You. We give thanks for those technologies that equip us to work, to learn, to heal, and to serve; thank You for equipping creators to relieve suffering and save lives. As an impressive technology fights for our attention, promising ease and prosperity, we turn our eyes to You, our true comfort and eternal treasure. Amen.
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