Moderna/ Merck cancer shot with Keytruda cut melanoma spread
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Moderna (NASDAQ:MRNA) and Merck (NYSE:MRK) announced Monday that mRNA-4157 (V940), previously referred to as a personalized cancer vaccine, in combination with anti-PD1 therapy Keytruda reduced the risk of cancer metastasis or death in melanoma by 65%.
Posting distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS) results from a Phase 2b trial, Moderna (MRNA) and Merck (MRK) said that they are on track to begin a Phase 3 study for mRNA-4157 and Keytruda in an adjuvant setting for patients with high-risk melanoma in 2023.
The KEYNOTE-942/mRNA-4157-P201 study involved 157 patients with high-risk stage III/IV melanoma, with distant metastasis-free survival being one of its key secondary endpoints.
Detailed results indicate that in the overall intention-to-treat (ITT) population, mRNA-4157 and Keytruda combo led to a statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvement in DMFS, with a 65% reduction in the risk of distant metastasis or death compared to Keytruda alone.
The data readout will be presented Monday at the 2023 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting. 
In April, at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting, Moderna (MRNA) and Merck (MRK) shared detailed mid-stage results for mRNA-4157 on recurrence-free survival (RFS), the trialâs primary endpoint.
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