A novel mRNA cancer vaccine helps cut the chances of melanoma tumor recurrence in major study
Combined with an existing treatment, the vaccine helped reduce risk of melanoma returning by 42 per cent
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melanoma → help → cent
A first-of-its-kind cancer vaccine is significantly reducing the chances that melanoma patients' tumors come back, according to results of a major study released Thursday by drugmakers Moderna and Merck.
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tumors → reduce → Moderna
The vaccine was custom-brewed for each patient to match their tumor.
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vaccine → brew → tumor
Adding it to a standard post-surgery treatment reduced by 42 per cent the risk of melanoma returning two years after surgery, according to the most advanced study to date of this new strategy for fighting cancer.
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melanoma → add → cancer
"The field has been looking for a win, and I think this one is a big one," said Dr. Hussein Tawbi of MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, one of the researchers in the international study.
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Tawbi → look → study
The vaccine, called intismeran, is made with the same Nobel Prize-winning mRNA technology that was behind COVID-19 vaccines.
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that → call → vaccines
Experimental personalized cancer vaccines made with mRNA and some other approaches are also being tested against other types of cancer, including lung, kidney and pancreatic.
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vaccines → make → lung
Experts not involved with the new study say its success bolsters the field.
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success → involve → field
"This is a new frontier," said Karen Knudsen, CEO of the Parker Institute, which helps fund cancer immunotherapy research.
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which → say → research
"It's a big step forward for science, for oncology, because this vaccine will apply to many different cancers," said Dr. Michael Atkins, deputy director of Georgetown University's Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center.
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Atkins → apply → Center
When combined with an immunotherapy treatment, the vaccine reduced recurrence by 42 per cent, the study states.
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study → combine → cent
Experts say this new vaccine advances the field of cancer prevention.
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vaccine → say → prevention
Moderna and Merck had announced in August that the late-stage trial of intismeran was successful.
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trial → announce → intismeran
The detailed results were set to be released this Saturday at a meeting of the European Society of Medical Oncology in Madrid, but after some of the data was leaked publicly late Thursday, the companies provided a full release ahead of the weekend's scientific presentation.
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companies → set → presentation
Inside the personalized vaccine
Most people think of vaccines as preventing an infection, like measles or whooping cough.
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people → think → measles
There are already two cancer-preventing vaccines, the HPV and hepatitis B shots that block infection from those tumor-causing viruses.
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that → be → viruses
And research is underway to prevent some types of inherited cancer such as Lynch syndrome-caused colorectal cancer.
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research → prevent → cancer
But a personalized vaccine designed to block surgically-removed cancer from returning is very different.
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vaccine → design → cancer
For the intismeran study, scientists hunted gene mutations unique to each patient's tumor — mutations that create proteins that shouldn't be in the body unless those cancer cells start to grow again.
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cells → hunt → body
The custom vaccine — nine doses given three weeks apart — teaches the patient's immune system to watch out for and attack those so-called neoantigens.
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vaccine → give → neoantigens
How did it work?
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it → work → ?
The study included more than 1,100 people with high-risk melanoma that was surgically removed.
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that → include → melanoma
Everyone was given the standard follow-up therapy: Merck's immunotherapy named Keytruda.
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Everyone → give → therapy
The participants were randomly assigned to also receive custom-brewed vaccine doses or a placebo.
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participants → assign → doses
Two years later, 82 per cent of the people in the vaccine group were still living without a recurrence of their cancer compared to 70 per cent who had gotten standard Keytruda alone.
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who → live → Keytruda
It is not by chance," Tawbi, the MD Anderson Cancer Center melanoma expert, told Reuters of the results.
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Tawbi → tell → results
Merck and Moderna say mRNA melanoma vaccine hits goals in late-stage trial
U.S. FDA approves first mRNA flu shot from Moderna
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FDA → say → Moderna
The trial is continuing to track participants' longer-term outcomes.
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trial → continue → outcomes
In 2024, Tony Hout joined the vaccine trial at MD Anderson after seeking care for a spot on his ear that had been bleeding intermittently and wouldn't fully heal.
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that → join → ear
Doctors recognized melanoma and during surgery discovered it had started to spread.
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it → recognize → surgery
"I want to make sure I'm doing everything I can to be here for my family," said Hout, 62, who has since moved to Cayuga, Ind., and travels back to Houston every few months for a study check-up.
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who → want → up
Scans this week showed he's still cancer-free.
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he → show → ?
Tony Hout, left, talks with Dr. Hussein Tawbi at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, on Monday, in this video still.
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Hout → talk → still
The vaccine's side effects were mainly the sore arm, fatigue and other reactions typical of mRNA coronavirus vaccination, MD Anderson's Tawbi said.
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Tawbi → say → vaccination
Moderna and Merck are talking with regulatory authorities about next steps for seeking approval of the vaccine.
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Moderna → talk → vaccine
Shares drop after leak
Customized medicines generally are very expensive.
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medicines → drop → leak
The drugmakers aren't discussing what such a cancer vaccine might cost.
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vaccine → discuss → what
Ontario cancer patients speak out over disappointment with drug funding decision
Can you ever truly cure cancer?
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you → speak → cancer
Canadian researchers are using blood biopsies to find out
But
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researchers → use → biopsies
Moderna president Stephen Hoge said the company's special cancer vaccine manufacturing facility in Massachusetts is providing doses for thousands of people enrolled in multiple studies underway internationally.
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facility → say → studies
…and 6 more, not listed.
The Aporia
