Personalized mRNA cancer vaccine cuts melanoma recurrence by 49 percent at five years - KEYNOTE-942 update
Five-year update of the KEYNOTE-942 trial shows intismeran plus Keytruda kept nearly seventy percent of patients cancer free, versus forty nine percent on Keytruda alone. Results published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
Five-year update of the Phase 2b KEYNOTE-942 trial. NYU Langone researchers tested intismeran autogene, a personalized mRNA vaccine from Moderna, combined with Merck's Keytruda in 107 patients with high-risk stage III/IV resected melanoma. Combo reduced recurrence or death by 49 percent. Cancer-free rate 68.8 percent vs 49.1 percent in Keytruda-only arm; overall survival 92.2 percent vs 71.3 percent; distant metastasis risk cut by 59 percent. Results published in Journal of Clinical Oncology, presented at ASCO 2026. Phase 3 trial underway.