Moderna is pursuing what it calls the “holy grail” of cancer research: developing personalized mRNA vaccines that could eventually prevent cancer before it develops. The company, working with Merck, is advancing a vaccine tailored to each patient’s tumor that trains the immune system to recognize and attack cancer cells, according to the Financial Times. In clinical trials, combining the vaccine with Merck’s Keytruda reduced the risk of melanoma recurrence or death by 58%, bringing the treatment closer to potential U.S. approval.
Moderna is now exploring whether the same technology could prevent cancer in people at high genetic risk, including those with Lynch syndrome, which increases the risk of colorectal and endometrial cancers. The company is also investigating preventive approaches for people with BRCA gene mutations, which are associated with higher breast and ovarian cancer risks.
CEO Stéphane Bancel believes personalized vaccines could eventually be given annually to people identified through genetic testing, potentially preventing certain cancers before they emerge. However, the preventive applications remain experimental and will require further clinical trials. If successful, the approach could expand mRNA technology beyond treating existing cancers to preventing the disease altogether.
