Moderna stock popped 15% on Thursday: explore why

Moderna Inc (NASDAQ: MRNA) is up nearly 15% this morning after reporting mid-stage trial data for its experimental vaccine for skin cancer.

Moderna vaccine with Keytruda is effective for Melanoma

On Thursday, the pharmaceutical giant said its candidate vaccine in combination with Keytruda (Merck’s blockbuster therapy) reduces the risk of relapse or death in melanoma patients by 49%.  

The mixture also lowered the risk of cancer spreading to other body parts by 62%. Stephane Bancel – the Chief Executive of Moderna Inc said in a press release today:

We will begin additional studies in melanoma and other forms of cancer with the goal of bringing truly individualized cancer treatments to patients.

The said outcome was statistically significant than the one observed in patients on Keytruda alone. Moderna stock is still down over 50% versus its year-to-date high in January.

Combination treatment is being tested for other tumour types

Side effects of the aforementioned vaccine after three years include chills, injection site pain, and fatigue, as per the mid-stage trial data posted on Thursday.

The American Cancer Society estimates about 100,000 diagnosis of melanoma in the United States this year. Close to 8,000 of these patients, it expects, will eventually die of skin cancer.

Note that Moderna and Merck & Co Inc (NYSE: MRK) have already initiated a late-stage trial to study the treatment in Melanoma patients. They are testing the combination against other types of tumours as well.

Shares of Merck & Co Inc are marginally down in the premarket on Thursday.