The impressive results of Modern's new vaccine in reducing the risk of death from skin cancer. The results of a clinical trial on more than 1,100 patients showed that combined treatment reduces the risk of cancer spreading by 38%. Modern and MSD announced Thursday [Oct. 22] that a large clinical trial showed that combining Modern's mRNA-based cancer vaccine with MSD's immunotherapy reduced the risk of melanoma cancer death or recurrence by 42%. This achievement may be the beginning of a new era in personalized cancer treatment. [Explanation: Melanoma is the most dangerous type of skin cancer that originates from pigment-producing cells called melanocytes. This disease can spread throughout the body and spread to other organs] Moderna shares fell more than 17% in late trading Thursday after test results were leaked to a cancer website. The company's stock had nearly quadrupled since August, when the success of the test was first announced without full data being released, by the close of trading on Wednesday. The value of MSD shares also fell by 1.8%. This phase III clinical trial, which monitored more than 1,100 patients, also showed that the combined treatment reduced the risk of cancer spreading by 38%. The findings are the first to show that a combination of a specific vaccine, made based on each patient's unique tumor mutations, with a drug that strengthens the immune system can successfully stop the progression of the disease. This vaccine was tested alongside Keytruda, one of the best-selling drugs in the world owned by MSD. Keytruda works by removing a natural barrier that cancer cells rely on to hide from the immune system. At the same time, the vaccine instructs the patient's cells to produce copies of specific mutations so that the immune system can identify and destroy them. Stephen Bunsell, CEO of Modern, announced that these findings promise the beginning of a new chapter in cancer treatment.

The impressive results of Modern's new vaccine in reducing the risk of death from skin cancer. The results of a clinical trial on more than 1,100 patients showed that combined treatment reduces the risk of cancer spreading by 38%. Modern and MSD announced Thursday [Oct. 22] that a large clinical trial showed that combining Modern's mRNA-based cancer vaccine with MSD's immunotherapy reduced the risk of melanoma cancer death or recurrence by 42%. This achievement may be the beginning of a new era in personalized cancer treatment. [Explanation: Melanoma is the most dangerous type of skin cancer that originates from pigment-producing cells called melanocytes. This disease can spread throughout the body and spread to other organs] Moderna shares fell more than 17% in late trading Thursday after test results were leaked to a cancer website. The company's stock had nearly quadrupled since August, when the success of the test was first announced without full data being released, by the close of trading on Wednesday. The value of MSD shares also fell by 1.8%. This phase III clinical trial, which monitored more than 1,100 patients, also showed that the combined treatment reduced the risk of cancer spreading by 38%. The findings are the first to show that a combination of a specific vaccine, made based on each patient's unique tumor mutations, with a drug that strengthens the immune system can successfully stop the progression of the disease. This vaccine was tested alongside Keytruda, one of the best-selling drugs in the world owned by MSD. Keytruda works by removing a natural barrier that cancer cells rely on to hide from the immune system. At the same time, the vaccine instructs the patient's cells to produce copies of specific mutations so that the immune system can identify and destroy them. Stephen Bunsell, CEO of Modern, announced that these findings promise the beginning of a new chapter in cancer treatment.