Moderna

With skin cancer rates rising, Moderna and Merck have reported promising results for a new, highly personalized melanoma treatment. Their experimental therapy, intismeran autogene, is designed for an individual patient rather than serving as a one-size-fits-all vaccine. After a patient’s tumor is removed, scientists analyze its genetic makeup and unique mutations. Moderna then makes a custom mRNA treatment that teaches the immune system to recognize those markers and attack cells carrying them. The therapy is given alongside Merck’s Keytruda, an established immunotherapy. In August 2026, the companies said their Phase III trial met its main goal: Patients with high-risk melanoma were less likely to see the cancer return when treated with the combination than with Keytruda alone. The treatment is still experimental and has not yet been approved for general use.