New Cancer Vaccine Results Signal Breakthrough in Treatment
By Nino Kopaleishvili
Monday, October 26, 2026
Scientists anticipate that a new vaccine treatment can significantly diminish cancer risks. After extensive testing, data shows that a personalized new cancer vaccine used alongside an immunotherapy drug considerably reduces the possibility of cancer recurrence.
The trial of the vaccine has shown that the risk of skin cancer recurrence can be reduced by 42%, making this new approach even more effective than standard methods currently used in most cancer treatments.
The major Phase 3 clinical trial, INTerpath-001, found that the new drug combination reduces the risk of melanoma-a type of skin cancer originating in pigment-producing cells and caused mainly by excessive sun exposure.
The study's results show that the personalized mRNA therapeutic vaccine has successfully completed Phase 3 trials.According to data presented at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress in Madrid this October, the vaccine, once tailored to an individual patient, effectively teaches the immune system to recognize tumors and fight cancer cells, even after a patient has undergone surgical therapy.
Results from the INTerpath-001 trial demonstrated that the new treatment reduces the risk of cancer recurrence by 42% and the risk of distant metastasis by 38% among a high-risk group of patients who had previously received standard cancer treatment. The international randomized trial was conducted among 1,137 patients.
According to medical experts, the new Moderna vaccine is expected to gain approval and is regarded as even more effective than using Keytruda alone-an immunotherapy drug that helps treat various types of cancer by attacking cancer cells and restoring the immune system.
Over a two-year period, 82.2% of patients treated with the Intismeran vaccine alongside Keytruda (pembrolizumab) remained cancer-free, compared to 72% of patients treated with traditional immunotherapy alone. The probability of remaining free of distant metastases was higher in the experimental group receiving the combined vaccine-immunotherapy treatment (88.5%) than in those treated solely with immunotherapy (80.2%).
Leading international media outlet Il Sole 24 Ore published further details on the methodology this Saturday. The technology uses a platform similar to the COVID-19 vaccine, but adapted for a different purpose: cancer tissue is sent to and analyzed at Moderna Laboratories, where the tumor's DNA is sequenced to identify key mutations. Based on this profile, a personalized vaccine is produced incorporating up to 34 tumor-specific antigens, known as neoantigens. Finally,the personalized vaccine is sent back to the medical center where the patient is receiving treatment.
Drug manufacturers Merck (MSD) and Moderna have announced that they will seek regulatory approval for the personalized vaccine next year. Most field experts expect the new vaccine to be approved. The manufacturers also noted that they are testing a similar approach against kidney, bladder, and lung cancers.
