Cancer Advisor | One Day MD

Last updated: October 25, 2026 | Clinical evidence review by the SmartCancer Editorial Team Moderna and Merck's personalized mRNA cancer vaccine has passed a major clinical milestone. In the Phase 3 INTerpath-001 trial, adding intismeran autogene (formerly V940 or mRNA-4157) to pembrolizumab (Keytruda) improved recurrence-free survival and distant metastasis-free survival in patients with high-risk melanoma that had been completely removed by surgery. The detailed results, presented at the 2026 European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress, add important evidence to the field of individualized cancer immunotherapy. At two years, the estimated recurrence-free survival rate was 82.2% with the combination versus 70.0% with pembrolizumab alone. The distant metastasis-free survival rate was 88.5% versus 80.2%. However, an equally important finding is what the trial has not yet established: a statistically significant overall-survival benefit. The treatment remain...