“For the first time, we have demonstrated the potential of messenger RNA to have an impact during a randomized clinical trial in melanoma.”, rejoiced Stéphane Bancel, the boss of Moderna. In collaboration with the Merck laboratory, Moderna is developing a messenger RNA vaccine against melanoma – the most serious form of skin cancer – “personalized”“designed and produced from the unique mutational signature” identified on the tumor, explains the communicated by Moderna published this December 13.
Developed for several years by Moderna before being marketed, messenger RNA has already proven itself in vaccination against Covid-19. But the laboratory believes that this technique, which allows human cells to be ordered to manufacture proteins present in the virus in order to accustom the immune system to recognizing and neutralizing it, could also be used to protect other pathologies such as flu, HIV and autoimmune and cardiovascular diseases in addition to cancers.
“We will begin additional studies in melanoma and other forms of cancer with the goal of bringing truly individualized cancer treatments to patients.” – Stéphane Bancel, our CEO. pic.twitter.com/sDUyyCKSWc
— Moderna (@moderna_tx) December 13, 2022
For its part, the German laboratory Merck is at the origin of the cancer medicine Keytruda, effective immunotherapy in the treatment of melanoma. According to the press release, nearly 325,000 new cases of melanoma were diagnosed in 2020 worldwide.
In their Phase 2 trial of 150 people with melanoma, injecting the vaccine at the same time as taking the cancer drug reduces the risk of cancer coming back or dying by 44%, in comparison with people only treated with the anti-cancer drug. However, the results have not yet been peer-reviewed and the two American companies plan to launch phase 3 trials in 2023, i.e. on a larger number of people.
BioNTech also in the race
In October 2022, the German company BioNTech also claimed that it would be possible to cure cancer patients with a vaccine “before 2030”. After the success of their messenger RNA vaccine against Covid-19, the two researchers at the head of the biotech discovered how mRNA could be modified in such a way that the immune system attacks cancer cells rather than to coronaviruses. Instead of targeting the Spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 (virus causing Covid-19), this new vaccine would directly target a marker on the surface of tumor cells.
The company now hopes to produce treatments for bowel cancer, melanoma and other types of cancer.
Currently, some preventive vaccines already exist, such as that against the papillomavirus, responsible for cancer of the cervix. Other vaccines intended to act as a treatment are still in progress.
Sources:
- Moderna and Merck announce mrna-4157/v940, an investigational personalized mrna cancer vaccine, in combination with keytruda(r) (pembrolizumab), met primary efficacy endpoint in phase 2b keynote-942 trial, ModernaDecember 13, 2022
- BioNTech: Could Covid vaccine technology crack cancer?, BBCOctober 15, 2022
- AFP
