Moderna and Merck's mRNA melanoma vaccine Intismeran shows promising trial results

Published Aug 21, 03:57 PM UTC

The Economist reports on promising but not yet definitive results from a trial of intismeran, an mRNA vaccine for melanoma developed by Moderna and Merck. Headlines on August 19th hailed a breakthrough, with Moderna's shares more than doubling on the news. The vaccine aims to stop cancer from returning after treatment. While the results are encouraging, the article questions whether this is a one-off success or the beginning of a new era in cancer treatment. The piece is part of the Science & technology section, published on August 21st, 2026.