MRNA - Moderna (MRNA) Up 6% on Upbeat Data From Cancer Jab Study | Benzinga

Shares of Moderna (NASDAQ: MRNA) rose 6.2% on Apr 9 after management announced encouraging data from a portion of an early-stage study on mRNA-4157/V940, its investigational individualized neoantigen therapy, in certain patients with head and neck cancer. The INT is being developed in collaboration with Merck (NYSE: MRK).

This portion of the study evaluated the combination of mRNA-4157 and Merck's blockbuster immuno-oncology drug Keytruda in patients with human papillomavirus negative (HPV-) head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC).

Data from the study showed that treatment with the combination not only achieved positive clinical responses in HPV- HNSCC patients but even showed evidence of activation of immune responses. The combined therapy was also found to be safe and well-tolerated by study participants.

Per management, treatment with the combination achieved an objective response rate (ORR) in six out of 22 patients, including two complete responses and four partial ones. The disease control rate was 63.6%. These results were presented at the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ASCRS) earlier this week.

Moderna and Merck are already evaluating mRNA-4157 in two separate pivotal late-stage studies in melanoma and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) indications. The companies intend to expand mRNA-4157 across multiple oncology indications and also start more clinical studies throughout this year. Last month, Moderna/Merck posted details on a ...

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