Cancer Vaccine Cuts the Risk of Melanoma Recurrence, Drug Makers Report

Merck and Moderna released detailed results on an experimental vaccine to treat the skin cancer.

A first-of-its-kind vaccine against cancer may be on the horizon.

The drug makers Merck and Moderna announced on Thursday the full results of a closely watched trial of an experimental vaccine given to patients with melanoma. The study found that the patients who received the vaccine after surgery to remove their tumors were 42 percent less likely to have a recurrence of the cancer or to die within two years as those who did not receive the vaccine.

“Everyone is very hopeful that this will be a new way to treat patients with melanoma,” said Dr. Robert Vonderheide, president-elect of the American Association for Cancer Research. He added that the results that were seen in the study are on par with “our biggest breakthroughs.”

The findings of the research were released earlier than planned.…