Merck and Moderna expand their existing vaccines collaboration

Cancer vaccines now look even more important after the failure of a previously much-anticipated combination, Inctye’s IDO1 inhibitor epacadostat and Keytruda.

Merck & Co are expanding its existing collaboration with Moderna Therapeutics to develop and commercialise novel personalised messenger RNA (mRNA) cancer vaccines. The two companies have now added to their antigen mRNA cancer vaccines including mRNA-5671, Moderna’s mRNA KRAS cancer vaccine, and will jointly develop Moderna’s mRNA-5671 in human studies. They also plan combination studies with further immuno-oncology therapies.

Merck and rival BMS have many trials looking at combinations of vaccines and other immunotherapies, including their respective PD-1 therapies Keytruda and Opdivo.