Moderna (NASDAQ:MRNA) stock is sinking this morning despite releasing positive data about its cancer vaccine yesterday.
Specifically, when used in combination with Merck’s (NYSE:MRK) drug, Keytruda, Moderna’s shot lowered “the risk of [cancer] recurrence or death by 44% compared to Keytruda alone” in certain cancer patients, Moderna reported.
More About the Results
Among 107 patients with “high-risk” melanoma cases, 22.4% of those who received Moderna’s mRNA cancer vaccine and Keytruda died or experienced a recurrence of their cancer after roughly two years. Conversely, 40% of the 50 patients who received only Keytruda experienced such a negative outcome after about the same amount of time.
Moderna said the disparity seen in the Phase 2b trial was “statistically significant and clinically meaningful.” The company noted that it would seek, with regulatory approval, a Phase 3 trial of the shot involving melanoma patients. Moderna would then expand its testing to lung cancer patients “and beyond.”
On the safety front, 25% of those who received Moderna’s shot experienced adverse events equal to or greater than Grade 3, versus 18% of those who were only treated with Keytruda.
Grade 3 adverse events are described as “Severe or medically significant but not immediately life-threatening,” while Grade 4 refers to “Life-threatening consequences” and includes conditions that require hospitalization and are disabling. Grade 5 is death caused by an adverse event.
Additional Information About Moderna’s Shot
Moderna’s vaccine is “personalized.” Specifically, patients’ shots are developed based on analysis of their individual tumors. Utilizing mRNA technology, the vaccine seeks to get patients’ own immune systems to target cancers. It takes about two months to develop each personally individualized shot.
The Performance of MRNA Stock
Moderna’s shares have slumped 25% in the last three months and 19% so far this year. After the morning’s opening bell, MRNA stock sank 7%, but it seems to be slowly regaining ground in early morning trading.
On the date of publication, Larry Ramer did not have (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned in this article. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the InvestorPlace.com Publishing Guidelines.
