John Theurer Cancer Center (JTCC) Physician Co-Authors Clinical Research on mRNA Vaccine Intervention Benefits in High-Risk Melanoma

Dr. Andrew Pecora, Co-Division Chief of Skin Cancer and Sarcoma at JTCC, shares findings as to safety and efficacy of mRNA skin cancer vaccination when used in conjunction with current immunotherapy treatments.

Researchers at Hackensack University Medical Center’s John Theurer Cancer Center (JTCC), a part of the JTCC is part of the NCI-designated Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center at Georgetown University, reported on a novel mRNA vaccine’s delivering improved survival rates in Stage IIIB and IV (metastatic) skin cancer, as part of an ongoing joint-study.

Dr. Andrew L. Pecora, M.D. FACP, CPE, led JTCC’s participation in the international study and Geoffrey T Gibney, M.D., led Georgetown Lombardi’s participation, which was funded by Moderna in collaboration with a subsidiary of Merck & Co., Inc.

The study, published in weekly, peer-reviewed medical journal, The Lancet, found Moderna’s  mRNA-4157 vaccine, with pembrolizumab–a checkpoint inhibitor form of immunotherapy sold under the brand name Keytruda–prolonged recurrence- and metastasis-prevention in patients with resected, high-risk melanoma, compared to pembrolizumab therapy, alone.

“These results are potentially transformative,” said Dr. Pecora. “The combination of the mRNA vaccine with a checkpoint inhibitor clearly showed prolongation of recurrence-free survival and lower recurrence or death event rates over a 24-month period, and a higher survival rate without recurrence at 18 months.”

Through this process, the study’s findings provide evidence that a personalized, mRNA-based neoantigen therapy–delivered via vaccination–holds promise to enhance the immune response achieved in melanoma using current immunotherapy treatments.

“It’s thrilling to be on the precipice of transforming cancer care with the novel mRNA vaccine approach," said Dr. Pecora. “We’re grateful to Merck and Co., and Keytruda, for their collaboration as we move from Phase 2b into Phase 3 trials of a treatment with great potential to achieve better patient outcomes.”