The problem: Melanoma affects 132,000 people every year globally. While surgery and radiation can treat the disease, especially if it’s caught early, cancer cells can linger.
The solution: Use mRNA to create a personalized skin cancer vaccine. Using part of a tumour removed from a patient, the vaccine can be programmed to specifically target the DNA of their cancer cells, helping the immune system stop tumours from returning. The most recent trial found that getting the vaccine in addition to regular immunotherapy cut the number of people who either died from melanoma or had it return within three years by 49%.
What’s next: A phase 3 trial is underway, the last stage before the vaccine is approved for wide use. It's the furthest along of the cancer vaccines researchers began exploring after COVID-19 vaccines showed what mRNA was capable of; trials are also underway for similar shots targeting pancreatic and lung cancers.