Merck and Moderna established a collaboration to develop personalized cancer vaccines (PCVs) using Moderna's mRNA platform combined with Keytruda. In October 2022, Merck exercised its option for $250M to jointly develop and commercialize mRNA-4157/V940. Costs and profits shared 50/50. The vaccine received FDA Breakthrough Therapy Designation in 2023 for adjuvant melanoma treatment after reducing recurrence risk by 44%.
Key facts
AnnouncedJun 29, 2016
ClosedJun 29, 2016
Deal value$250M
Deal typeLicensing/Option
Therapeutic areaOncology, Vaccines
IndicationsMelanoma, NSCLC, Solid Tumors
Key assetsmRNA-4157/V940, Moderna mRNA platform
MechanismPersonalized neoantigen mRNA cancer vaccine