Personalized mRNA Cancer Vaccines 2026: Moderna mRNA-4157 Phase 3 Data
By Dr. Sarah Mitchell, Respiratory Equipment Specialist · Published 2026-06-03 · 10 min read
Custom-built mRNA vaccines cut melanoma recurrence by 49% when added to Keytruda. Here is how individualized neoantigen therapy works.
Vaccines Built for One Patient
Individualized neoantigen therapy (INT) sequences a patient's tumor, identifies up to 34 unique mutations, and builds a custom mRNA vaccine in 4-6 weeks.
mRNA-4157 (V940) — Moderna + Merck
- Phase 2b KEYNOTE-942: 49% reduction in recurrence vs Keytruda alone
- Phase 3 INTerpath-001 enrolling for high-risk melanoma
- Phase 2 INTerpath-009 in NSCLC, including post-resection lung cancer
BNT122 (autogene cevumeran) — BioNTech + Genentech
- Pancreatic cancer Phase 1: 50% recurrence-free at 18 months
- Colorectal Phase 2 ongoing
Why This Matters for Lung Cancer
NSCLC has the second-highest mutation burden after melanoma — perfect for neoantigen vaccines. Post-resection patients on supplemental oxygen via a home concentrator may soon add a personalized vaccine to their adjuvant protocol.