The a16z Show · Wednesday, September 2, 2026
Moderna CEO Stéphane Bancel discussed the recent positive phase three results for their personalized mRNA cancer treatment for melanoma, developed in partnership with Merck. This treatment aims to teach the immune system to target cancer cells that the body's natural defenses have missed.
“Moderna and Merk announced earlier this month in August that you had conducted a phase three clinical trial in melanoma and have got very encouraging results.”
“So indeed last week now, we shot the news with our colleagues at Merck that after working 10 years on individualized treatment against cancer using MRNA technology, that the phase three was positive.”
“And it's the first time there is a cancer vaccine working. The field has doing that for 20 plus years, I think more than 1000 clinical trials that have all failed.”
“Basically, what the FDA wants to know. Before Moderna's MRNA platform helped produce a COVID vaccine. The company was already working toward another goal. Using MRNA to fight cancer.”