MRNA Moderna Inc

By Colin Kellaher

Moderna Inc. and Merck & Co. on Wednesday said Merck has exercised its option to jointly develop and commercialize mRNA-4157/V940, a personalized cancer vaccine.

Kenilworth, N.J., drugmaker Merck would pay Moderna $250 million to exercise its option and would collaborate on development and commercialization of the vaccine with the Cambridge, Mass., biotechnology company.

Merck and Moderna, which have been working together since 2016, said they would share costs and any profits equally under the worldwide collaboration.

Moderna is currently conducting a Phase 2 study of mRNA-4157/V940 in combination with Merck's blockbuster cancer drug Keytruda as an adjuvant treatment for patients with high-risk melanoma. The companies said they are on track to report data from the study by the end of the year.

Write to Colin Kellaher at colin.kellaher@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

October 12, 2022 07:47 ET (11:47 GMT)

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