Merck opts to jointly develop cancer vaccine with Moderna

 Moderna Inc said on Wednesday Merck & Co Inc had exercised an option to jointly develop and potentially sell an mRNA-based cancer vaccine.

The vaccine, mRNA-4157, is being tested along with Merck's blockbuster cancer immunotherapy Keytruda, in a mid-stage trial. Data on the vaccine is expected in the fourth quarter of this year.

Merck will pay $250 million to exercise the option, as agreed under a 2016 agreement, Moderna said

The vaccine is designed to generate T-cells, a key part of the body's immune response, based on the mutational signature of a patient's tumor.

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