STAT+: Five biotech updates to read after ESMO this weekend

Soundtrack at present: Iggy Pop, The Idiot. Moderna CEO sees vaccine possibility beyond melanoma Moderna CEO Stéphane Bancel is looking well beyond melanoma after the company’s personalized cancer vaccine, intismeran, succeeded in a pivotal Phase 3 trial. In an interview with STAT at the ESMO meeting in Madrid, Bancel said Moderna and partner Merck are racing to submit the vaccine for FDA approval, which he expects in 2027. The companies, he said, are also preparing to test it aggressively in other cancers. The results offer a measure of vindication for Moderna’s longstanding bet that mRNA could do more than prevent infectious diseases, particularly after years of financial turmoil and setbacks in drug development. Bancel said the company will remain disciplined about its vaccine business while pursuing new opportunities in oncology, rare diseases, and autoimmune disorders. One particularly ambitious idea: using mRNA to train T cells to destroy the B cells responsible for autoimmune disease. STAT+ Exclusive Story Already have an account? Log in This article is exclusive to STAT+ subscribers Unlock this article — plus in-depth analysis, newsletters, premium events, and news alerts. Already have an account? Log in View All Plans To read the rest of this story subscribe to STAT+. Subscribe