Universal Cancer Vaccine Enters Phase III Trials

mRNA-based personalized cancer vaccines developed by Moderna and BioNTech entered Phase III clinical trials in 2025, showing over 50% reduction in recurrence rates for melanoma, non-small-cell lung cancer, and pancreatic cancer in Phase II data. The technology, building on COVID-19 mRNA vaccine platforms, instructs the immune system to target tumor-specific neoantigens. If confirmed, the approach could transform oncology by making effective vaccines for dozens of cancer types within a decade.