Moderna stock surges 177% on new personalized cancer vaccine

MGR Online•Economy•6d ago

Reader Briefing

Moderna shares surged 177.2% on August 19, 2026, after the company and Merck revealed positive Phase 3 trial results for a personalized mRNA cancer vaccine.

•Moderna shares rose 177.2% to close at 174.38 dollars on August 19, 2026.
•Moderna and Merck announced preliminary Phase 3 results for 'Intismeran autogene' (formerly V940/mRNA-4157).
•The vaccine is designed for personalized treatment of melanoma patients in stages 2B-4.
•A short squeeze contributed to the rapid price increase, causing short sellers an estimated loss of nearly 5 billion dollars.

Overview

•Moderna shares surged 177.2% to close at 174.38 dollars on August 19, 2026, increasing Moderna's market capitalization by approximately 30 billion dollars in one day.
•Moderna and Merck disclosed preliminary Phase 3 trial results for Intismeran autogene (V940/mRNA-4157), an mRNA-based personalized cancer vaccine used alongside Merck's Keytruda.
•The INTerpath-001 trial involved 1,137 patients with stage 2B-4 melanoma who had undergone tumor surgery and had not received prior systemic treatment.
•The trial results demonstrated a reduction in the risk of recurrence and spread of skin cancer, signaling that mRNA technology can treat diseases beyond infectious diseases and COVID-19.
•The stock price surge was driven by both fundamental hopes for long-term business and a short squeeze, where investors rushed to buy back shares.
•Merck shares rose 12.6% to close at 152.20 dollars, while BioNTech shares also increased due to expectations for mRNA cancer treatments.
•Moderna must now provide full efficacy data, monitor survival rates, and seek approval from regulatory agencies before the drug can be marketed.

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Key Entities

Organization

Modernaℹ️

A biotechnology company developing mRNA-based vaccines and cancer treatments.

Merck

A pharmaceutical company and development partner of Moderna that produces the immunotherapy drug Keytruda.

BioNTechℹ️

A biotechnology company whose shares rose following the news of mRNA cancer treatment progress.

Reuters(รอยเตอร์)ℹ️

The news agency that reported on Moderna's stock performance in the US market.