Street View: Brokerages cheer Moderna, Merck melanoma vaccine trial win

Merck & Co

20/08/2026 12:19

** Moderna MRNA.O and Merck MRK.N on Wednesday said a late-stage trial showed their personalized mRNA cancer vaccine lowered the risk of melanoma recurrence or spreading, marking a major success in a new field of cancer treatment

BLOCKBUSTER SALES POTENTIAL
** Jefferies says the late-stage trial win and the recent flu vaccine approval broadens MRNA's business beyond its COVID and respiratory franchise, with blockbuster melanoma sales potential and a MRK partnership that could support post-2028 profitability 
** BofA Global Research says the success effectively allows MRNA to diversify from infectious disease and could ease persistent capital overhangs, but the scale of its oncology franchise and the stock's potential to gain are unclear
** Evercore ISI says success in another tumor type beyond melanoma would provide important proof of concept for the vaccine's broader applicability and expand opportunity
** BMO Capital Markets says positive results position MRK and MRNA to move forward with the vaccine in cutaneous melanoma, a market that could exceed $2 billion in unadjusted peak revenue     

 (Reporting by Joel Jose in Bengaluru)
 ((joeljose@thomsonreuters.com))