Merck, Moderna cancer vaccine clears Phase 3 milestone in melanoma - BusinessToday

• Moderna and Merck announced that a personalized mRNA cancer vaccine successfully slowed the recurrence and spread of melanoma in a late-stage clinical trial. • The vaccine was administered in combination with Merck's immunotherapy drug, Keytruda, to enhance the body's immune response against the cancer.

• Public health officials are warning of a rising landscape of respiratory viruses for 2025, including Flu, RSV, and COVID-19. • The current situation emphasizes the critical need for timely public information to ensure effective health responses and prevent outbreaks from escalating.

• An outbreak of the Bundibugyo virus, a rare strain of Ebola, has been detected in the Ituri province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. • The first patient developed symptoms in late April and died in Bunia, with further clusters of unexplained illnesses reported in early May near the gold-mining area of Mongbwalu.

• A Salmonella outbreak has been linked to the consumption of jalapenos, with cases reported across multiple states as of August 2026. • Health officials have released a map detailing where infected individuals lived, though they warn the true number of illnesses is likely higher than reported.

• Moderna and Merck announced that a personalized mRNA cancer vaccine, used alongside the immunotherapy drug Keytruda, successfully reduced the risk of recurrence and spread of melanoma in a late-stage trial. • The positive interim analysis caused Moderna’s shares to surge by as much as 160 per cent on Wednesday.

• Merck and Moderna announced that an experimental cancer vaccine-drug combination shows promise in preventing the recurrence of melanoma in high-risk patients. • While full trial data has not yet been published, previous research presented in June at the American Society of Clinical Oncology meeting indicated the treatment halved the risk of recurrence over five years for 157 patients.

• Merck and Moderna announced on Wednesday that their experimental cancer vaccine significantly reduced the return and spread of disease in a trial of over 1,000 melanoma patients. • The study focused on patients with high-risk localized tumors that had been surgically removed, aiming to prevent recurrence.

• The Democratic Republic of the Congo is facing its deadliest Ebola outbreak in history, with the death toll now exceeding 2,300 people. • Official data reveals a total of 4,945 recorded cases and 2,325 deaths, marking a significant escalation in the disease's impact.

• Merck and Moderna announced that their personalized mRNA vaccine successfully met its goals in a late-stage trial by preventing skin cancer from returning in high-risk melanoma patients. • While the results have been met with enthusiasm from observers, the companies have not yet released the full data from the ongoing study.

• President Trump has nominated Heidi Overton, a known opponent of abortion, to serve as the chief of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). • Democrats have criticized the appointment, labeling Overton a "sycophant" after she appeared alongside Trump during an August 10, 2026, event where he made false claims regarding vaccines.

• NanoViricides, Inc. (NYSE American: NNVC) announced on August 18, 2026, that it will soon begin a Phase II clinical trial for NV-387 oral gummies. • The trial aims to treat the Bundibugyo Ebola virus during what is described as the largest and most rapidly expanding outbreak to date in the Democratic Republic of Congo.