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Merck & Co. Pounces On Moderna mRNA-Based Cancer Vaccine Option

 
• By Jessica Merrill

The company will pay Moderna $250m upfront to develop and commercialize a personalized cancer vaccine for melanoma in combination with Keytruda.

tiger pouncing
Merck exercised an option for Moderna's cancer vaccine • Source: Shutterstock

Merck & Co., Inc. will pay Moderna, Inc. $250m upfront to exercise an option to jointly develop and commercialize a mRNA-based personalized cancer vaccine (PCV), bringing the total investment on the program so far to $450m and breathing new life into the PCV field.

The mRNA program is currently in Phase II clinical development in combination with Merck's PD-1 inhibitor Keytruda (pembrolizumab) for the...

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AstraZeneca Taps Into China’s R&D Engine With CSPC Alliance

 
• By Andrew McConaghie

After in-licensing a cardiovascular candidate last year, AstraZeneca has signed a strategic drug discovery alliance, which could generate billions of dollars in payments to the Chinese firm.

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• By Mandy Jackson

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