The above button links to Coinbase. Yahoo Finance is not a broker-dealer or investment adviser and does not offer securities or cryptocurrencies for sale or facilitate trading. Coinbase pays us for certain activity generated through this link. Prices displayed are informational.

(NewsNation) — Stocks climbed Wednesday morning after Moderna and Merck announced that an experimental cancer vaccine showed positive initial results in its first late-stage trial.

The trials success evident today as Moderna stocks rose by over 100%.

"These Phase 3 findings represent a pivotal moment for the field of cancer research," said CEO of Moderna Stephane Bancel in a statement released by the company. "For many years, the idea of creating an mRNA treatment designed specifically for an individual patient's cancer was aspirational. We are now helping turn that vision into a reality."

Every tumor has a unique set of mutations; the personalized vaccine is designed to target the specific mutations in each patient's tumor.

The third trial looked at the impact combining the mRNA shot with Merck's immunotherapy Keytruda had on 1,100 patients with advanced stage melanoma whose detectable cancer had been surgically removed. The combination treatment yielded positive initial results; extending the amount of time patients lived without reoccurrence of melanoma and reducing the spread of the cancer to other body parts.

 Kindergarten vaccination rates continue to decline: CDC data 

 Cancer study: Patients in areas with higher medical debt face grimmer futures 

Melanoma cases have been rising over the past few decades, with more than 330,000 cases diagnosed in 2022. It is estimated there will be 112,000 new cases of melanoma diagnosed and over 8,500 deaths in the U.S. during 2026. Despite advances in treatment, patients with surgically removed melanoma remain at risk for disease recurrence.

Moderna and Merck plan to present the data at an upcoming international meeting.

Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NewsNation.