Moderna stock rose sharply after the company reported initial results from a trial of a personalised mRNA cancer treatment used with Merck’s Keytruda in people with high-risk melanoma.

Associated Press reported that Moderna shares more than doubled after the results were released. The treatment, called intismeran, is designed around mutations found in a patient’s tumour rather than using the same vaccine formula for every patient.

The trial involved more than 1,100 people with high-risk melanoma. The companies said the combination produced a clinically meaningful improvement in the study, a result that could give Moderna a stronger position in cancer treatment research.

Axios reported that the result is being viewed as a possible turning point for Moderna, whose business has faced pressure as demand for its COVID-19 products declined. The trial was conducted with Keytruda, an established Merck cancer medicine.

The results are from a clinical study and do not mean the personalised treatment is already approved for general use. Further research and regulatory review will determine the next stage for intismeran.

Market reaction is not the same as regulatory approval. Investors are watching whether later trial data confirm the result and whether a personalised approach can be used across additional cancer settings.