Sep 19, 2026
Scientists report progress in malaria vaccine development with new antibody-targeting approaches, while separate research reveals increasingly sophisticated drug resistance in malaria parasites. Meanwhile, FDA approval of Moderna's mRNA flu vaccine strengthens the case for applying mRNA technology to malaria and other diseases.
Scientists report progress in malaria vaccine development with new antibody-targeting approaches, while separate research reveals increasingly sophisticated drug resistance in malaria parasites. Meanwhile, FDA approval of Moderna's mRNA flu vaccine strengthens the case for applying mRNA technology to malaria and other diseases.
The Food and Drug Administration approved Moderna's mFlusiva on Wednesday, marking the first mRNA-based influenza vaccine authorized in the U.S. The vaccine is approved for adults aged 50 and older, representing a significant expansion of mRNA technology beyond COVID-19 vaccines.
UK regulators have authorized the INTERCEPT-Lynch Phase 1/2 trial of mRNA-4194, a preventive cancer vaccine developed by Moderna and the University of Oxford targeting people with Lynch syndrome, an inherited condition affecting 1 in 300 people with up to 80% lifetime cancer risk. The trial will begin dosing in summer 2026.
New clinical trial results presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology show that Moderna's experimental personalized mRNA vaccine, combined with immunotherapy, significantly reduced the risk of deadly melanoma returning after five years. The vaccine is custom-made for each patient based on their specific tumor.
Scientists discovered that mRNA cancer vaccines can still destroy tumors even when a key immune cell type is missing, revealing unexpected mechanisms of action. The research advances understanding of how Nobel Prize-winning mRNA technology can be adapted from COVID-19 vaccines to fight cancer.