Merck-Moderna mRNA Drug Intismeran Autogene Cuts Melanoma Recurrence in Phase 3 Trial with 1,137 Patients

Merck-Moderna's Personalised mRNA Cancer Vaccine Intismeran Reduces Melanoma Death Risk by 49%

A first-of-its-kind personalised mRNA cancer vaccine (intismeran), developed by Merck and Moderna, combined with Keytruda, has shown a 49% reduction in risk of death from melanoma recurrence and 59% from spread in Phase 3 trials. This marks a breakthrough for cancer vaccines but has limited impact in India due to low melanoma incidence and high cost of immunotherapy.

Phase 3 Trial: Personalised mRNA Vaccine Cuts Melanoma Recurrence Risk with Keytruda Combo

A landmark Phase 3 trial (INTerpath-001) shows that a personalised mRNA cancer vaccine (intismeran autogene) combined with Keytruda significantly reduces melanoma recurrence and distant spread. This is the first successful late-stage trial of an mRNA-based personalised cancer vaccine, marking a major step in cancer treatment evolution.

Meta Trial: $567 Mn Penalty for Child Addiction, 29-State Probe on Social Media Design

A US trial against Meta over addictive social media design for children could reshape Big Tech accountability. With penalties of $567 million and a $6 million jury verdict, this case highlights the growing scrutiny of platform design and its impact on youth mental health, a key issue for GS2 (Social Justice) and GS3 (Technology).

Personalised mRNA Vaccine Combined with Immunotherapy Shows 49% Recurrence Reduction in Phase III Melanoma Trial

A Phase III trial (INTerpath-001) of a personalised mRNA vaccine (intismeran autogene) combined with immunotherapy (pembrolizumab) in high-risk melanoma patients showed significant improvement in recurrence-free and distant metastasis-free survival. This marks the first successful large-scale randomised trial of a personalised neoantigen-based mRNA therapy, validating a concept that could revolutionise cancer treatment across multiple tumour types.

India Gets First Disease-Modifying Alzheimer's Drug Leqembi After CDSCO Nod

Eisai's Leqembi (lecanemab), India's first disease-modifying therapy for early Alzheimer's, has been launched after CDSCO approval. This marks a shift from symptomatic to disease-modifying treatment, but challenges of early diagnosis, biomarker infrastructure, and affordability remain significant.

NOTTO Reports 20,000+ Transplants in 2025, Launches Portal and Swap Guidelines

NOTTO released 2025 data showing over 20,000 transplants, persistent gender disparity in organ donation (68% female donors vs 78% male recipients), and launched a new digital portal to enhance transparency. New swap transplantation guidelines aim to expand matching beyond single hospitals, but legal recognition under THOTA is still pending.

IARC Classifies Three WHO Essential Medicines as Group 1 Carcinogens: Hydrochlorothiazide, Voriconazole, Tacrolimus

IARC, the WHO cancer research agency, has classified three widely used drugs—hydrochlorothiazide, voriconazole, and tacrolimus—as Group 1 carcinogens. Despite this, experts stress that patients should not stop treatment as the benefits for hypertension, fungal infections, and organ transplant rejection far outweigh the cancer risk. The drugs are on the WHO Model List of Essential Medicines and are commonly prescribed in India.

IISc SraVaani: India's First Open-Source Speech Recognition Model for 65 Languages

IISc's SPIRE Lab, in collaboration with ARTPARK and Google, has released SraVaani – the first multilingual Indian speech recognition model trained on 65 languages and dialects. It extends ASR to 45 underserved regional languages, potentially benefiting 25 crore people. This marks a major step in inclusive AI for India's linguistic diversity.