Moderna (MRNA) shares surged Thursday following positive results from a mid-stage trial for its experimental cancer vaccine. The trial found the vaccine, when used in combination with Merck's (MRK) immunotherapy Keytruda, significantly reduced the risk of death or relapse for patients with advanced melanoma skin cancer.

"We are so happy for patients," Moderna CEO Stéphane Bancel told Yahoo Finance Live, noting the trial showed a roughly 50% survival rate, meaning one in two treated patients were able to live without a relapse.

Bancel also highlighted other vaccines in Moderna's pipeline, including its treatment for Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV).

For more expert insight and the latest market action, click here to watch this full episode of Yahoo Finance Live.

Video Transcript

- All right. Well, this morning, Moderna shares are spiking. We're looking at gains of nearly 12% in today's action. This coming after the pharma giant's experimental cancer vaccine used alongside Merck's blockbuster drug, one of Merck's blockbuster drugs, cut the risk of death or relapse of the most deadly form of skin cancer after three years by nearly half. Now, this is all according to mid-stage trial data released today. Yahoo Finance's Anjalee Khemlani sat down with Moderna CEO Stéphane Bancel about the announcement this morning. Let's take a listen.

STEPHANE BANCEL: We are so happy for patients. You remember, we were together last year with a two year data in term of survival. And it was 44%. And now it's close to 50%. And so if you think about it, that was compared to the best drug available today, which is [INAUDIBLE] used as monotherapy. And so it means one in two people will be able to be risk free of a cancer three years out.

And the data is actually improving. 44% at two years. Now 49% at three year. And we have a lot of ideas how to even improve the technology further from new science, from manufacturing. And so I think it's a big deal for melanoma patients. We're going to work really hard to see how we can accelerate the launch in some countries, potentially as early as '25.

And then it's not only melanoma. We announced on Monday starting of phase three in lung. And we're going to have more phase three starting in 2024. So that's going to be a very big platform within Moderna.

ANJALEE KHEMLANI: Absolutely. And certainly validating the mRNA sort of platform, which is what I know the Street has been waiting for. I want to talk about also the other vaccines you have in your pipeline. We know RSV is set to launch next year. What can you tell us about that and the rest of the pipeline, including flu, which we know you had to delay a little bit.

STEPHANE BANCEL: Yeah. So we're very excited about RSV. As you know, RSV is the third respiratory virus after COVID and flu that kills people in the US every year. And so this new vaccine that have been launched by two of our pharma company in the fall. It's the first time there's been a RSV vaccine.

But what is exciting about our product is it's going to be the most convenient product for pharmacists and for doctors because it will be in a prefilled syringe. The current vaccine on the market are pretty cumbersome to prepare. Every time you have a new patient who wants a vaccine, the doctor or the pharmacist have to do with one vaccine nine steps of preparation. With [INAUDIBLE] vaccine, four steps of preparation. With Moderna, basically prefilled syringe. You just inject it. And you're done.

And so if you think about the pharmacy retail chain, the independent pharmacist and the doctors and nurses, they are so busy. As you know, there's a lack of health care worker, given the aging of a population. And so we think we want to be part of a solution. And so we think we'll have a big launch. I'm actually very engaged with a team on preparing the launch. And I'm very excited for that new product. That will be the second product, which also will mean and will be the proof that we have a platform.

We've been saying for many years, even before COVID, that mRNA is enabling us to build a platform. The pharma and biotech industry have built what I call analog drugs, where every drug is different, where you have to reinvent the drug in the labs, clinical studies, and manufacturing. But with mRNA, we're able to go very fast. And we're able to get very high efficacy. So that's going to be a big game changer for medicine and patients.