CURRENT STATUS
Oncology has fractured from four blunt modalities (surgery, radiation, chemo, hormone therapy) into dozens of precision approaches. Six CAR-T products, multiple bispecifics, checkpoint inhibitors, antibody-drug conjugates and the first TIL therapy are all FDA-approved; individualized mRNA neoantigen vaccines and in-vivo CRISPR are in late- and early-phase trials respectively.
KEY BREAKTHROUGHS
Grail Galleri β multi-cancer early detection from a single blood draw, detecting 50+ cancer types
BioNTech/Moderna personalized mRNA cancer vaccines in Phase III for melanoma and pancreatic cancer
CRISPR-edited CAR-T cells (CTX110) achieving remissions without donor matching
AI-designed drug Recursion REC-4881 entering Phase II for familial adenomatous polyposis
AI-COMPRESSED PIPELINE
AI TOOLS ACCELERATING CURES
KEY ORGANIZATIONS
KEY CLINICAL TRIALS
INTerpath-001 β mRNA-4157 (V940) + Keytruda in Melanoma (Phase 3)
ViewModerna / Merck
A personalized mRNA vaccine encoding up to 34 tumor-specific neoantigens, given with pembrolizumab after surgery for high-risk melanoma. Phase 2b data showed the combination cut recurrence-or-death risk by 49% versus pembrolizumab alone β now in global Phase 3 confirmation.
Autogene Cevumeran (BNT122) in Pancreatic Cancer (Phase 2)
ViewGenentech / BioNTech
An individualized mRNA neoantigen vaccine for resected pancreatic cancer, given with atezolizumab and chemotherapy. In Phase 1, vaccine-induced T cells persisted for years and delayed recurrence in responders β a first real signal against one of the deadliest cancers.
INTerpath-002 β mRNA-4157 (V940) + Keytruda in Lung Cancer (Phase 3)
ViewModerna / Merck
Extends the personalized neoantigen vaccine approach to resected non-small cell lung cancer, testing whether adjuvant mRNA-4157 plus pembrolizumab prevents recurrence better than pembrolizumab alone.
TIMELINE ESTIMATE
Early detection (all cancers): 2β3 years to routine screening. Personalized vaccines: 3β5 years. Pan-cancer control: 10β15 years.