Teacher in mRNA Cancer Vaccine Trial: 'Thrilled I Got It' — SkimNews
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- Gary Keblish, a public school teacher, was diagnosed with high-risk melanoma in 2019 and randomized ("drawn from the hat") into the treatment arm of a clinical trial combining Keytruda with intismeran autogene, Merck and Moderna's mRNA cancer vaccine.
- Intismeran autogene added to immunotherapy showed promising late-stage trial results announced in August, though the article notes the aggregate data don't capture what the treatment means for an individual patient.
- Keblish was treated at NYU Langone's Perlmutter Cancer Center under Dr. Jeffrey Weber, deputy director and co-leader of its Clinical Melanoma Program, and experienced neuropathy that affected his physical activity and mental outlook.
- Keblish said the treatment journey felt like riding "The Magic School Bus" — an adventure full of emotions and physical changes — and credited his family and Dr. Weber's team with helping him navigate the tension of side effects.
- Keblish is back teaching six years after his tumor was removed, told the STAT Summit audience he never had to leave the classroom, and said he is "thrilled" he got the treatment.
- Keblish said he had to "make a conscious decision to be happy again" because neuropathy daily affected his outlook, adding that the experience taught him "to feel less."
Why it matters: The August late-stage results for Merck and Moderna's intismeran autogene made headlines as a potential new way to fight tumors. Keblish's STAT Summit account — six years cancer-free but living through neuropathy — puts a human face on what trial participation actually demands of patients.
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