Moderna Wrestles With 'Vaccine' vs. 'Therapy' Branding for Cancer Treatments

Company shifts language to distance innovations from vaccine hesitancy concerns.

Apr. 10, 2026 at 2:04pm

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A ghostly, translucent X-ray image revealing the intricate internal structure of a cancer cell, with glowing lines and shapes representing the cell's molecular components.An X-ray view of the complex molecular machinery within a cancer cell, highlighting the potential for new mRNA-based treatments to harness the immune system against the disease.Boston Today

Moderna and other biotech firms are grappling with how to brand their promising new cancer treatments, which use similar mRNA technology as COVID-19 vaccines. While the treatments work by harnessing the immune system, companies are moving away from calling them 'vaccines' and instead rebranding them as 'therapies' or 'immunotherapies' to avoid potential stigma and vaccine hesitancy.

Why it matters

The shift in language reflects the complex dynamics around vaccines, with some patients potentially being hesitant to receive a treatment labeled as a 'vaccine' due to political polarization and misinformation. However, doctors argue that accurately describing the science is important for properly informing patients.

The details

Moderna's cancer treatment works similarly to its COVID-19 vaccine, using mRNA to stimulate the immune system. But the company has stopped calling it a 'vaccine' since partnering with Merck in 2023, instead rebranding it as 'individualized neoantigen therapy.' BioNTech has made a similar shift, moving from 'neoantigen vaccine' to 'mRNA cancer immunotherapies.' The logic is that since patients already have cancer, it's a treatment rather than a preventative measure. But critics say the change raises questions about properly informing trial participants.

  • Moderna partnered with Merck and rebranded its cancer treatment as 'individualized neoantigen therapy' in 2023.
  • BioNTech moved from calling its treatment a 'neoantigen vaccine' in 2021 to 'mRNA cancer immunotherapies' in its latest report.

The players

Moderna

A biotechnology company developing mRNA-based treatments, including a cancer treatment that uses similar technology to its COVID-19 vaccine.

Merck

A pharmaceutical company that partnered with Moderna in 2023 on the development of its cancer treatment.

BioNTech

A European vaccine maker that is also working on mRNA-based cancer treatments and has shifted its language around them.

Kyle Holen

The head of Moderna's cancer program.

Ryan Sullivan

A physician at Massachusetts General Hospital who has enrolled patients in Moderna's cancer treatment trials.

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What they’re saying

“Vaccines are maybe a dirty word nowadays, but we still believe in the science and harnessing our immune system to not only fight infections, but hopefully to also fight … cancers.”

— Kyle Holen, Head of Moderna's Cancer Program

“There is some concern that there will be patients who decline to treat their cancer because it is a vaccine. But I also felt it was important, as many of my colleagues did, that you have to call it what it is.”

— Ryan Sullivan, Physician, Massachusetts General Hospital

What’s next

Moderna and other companies will likely continue to navigate the branding challenge as they seek to gain regulatory approval and patient acceptance for their mRNA-based cancer treatments.

The takeaway

The shift in language from 'vaccine' to 'therapy' or 'immunotherapy' highlights the complex dynamics around vaccines, with some patients potentially hesitant to receive treatments labeled as vaccines due to political polarization and misinformation. However, doctors argue that accurately describing the science is important for properly informing patients.