After years of layoffs, cash burn and political attacks on its core technology, Moderna’s melanoma vaccine data notched the biotech company a much-needed win.

Doctors and patients are excited about the possible breakthrough, but some analysts believe there’s too much hype.

A personalized mRNA vaccine for melanoma reduced the risk of the cancer returning in a phase III clinical trial, the companies behind the trial announced this week. The vaccine — which relies on the same mRNA technology used to develop COVID-19 shots — is the first mRNA-based cancer treatment to show success in a late-stage trial.

Combining a vaccine and immunotherapy approach could open new ways to treat cancer.

The companies have not published the trial data but said in a news release that the experimental treatment extended the time before cancer returned in high-risk patients.

Moderna stock surged following positive cancer-vaccine data, burning short sellers and spilling over into the semi sector.

ARCT stock was most recently buoyed by positive late-stage results from Merck and Moderna on their personalized mRNA cancer vaccine combined with Keytruda in high-risk melanoma patients.