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Stephane Bancel

Chief Executive Officer & Director, Moderna

Search every verified Stephane Bancel interview, podcast appearance, and on-the-record quote — each transcript cross-checked by AI and human review to confirm speaker identity. Stéphane Bancel, CEO of Moderna, discussed the company's recent phase 3 trial results for an individualized mRNA-based cancer vaccine in combination with Merck's Keytruda, which he said reduced the risk of recurrence or death in melanoma patients. He described the results as the first time a cancer vaccine has worked in a late-stage trial, noting that the field had seen over a thousand failed clinical trials in more than 20 years. Bancel explained that the treatment involves sequencing a patient's tumor DNA, comparing it to healthy cells, and using an algorithm to identify relevant mutations, with each dose manufactured specifically for the individual. He also reflected on the development timeline, stating that the idea for individualized mRNA treatment was first discussed with his team in June 2015. In other appearances, Bancel commented on the global pharmaceutical industry, saying that clinical trials in China can be conducted at half the time and cost, which he described as beneficial for patients but concerning for the US industry. He also expressed worry about bioterrorism, citing the relatively low cost of developing a deadly respiratory virus compared to nuclear weapons. Bancel discussed Moderna's manufacturing capacity, noting that the company had no production capability at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic but now has billions of doses of capacity worldwide. He also shared personal views on leadership, advising students to pursue work that energizes them, and stated that he avoids social media, preferring to get news from high-quality media sources.

Recent appearances

Verified interview transcripts

Notable quotes

“The thing I'm most worried about right now is actually bioterrorism. The thing that really gives me the willies is a bad agent with a government building a virus, a respiratory virus and we are all too familiar with what happened with COVID with gain of functions and releasing it because you think about all the things happening just with nuclear weapons. The cost difference is like gigantic. You can for very cheap mo”

“So let me look at it two ways which is for patients what's happening in China is amazing because it's going to get more drugs faster ending up helping people with cancer and Alzheimer disease and so on great for the US industry is terrifying because the speed at which they can move if you look at it and I'm sure you've talked to a lot of CEOs and others you can roughly right now do a clinical trial in China for half ”

“I've learned first that social media is terrible. And so that you know and you can check I am on no social media. Zero. Okay. I'm not on Facebook, not on Instagram, not on TikTok, on nothing. Why? Because the instant very positive, very negative thing mess up your brain and create a lot of anxiety and stress. So I get my news because you need to know what's going on in the world by reading newspaper even online by re”

“The first time we discussed with my team the idea of using mRNA to make an individualized treatment. Meaning if you and I Ralph get diagnosed that we have skin cancer today in the same hospital by the same doctor, Moderna will make a drug for you and will make a drug for me that's a different chemical. So that first idea happened in June 2015. So think about the journey from June 2015 to literally this week where we ”

“It's a big moment for medicine, a big moment for patients. We believe that this is just a first step for anti-submarine plus cathedral. We're excited what it's going to mean for patients already. Just hearing stories from patients in clinical studies has been really heartening. And so I'm very thankful for the team that have worked on this for ten years. That's the type of things we're trying to do at Moderna is take”

“Je pense que le plus gros problème de l'Europe, c'est ce que vous venez d'écrire. Les prix des médicaments sont trop bas. Et donc ça pose un problème. Je pense qu'on va voir de plus en plus de médicaments qui seront approuvés en Europe qui ne seront pas disponibles en France.”

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