The mumps virus was discovered in 1934 and isolated in 1945; however, it took researchers until 1948 to grow the virus in the laboratory.⁽²⁾ The first mumps vaccine, a killed virus vaccine, was developed for use in the United States in 1948 and⁽²⁾ produced only short-term immunity. It was available and used from 1950 until its discontinuation in 1978.⁽³⁾

In 1963, vaccine researcher Maurice Hilleman used samples from his daughter's mumps case to isolate the mumps virus.⁽⁴⁾ This strain of mumps, known as the Jeryl Lyn strain, after her daughter, was used to create Mumpsvax, the first live mumps vaccine.⁽⁵⁾ Mumpsvax, manufactured by Merck, became available in the United States in 1967.⁽⁶⁾ In 1971, Mumpsvax was combined with the measles and rubella vaccine to become the MMR vaccine.⁽⁷⁾