06.06.26 -- Advancing RNA Newsletter Best Of May

Having previously served as the head of delivery sciences for Moderna pre-pandemic, Almarsson was part of the RNA-LNP delivery journey long before it was scientifically en vogue. That’s why I was excited to sit down with him to discuss the latest and greatest advancements in the RNA-LNP space. Here, we take stock of the developments he’s been watching in the passive and active delivery spaces.

As one of the first companies to establish a chemoenzymatic ligation platform, Alnylam's Maines and Nechev are in the perfect position to espouse wisdom on the practical aspects and remaining challenges of implementing enzymatic ligation at a large scale. Here in this installment, Maines and Nechev outline what they’ve learned thus far about the science of enzymatic ligation, while also paying credence to the unknowns and existing barriers that, as a frontrunner, Alnylam will inevitably (but willingly) be tasked with facing in the future.

A few weeks ago, I had the chance to sit down with OPT Congress speaker Phil Baran, Richard Lerner Chair Professor, Department of Chemistry, Scripps Research. Baran was slated to (and did) present a keynote on the innovations shaping the next generation of oligo synthesis. Here, I share the biggest takeaways I had from our conversation, touching on how he sees the science of oligo chemistry and manufacturing advancing in the near and far future. 

mRNA has emerged as a promising modality offering a great deal of versatility for a wide range of therapeutics and vaccines with its use of non-viral delivery systems.

Compared to traditional protein-based therapies, mRNA drugs exhibit unique pharmacokinetic profiles and can be rapidly developed, making overcoming their challenges critical for the industry.

Uncover how switching from LAL to rFC can enhance sustainability, improve testing reliability, and strengthen supply-chain resilience in endotoxin testing.