RNA Analytical/Quality Articles

1. Pictures At An [mRNA]Exhibition: What We Can Learn From Picasso (Pt. 1) 6/20/2025

   In my presentation, I argued that there are three lessons we can learn from Picasso that will also help our own industry mature. In the upcoming weeks, I plan to unpack these lessons, highlighting specific instances in which I see our industry taking these lessons to heart and making progress — starting here with lesson 1: Being Innovative Comes After We Master The Basics

2. Engineering The Next Generation Of Lipid Nanoparticles For Advanced Therapeutics 6/10/2025

   Lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) face significant hurdles in clinical use due to challenges with their stability, manufacturing, and understanding how their complex characteristics impact therapeutic efficacy and safety.

3. A Guide To Designing mRNA Medicines 6/10/2025

   A poorly designed mRNA sequence can create ongoing difficulties during downstream clinical development and manufacture. Let's take a closer look at strategies and design software that you can employ.

4. Designing Our Way Toward Circular RNA Medicines With AI 5/21/2025

   The closed-loop structure of circular RNA can offer sustained, durable expression. We caught up with Sail Biomedicines' Kerry Benenato and Rajesh Ramaswamy to chat about ways to leverage AI for design/engineering.

5. A Road Map For PAT Monitoring And Control 5/8/2025

   Process analytic technology monitoring and control is rapidly progressing. BioPhorum shares new best practices on how to move from concept through life cycle management and/or regulatory approval of the PAT application.

6. EMA Issues Draft Guideline On Quality Aspects Of mRNA Vaccines 5/6/2025

   The EMA's new draft guideline applies to mRNA vaccines for infectious diseases, providing guidance on manufacturing, characterization, specifications, and more. The deadline for public comments is Sept. 30, 2025.

7. Do We Really Understand Plasmid Quality's Effects On mRNA Production? 5/1/2025

   Two experts examine the current guidelines and specs for plasmid DNA and question whether our understanding is sufficient.

8. ICH Revises Q1 Guideline, Advancing Stability Testing Standards 4/24/2025

   In April 2025, the International Council for Harmonisation (ICH) released draft ICH Q1: Stability Testing of Drug Substances and Drug Products for public consultation. This new draft guideline represents the first major overhaul of global stability testing standards in over two decades.

9. "Mirror, Mirror…": Reflections On Reducing mRNA Production COGS 4/21/2025

   Here, I outline three overarching words of wisdom I gleaned from Life Edit Therapeutics’ April Sena; Tune Therapeutics’ Tyler Goodwin; and University of Sheffield’s Adi on how the mRNA/RNA industry can better control production costs — particularly as it relates to raw material sourcing and usage.  

10. Plasmid Production: 3 Key Takeaways For mRNA Manufacturing 4/14/2025

    Following my latest Live panel on analytical and manufacturing technology innovations for mRNA production, I wanted to provide a few high-level takeaways I gleaned from our discussion on the overlooked darling of the mRNA space: The plasmid.