RNA Manufacturing Articles

  1. From Supporting Component to Strategic Driver: The Evolving Role of gRNA in CRISPR Therapeutics 4/21/2026

    Guide RNA is evolving from a simple targeting reagent into a complex, engineered molecule shaped by expanding CRISPR modalities, increasing length and modification demands, and tighter integration with manufacturability, analytical control, and regulatory expectations.

  2. A Novel Co-Tethered Transcription Platform For High-Yield, High-Purity mRNA Synthesis 4/15/2026

    Co-tethered transcription boosts mRNA yield and purity by organizing transcription machinery, reducing dsRNA impurities, and streamlining production for scalable RNA therapeutics.

  3. A New Approach To RNA Synthesis And Purification: Rethinking A Persistent Bottleneck 4/14/2026

    Photocleavable supports enable light-triggered RNA release, reducing reliance on chromatography and streamlining synthesis, scalability, and purity for complex RNA therapeutics.

  4. Oligos, mRNA, Or Gene Editing: Where Should You Bet? 4/13/2026

    Investing in RNA and gene editing requires balancing risk, timing, and scale — understanding how oligos, mRNA, and CRISPR each drive value across a converging biotech landscape.

  5. Beyond The Gold Standard(s): Modernizing Oligonucleotide Synthesis 4/13/2026

    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. 

  6. The RNA Ties That Bind: 3 Takeaways From The OPT Congress 4/1/2026

    Here, I unpack three takeaways I had from the OPT Congress, each of which I’d argue are indicative of the interconnectedness across the genetic medicines field.

  7. Rethinking ATMP Assurance When Sterility Timelines, Reality Misalign 3/27/2026

    The compendial 14-day sterility testing window exposes product and patient to numerous risks, but settling on a rapid alternative also presents its own set of challenges.

  8. The Potency Chains Of Events For mRNA/LNP Therapeutics 3/25/2026

    Potency in mRNA/LNP therapies depends on two chains: manufacturing/cold chain integrity and complex in vivo delivery. Breakdowns at any step — from stability to translation — can limit efficacy and safety.

  9. How Informal FDA Feedback Is Quietly Driving RNA Capital Allocation 3/19/2026

    Subtle FDA signals — especially in pre-IND talks — are quietly shaping RNA investment. Early regulatory feedback on CMC and comparability now drives how investors assess risk and allocate capital.

  10. Inside Alnylam's Playbook For High Volume siRNA Production 3/10/2026

    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.