RNA Supply Chain Articles

1. Moderna & The Global mRNA Supply Chain: Regulatory Lessons Learned 3/29/2023

   One of the most important reminders I took away from Moderna’s experiences ushering its mRNA vaccine onto the global market is that a commercial manufacturing process must also be accompanied by a commercially ready supply chain. Though sufficient physical volumes of each raw material and a redundant supplier network are necessities, physical scale is not the only “CQA” for which we must account when commercializing our supply chain. 

2. “To Thine Own [mRNA Product] Be True:” Shakespeare's Guide To RNA GMP Principles 3/11/2024

   In the following article, I offer some of the biggest tips and tricks experts offered during a panel discussion on the challenges of navigating GMP principles in the RNA space today — with a little bit of help from Shakespeare himself. 

3. Addressing Challenges In Serialization For Complex Therapeutics 5/7/2024

   The magnitude of serialization, especially for firms with extensive portfolios and intricate supply chains, poses serious challenges. This discussion offers solutions.

4. FDA Sets Recommendations For Predicting Dangerous Nitrosamine Impurities 10/25/2023

   The FDA recently published a final guidance that sets a recommended framework for predicting the potential of nitrosamine drug substance-related impurities.

5. Assessing Quality Of mRNA Vaccines: Key Considerations 10/12/2022

   To address the need for standards for mRNA vaccines, the United States Pharmacopeia (USP) has convened vaccine experts to identify important quality attributes and to propose test methods that can be used to assess mRNA vaccine products. This article shares those CQAs and analytical procedure tips.

6. Bridging The Atlantic: A European Executive's Guide To Building A Successful U.S. RNA Business (Pt. 2) 8/6/2026

   European RNA biotech leaders can accelerate U.S. success by aligning fundraising, partnerships, manufacturing, hiring, and regulatory strategy from day one.

7. ARW's ATMP Manufacturing Must-Reads (2024 NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS EDITION!) 1/12/2024

   Day-in and day-out, I write, read, listen to, and watch as much content as I can about CGT and RNA therapy manufacturing, in particular, and/or other ATMP industry-related topics that you should at least be aware of in the manufacturing facility. Once a month, I compile the articles and industry updates I think are most worthy of your time into an unconventional newsletter format (below) and send them out via email.

8. The Expanding Patent Landscape For RNA-Based Therapeutics 11/16/2022

   The COVID-19 pandemic thrust RNA-based therapeutics into the spotlight. Before that, only a handful had received regulatory approval. Why are RNA-based therapeutics seeing more patent activity now and how should biotech companies mitigate patent risks? Attorneys from Neal Gerber Eisenberg share their insights.

9. The Cell-Free Revolution: Breaking The Plasmid DNA Bottleneck 5/20/2026

   I was excited to be given the opportunity to sit down with Jodi Barrientos, CEO, Ribbon Bio, to learn more about the current state of the synthetic DNA space. In the following Q&A, Barrientos and I discuss some of the synthetic DNA industry’s biggest goals and the challenges that stand in the way of bringing synthetic plasmids more commonly into the mRNA development paradigm. 

10. What Violin Making Can Teach Us About mRNA Therapeutic Quality 8/8/2022

    Managing the mRNA supply chain and working in mRNA process development may not look anything like the work a luthier does to hew an instrument from an ancient spruce tree. But violin craftmanship actually serves as a fantastic metaphor for the challenging work the mRNA therapeutics space is tackling in sourcing and qualifying raw materials and optimizing the critical IVT reaction.