RNA Supply Chain Articles

1. Picasso, Pick-Up Lines, & Personalized Medicine: mRNA's Path Forward 6/27/2025

   Overall, my presentation on what the mRNA industry can learn from the artist Picasso singled out a few specific areas from which I felt our industry could garner greater inspiration and operational prowess. But given how “collaborative” many of these sources of inspiration are, I’ve introduced each of my takeaways with a surprisingly relevant (albeit bad) art-themed pick-up line. After all, if there’s one sector that knows it takes more than one to “tango,” it’s the mRNA industry.

2. How Can We Move RNA Forward In Our Therapeutics Arsenal? 7/18/2022

   RNA technologies, including mRNA therapeutics, have emerged as a promising drug modality. However, they have unique challenges. BioPhorum has dedicated a team to investigate these challenges and this Q&A shares their practical considerations for how to move this field forward.

3. 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.

4. 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. 

5. Can America's Retreat On mRNA Be Europe's Opportunity? 8/28/2025

   With HHS winding down mRNA vaccine development under BARDA, could Europe seize the opportunity to lead in mRNA innovation? Exploring the policy shift's implications.

6. 4 Risk Mitigation Strategies For mRNA Production 4/17/2023

   Planning and procuring custom materials needed to manufacture mRNA remains a top concern. This article shares risk mitigation strategies for multi-sourcing, S&OP process, packaging size, and material expiry.

7. The Price Is… Almost Right: mRNA Edition! COGS Reduction Strategies 8/28/2025

   The following article will outline the current state of COGS in the mRNA industry and the work he and his colleagues undertook to more effectively utilize raw materials. But heaven forbid this be your normal conference panel write-up. No, below I share Parrella’s insights, but in the form of a never-before released episode of The Price is Right…or perhaps more fittingly given the state of the industry today, this spectacle is more aptly titled: The Price is…Sort Of, Almost, Not Quite Right! 

8. 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. 

9. ARW's ATMP Manufacturing Must-Reads (ST. PATRICK'S DAY EDITION!) 3/14/2024

   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 roundup article.

10. 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.