RNA Supply Chain Articles

  1. Innovations In The Oligonucleotide Supply Chain: Regulatory Considerations For Materials, Manufacturing, And Lifecycle Control 1/30/2026

    Oligonucleotide therapeutics have rapidly advanced into late-stage and commercial development, shifting regulatory focus toward the maturity of manufacturing and supply chain control rather than therapeutic novelty. Regulatory success now depends on how effectively sponsors translate innovative chemistries into well-characterized, scalable, and sustainable materials and processes.

  2. “Holy T7 Polymerase, Batman!”: R&D Considerations For More Awe-Inspiring xRNA 4/24/2024

    It goes without saying we have some pretty ambitious therapeutic goals for linear mRNA and next-gen saRNA and circRNA. However, as my conversation with Koeris explored, we still have a lot of scientific and technical work/innovation ahead of us to make our RNA products “stronger” (in more ways than one).

  3. mRNA Vaccines: Key Considerations For Development & Manufacturing 4/4/2022

    As we wind down National Immunization Awareness Month, this article looks at the complexities around developing and manufacturing mRNA vaccines and how you should address those complexities. Topics include delivery, process validation, long-term effectiveness, GMP, regulatory approval, and more. 

  4. 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.

  5. 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. 

  6. A "Hot Take" on Personalized mRNA Medicines 6/20/2024

    mRNA’s small-scale and cell-free production are often-touted benefits in the personalized medicines sphere. But as I reviewed my notes from the BioPhorum ATMP member event, I found myself coming face to face with a difficult truth.

  7. Biomanufacturing Capacity Crunch: It's The Supply Chain's Fault 10/7/2022

    What's behind the protracted biopharma manufacturing capacity crunch, when will it end, and what are manufacturers doing to keep supply on track? During Biotech Week in Boston ad BioProcess International, CDMOs and sponsors weighed in.

  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. Therapeutic Oligonucleotides: Regulations & Quality Standards 5/20/2022

    Oligonucleotides have surfaced in the past few years as promising therapeutic agents to treat diseases such as neurodegenerative disorders, respiratory disorders, cancer, and diabetic retinopathy. This article recaps a recent USP workshop where participants from regulatory agencies, industry, and academia gathered to discuss best practices and perspectives.

  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.