(567g) Invited Talk: Formulation of RNA with Novel Virus-Mimicking Lipid Nanoparticles for Enhanced Delivery and Long-Term Thermostability

Research into vaccines and biotherapeutics based on nucleic acids is currently among the most promising to address some of the world’s prolific diseases and illnesses, such as the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic. RNA-based vaccines are advantageous due to their high potency, quick manufacturing process, easy adaptability, and safe administration. The Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna COVID-19 mRNA vaccines were the first real-world use of this new RNA platform. However, they have a short shelf life and require cold chains. Currently, it remains a major hurdle to addressing the significant challenges of efficient RNA delivery and non-cold-chain storage together.

We have recently developed novel virus-mimicking lipid nanoparticles to address both RNA delivery and storage challenges. The novel biomimetic nanostructures were successfully used for efficient in vitro and in vivo intracellular delivery of RNA. The RNA vaccine nanoformulations maintained a good balance between protein expression and innate response, showing excellent immunogenicity in vivo. The novel nanoformulations enabled long-term stable storage of RNA vaccines at room and tropical temperatures, eliminating the need for cold or cryogenic storage.

The new technology represents a promising delivery platform suitable for large scale production and provides a solution to clinical translation and storage of nucleic acids, such as RNA vaccines and biotherapeutics, by offering robust thermostable formulations for efficient intracellular delivery.