Vishal Pratap Singh | Monday, 06 June 2022
Scientists have developed a new type of vaccine that uses a molecule called messenger RNA or mRNA rather than part of an actual virus or bacteria. While this concept is relatively new to the common people, the research has been around since the early 1990s.
Generally, mRNA technology uses the information in genes to create a blueprint for the preparation of proteins. After the cells finish preparation of protein, it quickly breaks down the mRNA. mRNA vaccines introduce a piece of mRNA that corresponds to a viral protein, usually a small piece of a protein found on the outer membrane of virus. The global market for mRNA therapeutics should grow from $46.7 billion in 2021 to $101.3 billion by 2026, at compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 16.8 per cent for the period of 2021-2026. That being said, in this article, lets have a look at some of the most important characteristics of mRNA technology that has redefined the healthcare sector.
Helps in Quick Recognition of Virus mRNA based COVID-19 vaccines was a scientific turning point which established mRNA as a versatile and flexible technology. The vaccines prepared by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna use this technology to fight COVID-19. Experts believe that when these vaccines were rolled out, it was the first time mRNA technology was used on humans through vaccine. mRNA gives protection against diseases like COVID-19 without even risking the potentially serious consequences of getting sick. If an individual gets exposed to the virus after receiving mRNA vaccine for it, in such cases the antibodies can quickly recognize it, attack to it and mark it for destruction before it can cause serious illness. “mRNA is likely the go-to vaccine tech for the pandemic as it has received quick success in COVID-19 but the bar is high in other diseases”, says Paul Hudson, CEO, Sanofi.
Effective on Multiple Diseases There have been a lot of studies that went on in the past on mRNA technology over various types of flus, zika, rabies and cytomegalovirus (CMV). As soon as the necessary information about the virus that causes COVID-19 was available, scientists began to design the mRNA instructions for cells to build the unique spike protein into an mRNA vaccine.
Infact beyond using this technology in vaccines, cancer researchers have used mRNA to trigger the immune system to target specific cancer cells. The mRNA technology has proven extremely safe and well tolerated so far whereas older vaccine technologies often have added adjuvants and chemicals that boost the immune system but can have detrimental side effects”, says Stephane Bancel, CEO, Moderna.
Provides Safety Since, mRNA is considered non-infectious and has non-integrating platform, there is no potential risk of infection or insertion mutagenesis. Along with that, mRNA has been degraded by normal cellular processes and its life can be regulated through the use of various modifications and delivery methods. mRNA technology can down modulate its inherent immunogenicity and hence increase the safety profile. Usually the cells break down mRNA material after the few days of vaccination. mRNA vaccines don’t contain live viruses and therefore it can’t infect the person.
Increases Immunity In the last two decades, major technological innovation and research investment have enabled mRNA to become a promising therapeutic tool in the area of vaccine development and protein replacement therapy. mRNA technology has been proved beneficial over subunit, killed and live attenuated virus and DNA based vaccines. “Like many other vaccines, messenger RNA or mRNA vaccines benefit people who get vaccinated and teach our cells how to make a protein that will trigger an immune response inside our bodies”, says Mariola Fotin- Mleczek, CTO, CureVac.
High Efficacy There are various modifications that make mRNA technology more stable and highly translatable. It is the minimal genetic vector and therefore, anti-vector immunity is avoided. Hence, mRNA vaccines can be administered repeatedly. These vaccines have the potential for rapid, inexpensive and scalable manufacturing, mainly owing to the high yields of in vitro transcription reactions. A large amount of preclinical data have been accumulated which suggests that mRNA vaccines have the potential to solve many of the challenges in vaccine development for infectious diseases. mRNA breaks down right after it delivers instructions to the cells of a person. It never has the chance to enter the cell nucleus, which contains the DNA of the person. Hence, it can be said that the vaccine can’t change or influence person’s DNA.
Future Expectations mRNA technology and its success in vaccines against COVID-19 have opened multiple doors to explore its uses against a variety of diseases. Scientists understood that the makeup and delivery mechanism can provide them a basic template to target any virus. All they have to do is to simply insert the code for a particular viral protein and stimulate the immune system of a person against it. Some mRNA vaccines against diseases like HIV, Zika and rabies are already in the human trial phase.
At the same time, scientists are working in the direction to use this technology for other potential vaccines of diseases like malaria, tuberculosis, hepatitis B, cystic fibrosis as well as treatment for certain types of cancer. Also, since the technology already exists, the turnaround for vaccines could be relatively faster in the coming years.
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