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Lemmens M, Dorsheimer L, Zeller A, Dietz-Baum Y. Non-clinical safety assessment of novel drug modalities: Genome safety perspectives on viral-, nuclease- and nucleotide-based gene therapies. MUTATION RESEARCH. GENETIC TOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL MUTAGENESIS 2024; 896:503767. [PMID: 38821669 DOI: 10.1016/j.mrgentox.2024.503767] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2023] [Revised: 04/08/2024] [Accepted: 05/13/2024] [Indexed: 06/02/2024]
Abstract
Gene therapies have emerged as promising treatments for various conditions including inherited diseases as well as cancer. Ensuring their safe clinical application requires the development of appropriate safety testing strategies. Several guidelines have been provided by health authorities to address these concerns. These guidelines state that non-clinical testing should be carried out on a case-by-case basis depending on the modality. This review focuses on the genome safety assessment of frequently used gene therapy modalities, namely Adeno Associated Viruses (AAVs), Lentiviruses, designer nucleases and mRNAs. Important safety considerations for these modalities, amongst others, are vector integrations into the patient genome (insertional mutagenesis) and off-target editing. Taking into account the constraints of in vivo studies, health authorities endorse the development of novel approach methodologies (NAMs), which are innovative in vitro strategies for genotoxicity testing. This review provides an overview of NAMs applied to viral and CRISPR/Cas9 safety, including next generation sequencing-based methods for integration site analysis and off-target editing. Additionally, NAMs to evaluate the oncogenicity risk arising from unwanted genomic modifications are discussed. Thus, a range of promising techniques are available to support the safe development of gene therapies. Thorough validation, comparisons and correlations with clinical outcomes are essential to identify the most reliable safety testing strategies. By providing a comprehensive overview of these NAMs, this review aims to contribute to a better understanding of the genome safety perspectives of gene therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Lena Dorsheimer
- Research and Development, Preclinical Safety, Sanofi, Industriepark Hoechst, Frankfurt am Main 65926, Germany.
| | - Andreas Zeller
- Pharmaceutical Sciences, pRED Innovation Center Basel, Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, Basel 4070, Switzerland
| | - Yasmin Dietz-Baum
- Research and Development, Preclinical Safety, Sanofi, Industriepark Hoechst, Frankfurt am Main 65926, Germany
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2
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Shankar R, Schmeer M, Schleef M. Producing Plasmid DNA Template for Clinical Grade RNA Vaccine Manufacture. Methods Mol Biol 2024; 2786:303-319. [PMID: 38814401 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3770-8_14] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/31/2024]
Abstract
A plasmid production process has been established to manufacture plasmid DNA at a large scale in High-Quality grade. This is used as a starting material to produce mRNA vaccines for clinical trials. Recently, the World Health Organization (WHO) has released regulatory guidelines related to the quality, safety, and efficacy for DNA- as well as for mRNA-based vaccines. Following an extraordinary year of scientific, regulatory, and manufacturing developments, the scientific community today stands considerably better equipped to deal with urgent production requirements in large scale for nucleic acid-based vaccinations and therapies. Going forward, work needs to be done in better coordinating the supply and logistics of essential raw materials for biological manufacturing, especially under emergency conditions.
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Guerriaud M, Kohli E. RNA-based drugs and regulation: Toward a necessary evolution of the definitions issued from the European union legislation. Front Med (Lausanne) 2022; 9:1012497. [PMID: 36325384 PMCID: PMC9618588 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2022.1012497] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2022] [Accepted: 09/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Many RNA-based drugs, both vaccines and non-vaccines, are under development or even approved. They include coding mRNAs and non-coding (nc) RNAs among them antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs), small interfering RNAs (siRNAs), micro-RNAs (miRNAs), small activating RNAs (saRNAs), RNA aptamers and RNA guides. According to the European Union (EU) legislation, these products can be currently categorized into different regulatory statuses, depending, for vaccines, on their target (infectious disease or not) and, for other drugs, on how they are obtained (chemically or biologically). This classification is fundamental to the type of marketing authorization (MA), and therefore to the controls to be performed, from preclinical stages through clinical trials to pharmacovigilance, to meet the safety requirements for patients. However, the current rules raise several problems, in particular the risk, because technology is evolving, to have similar RNA drugs being covered by very different legal statuses and the lack of international harmonization. The objectives of this study are (i) to review how RNA medicinal products are currently legally categorized in the EU and especially whether they fall under the status of gene therapy medicinal products (GTMP), a regulatory status belonging to advanced therapy medicinal products (ATMP), (ii) to discuss the issues generated by this classification, with a focus on the heterogeneity of statuses of these products, the differences with the American and ICH definitions and the potential impact on the safety requirements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mathieu Guerriaud
- CREDIMI Laboratory EA 7532 and Laboratory of Excellence LipSTIC ANR-11-LABX-0021, Faculty of Health Sciences (Pharmacy), University of Burgundy, Dijon, France
- *Correspondence: Mathieu Guerriaud,
| | - Evelyne Kohli
- UMR INSERM/uB/AGROSUP 1231, Team 3 HSP-Pathies, Labelled Ligue Nationale Contre le Cancer and Laboratory of Excellence LipSTIC ANR-11-LABX-0021, Faculty of Health Sciences (Pharmacy), University of Burgundy, Dijon, France
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4
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Two quality and stability indicating imaged CIEF methods for mRNA vaccines. Electrophoresis 2022; 43:1971-1983. [DOI: 10.1002/elps.202200123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2022] [Revised: 08/11/2022] [Accepted: 08/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
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Vervaeke P, Borgos SE, Sanders NN, Combes F. Regulatory guidelines and preclinical tools to study the biodistribution of RNA therapeutics. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2022; 184:114236. [PMID: 35351470 PMCID: PMC8957368 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2022.114236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2021] [Revised: 02/09/2022] [Accepted: 03/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
The success of the messenger RNA-based COVID-19 vaccines of Moderna and Pfizer/BioNTech marks the beginning of a new chapter in modern medicine. However, the rapid rise of mRNA therapeutics has resulted in a regulatory framework that is somewhat lagging. The current guidelines either do not apply, do not mention RNA therapeutics, or do not have widely accepted definitions. This review describes the guidelines for preclinical biodistribution studies of mRNA/siRNA therapeutics and highlights the relevant differences for mRNA vaccines. We also discuss the role of in vivo RNA imaging techniques and other assays to fulfill and/or complement the regulatory requirements. Specifically, quantitative whole-body autoradiography, microautoradiography, mass spectrometry-based assays, hybridization techniques (FISH, bDNA), PCR-based methods, in vivo fluorescence imaging, and in vivo bioluminescence imaging, are discussed. We conclude that this new and rapidly evolving class of medicines demands a multi-layered approach to fully understand its biodistribution and in vivo characteristics.
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Affiliation(s)
- P Vervaeke
- Laboratory of Gene Therapy, Department of Veterinary and Biosciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Heidestraat 19, B-9820 Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - S E Borgos
- SINTEF Industry, Dept. of Biotechnology and Nanomedicine, Research Group Mass Spectrometry, Sem Sælands v. 2A, N-7034 Trondheim, Norway
| | - N N Sanders
- Laboratory of Gene Therapy, Department of Veterinary and Biosciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Heidestraat 19, B-9820 Merelbeke, Belgium.
| | - F Combes
- SINTEF Industry, Dept. of Biotechnology and Nanomedicine, Research Group Mass Spectrometry, Sem Sælands v. 2A, N-7034 Trondheim, Norway.
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6
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Kalinke U, Barouch DH, Rizzi R, Lagkadinou E, Türeci Ö, Pather S, Neels P. Clinical development and approval of COVID-19 vaccines. Expert Rev Vaccines 2022; 21:609-619. [PMID: 35157542 PMCID: PMC8935460 DOI: 10.1080/14760584.2022.2042257] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Introduction The coronavirus 19 (COVID-19) pandemic triggered a simultaneous global demand for preventative vaccines, which quickly became a high priority among governments as well as academia and the pharmaceutical industry. Within less than a year after COVID-19 was declared a pandemic, vaccines had received emergency approvals and vaccination campaigns were initiated. Areas covered We discuss the several factors that led to the unprecedented, accelerated development and approval of COVID-19 vaccines, which includes optimization of processes by regulatory authorities, redesign of sequential development processes, learnings from previous pandemics, and prior development of novel vaccine platforms. Expert Opinion Despite unanticipated and complex challenges presented by real-time vaccine development in the context of the evolving COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent ever-changing landscape of public health measures and recommendations, important milestones were reached within extraordinarily short periods and, following roll-out to billions worldwide, the approved vaccines have proven to be well tolerated and effective. Whilst this is an exceptional feat and an example of what can be achieved with collaboration and innovation, there are lessons that can still be learned, including the need for further harmonization between regulatory authorities, modes to react to the pandemic’s ever-evolving challenges, and ensuring equitable vaccine access among low-income countries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ulrich Kalinke
- Institute for Experimental Infection Research, TWINCORE, Centre for Experimental and Clinical Infection Research, 30625 Hannover, Germany.,Cluster of Excellence - Resolving Infection Susceptibility (RESIST, EXC 2155), Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Straße 1, 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Dan H Barouch
- Center for Virology and Vaccine Research, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | | | | | | | | | - Pieter Neels
- Vaccine Advice BV, St. Antoniusbaan 281, B 2980 ZOERSEL, Belgium
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7
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Naik R, Peden K. Regulatory Considerations on the Development of mRNA Vaccines. Curr Top Microbiol Immunol 2022; 440:187-205. [PMID: 32638114 DOI: 10.1007/82_2020_220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Developing traditional viral vaccines for infectious diseases usually takes years, as these are usually produced either by chemical inactivation of the virus or attenuation of the pathogen, processes that can take considerable time to validate and also require the live pathogen. With the advent of nucleic-acid vaccines (DNA and mRNA), the time to vaccine design and production is considerably shortened, since once the platform has been established, all that is required is the sequence of the antigen gene, its synthesis and insertion into an appropriate expression vector; importantly, no infectious virus is required. mRNA vaccines have some advantages over DNA vaccines, such as expression in non-dividing cells and the absence of the perceived risk of integration into host genome. Also, generally lower doses are required to induce the immune response. Based on experience in recent clinical trials, mRNA-based vaccines are a promising novel platform that might be useful for the development of vaccines against emerging pandemic infectious diseases. This chapter discusses some of the specific issues that mRNA vaccines raise with respect to production, quality, safety and efficacy, and how they have been addressed so as to allow their evaluation in clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ramachandra Naik
- Division of Vaccines and Related Products Applications, Office of Vaccines Research and Review, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, Food and Drug Administration, Building 71, Room 3045, 10903 New Hampshire Avenue, Silver Spring, MD, 20993, USA
| | - Keith Peden
- Division of Viral Products, Office of Vaccines Research and Review, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, Food and Drug Administration, Building 52/72, Room 1220, 10903 New Hampshire Avenue, Silver Spring, MD, 20993, USA.
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8
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Di Trani CA, Fernandez-Sendin M, Cirella A, Segués A, Olivera I, Bolaños E, Melero I, Berraondo P. Advances in mRNA-based drug discovery in cancer immunotherapy. Expert Opin Drug Discov 2021; 17:41-53. [PMID: 34496689 DOI: 10.1080/17460441.2021.1978972] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Immune checkpoint inhibitors and adoptive T-cell therapy based on chimeric antigen receptors are the spearhead strategies to exploit the immune system to fight cancer. To take advantage of the full potential of the immune system, cancer immunotherapy must incorporate new biotechnologies such as mRNA technology that may synergize with already approved immunotherapies and act more effectively on immune targets. AREAS COVERED This review describes the basics of mRNA biotechnology and provides insight into the recent advances in the use of mRNA for the local and systemic delivery of immunostimulatory antibodies, proinflammatory cytokines or for optimizing adoptive T-cell therapy. EXPERT OPINION mRNA-based nanomedicines have great potential to expand the arsenal of immunotherapy tools due to their ability to simplify and accelerate drug development and their suitability for transient and local expression of immunostimulatory molecules, whose systemic and sustained expression would be toxic. The success of mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccines has highlighted the feasibility of this approach. Continuous advances in the delivery and construction of RNA-based vectors hold promise for improvements in clinical efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Augusta Di Trani
- Program of Immunology and Immunotherapy, Cima Universidad De Navarra, Pamplona, Spain.,Navarra Institute for Health Research (Idisna), Pamplona, Spain
| | - Myriam Fernandez-Sendin
- Program of Immunology and Immunotherapy, Cima Universidad De Navarra, Pamplona, Spain.,Navarra Institute for Health Research (Idisna), Pamplona, Spain
| | - Assunta Cirella
- Program of Immunology and Immunotherapy, Cima Universidad De Navarra, Pamplona, Spain.,Navarra Institute for Health Research (Idisna), Pamplona, Spain
| | - Aina Segués
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.,Institute of Immunology and Infection Research, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh UK
| | - Irene Olivera
- Program of Immunology and Immunotherapy, Cima Universidad De Navarra, Pamplona, Spain.,Navarra Institute for Health Research (Idisna), Pamplona, Spain
| | - Elixabet Bolaños
- Program of Immunology and Immunotherapy, Cima Universidad De Navarra, Pamplona, Spain.,Navarra Institute for Health Research (Idisna), Pamplona, Spain
| | - Ignacio Melero
- Program of Immunology and Immunotherapy, Cima Universidad De Navarra, Pamplona, Spain.,Navarra Institute for Health Research (Idisna), Pamplona, Spain.,Centro De Investigación Biomédica En Red De Cáncer (Ciberonc), Spain.,Departments of Oncology and Immunology, Clínica Universidad De Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Pedro Berraondo
- Program of Immunology and Immunotherapy, Cima Universidad De Navarra, Pamplona, Spain.,Navarra Institute for Health Research (Idisna), Pamplona, Spain.,Centro De Investigación Biomédica En Red De Cáncer (Ciberonc), Spain
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9
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Polla Ravi S, Shamiya Y, Chakraborty A, Elias C, Paul A. Biomaterials, biological molecules, and polymers in developing vaccines. Trends Pharmacol Sci 2021; 42:813-828. [PMID: 34454774 DOI: 10.1016/j.tips.2021.07.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2021] [Revised: 07/23/2021] [Accepted: 07/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Vaccines have been used to train the immune system to recognize pathogens, and prevent and treat diseases, such as cancer, for decades. However, there are continuing challenges in their manufacturing, large-scale production, and storage. Some of them also show suboptimal immunogenicity, requiring additional adjuvants and booster doses. As an alternate vaccination strategy, a new class of biomimetic materials with unique functionalities has emerged in recent years. Here, we explore the current bioengineering techniques that make use of hydrogels, modified polymers, cell membranes, self-assembled proteins, virus-like particles (VLPs), and nucleic acids to deliver and develop biomaterial-based vaccines. We also review design principles and key regulatory issues associated with their development. Finally, we critically assess their limitations, explore approaches to overcome these limitations, and discuss potential future applications for clinical translation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shruthi Polla Ravi
- School of Biomedical Engineering, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, N6A 5B9, Canada
| | - Yasmeen Shamiya
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, N6A 5B9, Canada
| | - Aishik Chakraborty
- Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, N6A 5B9, Canada
| | - Cynthia Elias
- Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, N6A 5B9, Canada; Biologics Manufacturing Centre, The National Research Council of Canada, 6100 Royalmount Avenue, Montreal, QC, H4P 2R2, Canada
| | - Arghya Paul
- School of Biomedical Engineering, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, N6A 5B9, Canada; Department of Chemistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, N6A 5B9, Canada; Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, N6A 5B9, Canada.
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10
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Andryukov BG, Besednova NN. Older adults: panoramic view on the COVID-19 vaccination. AIMS Public Health 2021; 8:388-415. [PMID: 34395690 PMCID: PMC8334630 DOI: 10.3934/publichealth.2021030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2021] [Accepted: 05/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
In December 2020, COVID-19 vaccination started in many countries, with which the world community hopes to stop the further spread of the current pandemic. More than 90% of sick and deceased patients belong to the category of older adults (65 years and older). This category of the population is most vulnerable to infectious diseases, so vaccination is the most effective preventive strategy, the need for which for older adults is indisputable. Here we briefly summarize information about age-related changes in the immune system and present current data on their impact on the formation of the immune response to vaccination. Older age is accompanied by the process of biological aging accompanied by involution of the immune system with increased susceptibility to infections and a decrease in the effect of immunization. Therefore, in the ongoing mass COVID-19 vaccination, the older adults are a growing public health concern. The authors provide an overview of the various types of COVID-19 vaccines approved for mass immunization of the population by the end of 2020, including older adults, as well as an overview of strategies and platforms to improve the effectiveness of vaccination of this population. In the final part, the authors propose for discussion a system for assessing the safety and monitoring the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines for the older adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Boris G Andryukov
- G.P. Somov Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology, Russian Federal Service for Surveillance on Consumer Rights Protection and Human Wellbeing, 690087, Vladivostok, Russia
- Far Eastern Federal University (FEFU), 690091, Vladivostok, Russia
| | - Natalya N Besednova
- G.P. Somov Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology, Russian Federal Service for Surveillance on Consumer Rights Protection and Human Wellbeing, 690087, Vladivostok, Russia
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11
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Crommelin DJA, Anchordoquy TJ, Volkin DB, Jiskoot W, Mastrobattista E. Addressing the Cold Reality of mRNA Vaccine Stability. J Pharm Sci 2021; 110:997-1001. [PMID: 33321139 PMCID: PMC7834447 DOI: 10.1016/j.xphs.2020.12.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 242] [Impact Index Per Article: 80.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2020] [Accepted: 12/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
As mRNA vaccines became the frontrunners in late-stage clinical trials to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, challenges surrounding their formulation and stability became readily apparent. In this commentary, we first describe company proposals, based on available public information, for the (frozen) storage of mRNA vaccine drug products across the vaccine supply chain. We then review the literature on the pharmaceutical stability of mRNA vaccine candidates, including attempts to improve their stability, analytical techniques to monitor their stability, and regulatory guidelines covering product characterization and storage stability. We conclude that systematic approaches to identify the key physicochemical degradation mechanism(s) of formulated mRNA vaccine candidates are currently lacking. Rational design of optimally stabilized mRNA vaccine formulations during storage, transport, and administration at refrigerated or ambient temperatures should thus have top priority in the pharmaceutical development community. In addition to evidence of human immunogenicity against multiple viral pathogens, including compelling efficacy results against COVID-19, another key strength of the mRNA vaccine approach is that it is readily adaptable to rapidly address future outbreaks of new emerging infectious diseases. Consequently, we should not wait for the next pandemic to address and solve the challenges associated with the stability and storage of formulated mRNA vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daan J A Crommelin
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, (UIPS), Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands.
| | - Thomas J Anchordoquy
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Anschutz Medical Campus, University of Colorado, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - David B Volkin
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Vaccine Analytics and Formulation Center, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66047, USA
| | - Wim Jiskoot
- Division of BioTherapeutics, Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Enrico Mastrobattista
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, (UIPS), Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands.
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12
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Development of mRNA Vaccines: Scientific and Regulatory Issues. Vaccines (Basel) 2021; 9:vaccines9020081. [PMID: 33498787 PMCID: PMC7910833 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines9020081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2021] [Revised: 01/18/2021] [Accepted: 01/20/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The global research and development of mRNA vaccines have been prodigious over the past decade, and the work in this field has been stimulated by the urgent need for rapid development of vaccines in response to an emergent disease such as the current COVID-19 pandemic. Nevertheless, there remain gaps in our understanding of the mechanism of action of mRNA vaccines, as well as their long-term performance in areas such as safety and efficacy. This paper reviews the technologies and processes used for developing mRNA prophylactic vaccines, the current status of vaccine development, and discusses the immune responses induced by mRNA vaccines. It also discusses important issues with regard to the evaluation of mRNA vaccines from regulatory perspectives. Setting global norms and standards for biologicals including vaccines to assure their quality, safety and efficacy has been a WHO mandate and a core function for more than 70 years. New initiatives are ongoing at WHO to arrive at a broad consensus to formulate international guidance on the manufacture and quality control, as well as nonclinical and clinical evaluation of mRNA vaccines, which is deemed necessary to facilitate international convergence of manufacturing and regulatory practices and provide support to National Regulatory Authorities in WHO member states.
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13
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Cimolai N. Do RNA vaccines obviate the need for genotoxicity studies? Mutagenesis 2020; 35:509-510. [PMID: 33216145 DOI: 10.1093/mutage/geaa028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2020] [Accepted: 10/20/2020] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Nevio Cimolai
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, The University of British Columbia and Children's and Women's Health Centre of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
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14
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Therapeutische Immunisierungen gegen Tumore und neurodegenerative Erkrankungen. Bundesgesundheitsblatt Gesundheitsforschung Gesundheitsschutz 2020; 63:1373-1379. [DOI: 10.1007/s00103-020-03226-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2020] [Accepted: 09/18/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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15
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Jansig E, Geissler S, Rieckmann V, Kuenemund A, Hietel B, Schenk M, Wussow S, Kreideweiss P, Panzner S, Reinsch C, Cynis H. Viromers as carriers for mRNA-mediated expression of therapeutic molecules under inflammatory conditions. Sci Rep 2020; 10:15090. [PMID: 32934311 PMCID: PMC7494895 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-72004-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2020] [Accepted: 08/20/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Therapeutic mRNA delivery has been described for several treatment options, such as vaccination and cancer immunotherapy. However, mRNA delivery has to be accompanied by the development and testing of suitable carrier materials due to the instability of mRNAs in human body fluids. In the present study, we investigated the ability of recently developed Viromers to deliver mRNAs in a classical inflammatory setting. We tested mRNAs coding for active components of preclinical (7ND) and approved (sTNF-RII) biologics, in vitro and in vivo. 7ND is an established blocker of the CCR2 axis, whereas sTNF-RII is the active component of the approved drug Etanercept. Viromer/mRNA complexes were transfected into murine macrophages in vitro. Protein expression was analysed using Luciferase reporter expression and mainly identified in spleen, blood and bone marrow in vivo. 7ND-mRNA delivery led to efficient blockage of monocytes infiltration in thioglycolate-induced peritonitis in mice, underlining the ability of Viromers to deliver a therapeutic mRNA cargo without overt toxicity. Therefore, we propose Viromer-based mRNA delivery as a suitable option for the treatment of inflammatory disorders beyond infusion of biological molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edith Jansig
- Department of Drug Design and Target Validation, Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology, Weinbergweg 22, 06120, Halle, Germany
| | - Stefanie Geissler
- Department of Drug Design and Target Validation, Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology, Weinbergweg 22, 06120, Halle, Germany
| | - Vera Rieckmann
- Department of Drug Design and Target Validation, Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology, Weinbergweg 22, 06120, Halle, Germany
| | - Anja Kuenemund
- Department of Drug Design and Target Validation, Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology, Weinbergweg 22, 06120, Halle, Germany
| | - Benjamin Hietel
- Department of Drug Design and Target Validation, Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology, Weinbergweg 22, 06120, Halle, Germany
| | - Mathias Schenk
- Department of Drug Design and Target Validation, Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology, Weinbergweg 22, 06120, Halle, Germany
| | - Sebastian Wussow
- Department of Drug Design and Target Validation, Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology, Weinbergweg 22, 06120, Halle, Germany
| | | | - Steffen Panzner
- BioNTech Delivery Technologies GmbH, Weinbergweg 23, 06120, Halle, Germany
| | - Christian Reinsch
- BioNTech Delivery Technologies GmbH, Weinbergweg 23, 06120, Halle, Germany
| | - Holger Cynis
- Department of Drug Design and Target Validation, Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology, Weinbergweg 22, 06120, Halle, Germany.
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Poveda C, Biter AB, Bottazzi ME, Strych U. Establishing Preferred Product Characterization for the Evaluation of RNA Vaccine Antigens. Vaccines (Basel) 2019; 7:vaccines7040131. [PMID: 31569760 PMCID: PMC6963847 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines7040131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2019] [Revised: 09/17/2019] [Accepted: 09/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The preferred product characteristics (for chemistry, control, and manufacture), in addition to safety and efficacy, are quintessential requirements for any successful therapeutic. Messenger RNA vaccines constitute a relatively new alternative to traditional vaccine development platforms, and thus there is less clarity regarding the criteria needed to ensure regulatory compliance and acceptance. Generally, to identify the ideal product characteristics, a series of assays needs to be developed, qualified and ultimately validated to determine the integrity, purity, stability, and reproducibility of a vaccine target. Here, using the available literature, we provide a summary of the array of biophysical and biochemical assays currently used in the field to characterize mRNA vaccine antigen candidates. Moreover, we review various in vitro functional cell-based assays that have been employed to facilitate the early assessment of the biological activity of these molecules, including the predictive immune response triggered in the host cell. Messenger RNA vaccines can be produced rapidly and at large scale, and thus will particularly benefit from well-defined and well-characterized assays ultimately to be used for in-process, release and stability-indications, which will allow equally rapid screening of immunogenicity, efficacy, and safety without the need to conduct often lengthy and costly in vivo experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristina Poveda
- Department of Pediatrics, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, BCM113 Houston, TX 77030, USA.
- Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Baylor College of Medicine, 1102 Bates Street, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
| | - Amadeo B Biter
- Department of Pediatrics, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, BCM113 Houston, TX 77030, USA.
- Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Baylor College of Medicine, 1102 Bates Street, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
| | - Maria Elena Bottazzi
- Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Baylor College of Medicine, 1102 Bates Street, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
- Department of Pediatrics and Molecular Virology & Microbiology, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, BCM113 Houston, TX 77030, USA.
- Department of Biology, College of Arts and Sciences, Baylor University, Waco, TX 76798, USA.
| | - Ulrich Strych
- Department of Pediatrics, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, BCM113 Houston, TX 77030, USA.
- Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Baylor College of Medicine, 1102 Bates Street, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
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17
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Versteeg L, Almutairi MM, Hotez PJ, Pollet J. Enlisting the mRNA Vaccine Platform to Combat Parasitic Infections. Vaccines (Basel) 2019; 7:E122. [PMID: 31547081 PMCID: PMC6963228 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines7040122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2019] [Revised: 09/13/2019] [Accepted: 09/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite medical progress, more than a billion people still suffer daily from parasitic infections. Vaccination is recognized as one of the most sustainable options to control parasitic diseases. However, the development of protective and therapeutic vaccines against tropical parasites has proven to be exceptionally challenging for both scientific and economic reasons. For certain parasitic diseases, traditional vaccine platforms are not well-suited, due to the complexity of the parasite life cycles and the parasite's ability to evade the human immune system. An effective anti-parasite vaccine platform needs to have the ability to develop and test novel candidate antigens fast and at high-throughput; it further needs to allow for multivalent combinations and must evoke a strong and well-defined immune response. Anti-parasitic vaccines need to be safe and economically attractive, especially in the world's low- and middle-income countries. This review evaluates the potential of in vitro transcribed mRNA vaccines as a new class of preventive and therapeutic vaccine technologies for parasitic infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leroy Versteeg
- Departments of Pediatrics, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, BCM113, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
- Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Baylor College of Medicine, 1102 Bates Street, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
- Cell Biology and Immunology Group, Wageningen University & Research, De Elst 1, 6708 WD Wageningen, The Netherlands.
| | - Mashal M Almutairi
- Prince Naif Health Research Center, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia.
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia.
- Vaccines and Biologics Research Unit, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia.
| | - Peter J Hotez
- Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Baylor College of Medicine, 1102 Bates Street, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
- Departments of Pediatrics and Molecular Virology & Microbiology, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, BCM113, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
- Hagler Institute for Advanced Study at Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA.
- Department of Biology, Baylor University, Waco, TX 76798, USA.
| | - Jeroen Pollet
- Departments of Pediatrics, National School of Tropical Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, BCM113, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
- Texas Children's Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, Baylor College of Medicine, 1102 Bates Street, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
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18
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Liu MA. A Comparison of Plasmid DNA and mRNA as Vaccine Technologies. Vaccines (Basel) 2019; 7:E37. [PMID: 31022829 PMCID: PMC6631684 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines7020037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 231] [Impact Index Per Article: 46.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2019] [Revised: 04/19/2019] [Accepted: 04/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
This review provides a comparison of the theoretical issues and experimental findings for plasmid DNA and mRNA vaccine technologies. While both have been under development since the 1990s, in recent years, significant excitement has turned to mRNA despite the licensure of several veterinary DNA vaccines. Both have required efforts to increase their potency either via manipulating the plasmid DNA and the mRNA directly or through the addition of adjuvants or immunomodulators as well as delivery systems and formulations. The greater inherent inflammatory nature of the mRNA vaccines is discussed for both its potential immunological utility for vaccines and for the potential toxicity. The status of the clinical trials of mRNA vaccines is described along with a comparison to DNA vaccines, specifically the immunogenicity of both licensed veterinary DNA vaccines and select DNA vaccine candidates in human clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margaret A Liu
- ProTherImmune, 3656 Happy Valley Road, Lafayette, CA 94549, USA.
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19
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Pardi N, Hogan MJ, Porter FW, Weissman D. mRNA vaccines - a new era in vaccinology. Nat Rev Drug Discov 2018; 17:261-279. [PMID: 29326426 DOI: 10.1038/nrd.2017.243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2354] [Impact Index Per Article: 392.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
mRNA vaccines represent a promising alternative to conventional vaccine approaches because of their high potency, capacity for rapid development and potential for low-cost manufacture and safe administration. However, their application has until recently been restricted by the instability and inefficient in vivo delivery of mRNA. Recent technological advances have now largely overcome these issues, and multiple mRNA vaccine platforms against infectious diseases and several types of cancer have demonstrated encouraging results in both animal models and humans. This Review provides a detailed overview of mRNA vaccines and considers future directions and challenges in advancing this promising vaccine platform to widespread therapeutic use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Norbert Pardi
- Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA
| | - Michael J Hogan
- Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA
| | - Frederick W Porter
- Duke Human Vaccine Institute, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina 27710, USA
| | - Drew Weissman
- Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA
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