1
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Javidanbardan A, Messerian KO, Zydney AL. Membrane technology for the purification of RNA and DNA therapeutics. Trends Biotechnol 2024; 42:714-727. [PMID: 38212210 DOI: 10.1016/j.tibtech.2023.11.016] [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] [Received: 08/29/2023] [Revised: 11/29/2023] [Accepted: 11/30/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2024]
Abstract
Nucleic acid therapeutics have the potential to revolutionize the biopharmaceutical industry, providing highly effective vaccines and novel treatments for cancers and genetic disorders. The successful commercialization of these therapeutics will require development of manufacturing strategies specifically tailored to the purification of nucleic acids. Membrane technologies already play a critical role in the downstream processing of nucleic acid therapeutics, ranging from clarification to concentration to selective purification. This review provides an overview of how membrane systems are currently used for nucleic acid purification, while highlighting areas of future need and opportunity, including adoption of membranes in continuous bioprocessing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amin Javidanbardan
- Department of Chemical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Kevork Oliver Messerian
- Department of Chemical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Andrew L Zydney
- Department of Chemical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA.
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2
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Giannelli C, Necchi F, Palmieri E, Oldrini D, Ricchetti B, Papathanasiou MM, Kis Z, Kontoravdi C, Campa C, Micoli F. Quality by Design Framework Applied to GMMA Purification. AAPS J 2024; 26:32. [PMID: 38459151 DOI: 10.1208/s12248-024-00902-0] [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] [Received: 01/21/2024] [Accepted: 02/22/2024] [Indexed: 03/10/2024] Open
Abstract
In recent years, Generalized Modules for Membrane Antigens (GMMA) have received increased attention as an innovative vaccine platform against bacterial pathogens, particularly attractive for low- and middle-income countries because of manufacturing simplicity. The assessment of critical quality attributes (CQAs), product-process interactions, identification of appropriate in process analytical methods, and process modeling is part of a robust quality by design (QbD) framework to support further development and control of manufacturing processes. QbD implementation in the context of the GMMA platform will ensure robust manufacturing of batches with desired characteristics, facilitating technical transfer to local manufacturers, regulatory approval, and commercialization of vaccines based on this technology. Here, we summarize the methodology suggested, applied to a first step of GMMA manufacturing process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlo Giannelli
- GSK Vaccines Institute for Global Health (GVGH), Via Fiorentina 1, 53100, Siena, Italy.
| | - Francesca Necchi
- GSK Vaccines Institute for Global Health (GVGH), Via Fiorentina 1, 53100, Siena, Italy
| | - Elena Palmieri
- GSK Vaccines Institute for Global Health (GVGH), Via Fiorentina 1, 53100, Siena, Italy
| | - Davide Oldrini
- GSK Vaccines Institute for Global Health (GVGH), Via Fiorentina 1, 53100, Siena, Italy
| | - Beatrice Ricchetti
- GSK Vaccines Institute for Global Health (GVGH), Via Fiorentina 1, 53100, Siena, Italy
| | - Maria M Papathanasiou
- The Sargent Centre for Process Systems Engineering, Department of Chemical Engineering, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London, SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Zoltan Kis
- The Sargent Centre for Process Systems Engineering, Department of Chemical Engineering, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London, SW7 2AZ, UK
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, The University of Sheffield, Mappin Street, Sheffield, S1 3JD, UK
| | - Cleo Kontoravdi
- The Sargent Centre for Process Systems Engineering, Department of Chemical Engineering, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London, SW7 2AZ, UK
| | | | - Francesca Micoli
- GSK Vaccines Institute for Global Health (GVGH), Via Fiorentina 1, 53100, Siena, Italy
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3
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Welbourne EN, Loveday KA, Nair A, Nourafkan E, Qu J, Cook K, Kis Z, Dickman MJ. Anion exchange HPLC monitoring of mRNA in vitro transcription reactions to support mRNA manufacturing process development. Front Mol Biosci 2024; 11:1250833. [PMID: 38516194 PMCID: PMC10955092 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2024.1250833] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 02/15/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024] Open
Abstract
mRNA technology has recently demonstrated the ability to significantly change the timeline for developing and delivering a new vaccine from years to months. The potential of mRNA technology for rapid vaccine development has recently been highlighted by the successful development and approval of two mRNA vaccines for COVID-19. Importantly, this RNA-based approach holds promise for treatments beyond vaccines and infectious diseases, e.g., treatments for cancer, metabolic disorders, cardiovascular conditions, and autoimmune diseases. There is currently significant demand for the development of improved manufacturing processes for the production of mRNA therapeutics in an effort to increase their yield and quality. The development of suitable analytical methods for the analysis of mRNA therapeutics is critical to underpin manufacturing development and the characterisation of the drug product and drug substance. In this study we have developed a high-throughput, high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) workflow for the rapid analysis of mRNA generated using in vitro transcription (IVT). We have optimised anion exchange (AEX) HPLC for the analysis of mRNA directly from IVT. Chromatography was performed in under 6 min enabling separation of all of the key components in the IVT, including nucleoside triphosphates (NTPs), Cap analogue, plasmid DNA and mRNA product. Moreover, baseline separation of the NTPs was achieved, which facilitates accurate quantification of each NTP such that their consumption may be determined during IVT reactions. Furthermore, the HPLC method was used to rapidly assess the purification of the mRNA product, including removal of NTPs/Cap analogue and other contaminants after downstream purification, including solid phase extraction (SPE), oligo deoxythymidine (oligo-dT) affinity chromatography and tangential flow filtration (TFF). Using the developed method excellent precision was obtained with calibration curves for an external mRNA standard and NTPs giving correlation coefficients of 0.98 and 1.0 respectively. Intra- and inter-day studies on retention time stability of NTPs, showed a relative standard deviation ≤ 0.3% and ≤1.5% respectively. The mRNA retention time variability was ≤0.13%. This method was then utilised to monitor the progress of an IVT reaction for the production of Covid spike protein (C-Spike) mRNA to measure the increasing yield of mRNA alongside the consumption of NTPs during the reaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma N. Welbourne
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Kate A. Loveday
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Adithya Nair
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Ehsan Nourafkan
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Jixin Qu
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Ken Cook
- ThermoFisher Scientific, Hemel Hempstead, United Kingdom
| | - Zoltán Kis
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Mark J. Dickman
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
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4
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Baljon J, Kwiatkowski AJ, Pagendarm HM, Stone PT, Kumar A, Bharti V, Schulman JA, Becker KW, Roth EW, Christov PP, Joyce S, Wilson JT. A Cancer Nanovaccine for Co-Delivery of Peptide Neoantigens and Optimized Combinations of STING and TLR4 Agonists. ACS NANO 2024; 18:6845-6862. [PMID: 38386282 PMCID: PMC10919087 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.3c04471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2023] [Revised: 01/17/2024] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 02/23/2024]
Abstract
Immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) has revolutionized cancer treatment and led to complete and durable responses, but only for a minority of patients. Resistance to ICB can largely be attributed to insufficient number and/or function of antitumor CD8+ T cells in the tumor microenvironment. Neoantigen targeted cancer vaccines can activate and expand the antitumor T cell repertoire, but historically, clinical responses have been poor because immunity against peptide antigens is typically weak, resulting in insufficient activation of CD8+ cytotoxic T cells. Herein, we describe a nanoparticle vaccine platform that can overcome these barriers in several ways. First, the vaccine can be reproducibly formulated using a scalable confined impingement jet mixing method to coload a variety of physicochemically diverse peptide antigens and multiple vaccine adjuvants into pH-responsive, vesicular nanoparticles that are monodisperse and less than 100 nm in diameter. Using this approach, we encapsulated synergistically acting adjuvants, cGAMP and monophosphoryl lipid A (MPLA), into the nanocarrier to induce a robust and tailored innate immune response that increased peptide antigen immunogenicity. We found that incorporating both adjuvants into the nanovaccine synergistically enhanced expression of dendritic cell costimulatory markers, pro-inflammatory cytokine secretion, and peptide antigen cross-presentation. Additionally, the nanoparticle delivery increased lymph node accumulation and uptake of peptide antigen by dendritic cells in the draining lymph node. Consequently, nanoparticle codelivery of peptide antigen, cGAMP, and MPLA enhanced the antigen-specific CD8+ T cell response and delayed tumor growth in several mouse models. Finally, the nanoparticle platform improved the efficacy of ICB immunotherapy in a murine colon carcinoma model. This work establishes a versatile nanoparticle vaccine platform for codelivery of peptide neoantigens and synergistic adjuvants to enhance responses to cancer vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessalyn
J. Baljon
- Department
of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37235, United States
| | - Alexander J. Kwiatkowski
- Department
of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37235, United States
| | - Hayden M. Pagendarm
- Department
of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37235, United States
| | - Payton T. Stone
- Department
of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37235, United States
| | - Amrendra Kumar
- Department
of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee 37232, United States
| | - Vijaya Bharti
- Department
of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37235, United States
| | - Jacob A. Schulman
- Department
of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37235, United States
| | - Kyle W. Becker
- Department
of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37235, United States
| | - Eric W. Roth
- Northwestern
University Atomic and Nanoscale Characterization Experimental (NUANCE)
Center, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
| | - Plamen P. Christov
- Vanderbilt
Institute of Chemical Biology, Vanderbilt
University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee 37232, United States
| | - Sebastian Joyce
- Department
of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee 37232, United States
- Department
of Veteran Affairs Tennessee Valley Healthcare System, Nashville, Tennessee 37212, United States
- Vanderbilt
Institute for Infection, Immunology, and Inflammation, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee 37232, United States
- Vanderbilt
Center for Immunobiology, Vanderbilt University
Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee 37232, United States
| | - John T. Wilson
- Department
of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37235, United States
- Department
of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37235, United States
- Vanderbilt
Institute of Chemical Biology, Vanderbilt
University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee 37232, United States
- Department
of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee 37232, United States
- Vanderbilt
Institute for Infection, Immunology, and Inflammation, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee 37232, United States
- Vanderbilt
Center for Immunobiology, Vanderbilt University
Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee 37232, United States
- Vanderbilt-Ingram
Cancer Center, Vanderbilt University Medical
Center, Nashville, Tennessee 37232, United States
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5
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Bakhrushina EO, Mikhel IB, Kondratieva VM, Zubareva IM, Kosenkova SI, Belyatskaya AV, Stepanova OI, Krasnyuk II, Grebennikova TV, Krasnyuk II. Intranasal Ion-Triggered In Situ Delivery System of Virus-like Particles: Development Using the Quality by Design Approach. Polymers (Basel) 2024; 16:685. [PMID: 38475368 DOI: 10.3390/polym16050685] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2024] [Revised: 02/17/2024] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
The rapid growth in the prevalence of infectious diseases requires timely action from drug developers. In recent years, the COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated the unpreparedness of the population for such emergencies. The introduction of modern methods of Design of Experiments (DoE) is required to accelerate the process of drug development and bring a drug to market. The main objective of this study was to develop an ion-triggered in situ system for intranasal delivery of VLP using a Quality by Design approach. Based on a literature review and initial studies, the key QTPP, CQA, CPP, and CMA were identified to develop a novel delivery system for virus-like particles. As a result of the studies on the quality attributes of the developed delivery system, an ion-triggered in situ gel meeting all the specified parameters was obtained using the Quality by Design method.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena O Bakhrushina
- A.P. Nelyubin Institute of Pharmacy, I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University (Sechenov University), Moscow 119048, Russia
| | - Iosif B Mikhel
- A.P. Nelyubin Institute of Pharmacy, I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University (Sechenov University), Moscow 119048, Russia
| | - Valeriya M Kondratieva
- Departament of Epidemiology and Microbiology, The Gamaleya National Centre of Epidemiology and Microbiology, Moscow 123098, Russia
| | - Irina M Zubareva
- A.P. Nelyubin Institute of Pharmacy, I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University (Sechenov University), Moscow 119048, Russia
| | - Svetlana I Kosenkova
- A.P. Nelyubin Institute of Pharmacy, I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University (Sechenov University), Moscow 119048, Russia
| | - Anastasiya V Belyatskaya
- A.P. Nelyubin Institute of Pharmacy, I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University (Sechenov University), Moscow 119048, Russia
| | - Olga I Stepanova
- A.P. Nelyubin Institute of Pharmacy, I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University (Sechenov University), Moscow 119048, Russia
| | - Ivan I Krasnyuk
- A.P. Nelyubin Institute of Pharmacy, I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University (Sechenov University), Moscow 119048, Russia
| | - Tatyana V Grebennikova
- Departament of Epidemiology and Microbiology, The Gamaleya National Centre of Epidemiology and Microbiology, Moscow 123098, Russia
| | - Ivan I Krasnyuk
- A.P. Nelyubin Institute of Pharmacy, I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University (Sechenov University), Moscow 119048, Russia
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6
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Shi Y, Zhen X, Zhang Y, Li Y, Koo S, Saiding Q, Kong N, Liu G, Chen W, Tao W. Chemically Modified Platforms for Better RNA Therapeutics. Chem Rev 2024; 124:929-1033. [PMID: 38284616 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.3c00611] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/30/2024]
Abstract
RNA-based therapies have catalyzed a revolutionary transformation in the biomedical landscape, offering unprecedented potential in disease prevention and treatment. However, despite their remarkable achievements, these therapies encounter substantial challenges including low stability, susceptibility to degradation by nucleases, and a prominent negative charge, thereby hindering further development. Chemically modified platforms have emerged as a strategic innovation, focusing on precise alterations either on the RNA moieties or their associated delivery vectors. This comprehensive review delves into these platforms, underscoring their significance in augmenting the performance and translational prospects of RNA-based therapeutics. It encompasses an in-depth analysis of various chemically modified delivery platforms that have been instrumental in propelling RNA therapeutics toward clinical utility. Moreover, the review scrutinizes the rationale behind diverse chemical modification techniques aiming at optimizing the therapeutic efficacy of RNA molecules, thereby facilitating robust disease management. Recent empirical studies corroborating the efficacy enhancement of RNA therapeutics through chemical modifications are highlighted. Conclusively, we offer profound insights into the transformative impact of chemical modifications on RNA drugs and delineates prospective trajectories for their future development and clinical integration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yesi Shi
- Center for Nanomedicine and Department of Anesthesiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
- State Key Laboratory of Vaccines for Infectious Diseases, Xiang An Biomedicine Laboratory, National Innovation Platform for Industry-Education Integration in Vaccine Research, State Key Laboratory of Molecular Vaccinology and Molecular Diagnostics, Center for Molecular Imaging and Translational Medicine, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
| | - Xueyan Zhen
- Center for Nanomedicine and Department of Anesthesiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Yiming Zhang
- Center for Nanomedicine and Department of Anesthesiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Yongjiang Li
- Center for Nanomedicine and Department of Anesthesiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Seyoung Koo
- Center for Nanomedicine and Department of Anesthesiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Qimanguli Saiding
- Center for Nanomedicine and Department of Anesthesiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Na Kong
- Center for Nanomedicine and Department of Anesthesiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
- Liangzhu Laboratory, Zhejiang University Medical Center, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Gang Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Vaccines for Infectious Diseases, Xiang An Biomedicine Laboratory, National Innovation Platform for Industry-Education Integration in Vaccine Research, State Key Laboratory of Molecular Vaccinology and Molecular Diagnostics, Center for Molecular Imaging and Translational Medicine, School of Public Health, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
| | - Wei Chen
- Center for Nanomedicine and Department of Anesthesiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
- Genomics Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan
| | - Wei Tao
- Center for Nanomedicine and Department of Anesthesiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
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7
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Meulewaeter S, Zhang Y, Wadhwa A, Fox K, Lentacker I, Harder KW, Cullis PR, De Smedt SC, Cheng MHY, Verbeke R. Considerations on the Design of Lipid-based mRNA Vaccines Against Cancer. J Mol Biol 2024; 436:168385. [PMID: 38065276 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2023.168385] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2023] [Revised: 11/29/2023] [Accepted: 12/02/2023] [Indexed: 12/26/2023]
Abstract
Throughout the last decades, mRNA vaccines have been developed as a cancer immunotherapeutic and the technology recently gained momentum during the COVID-19 pandemic. Recent promising results obtained from clinical trials investigating lipid-based mRNA vaccines in cancer therapy further highlighted the potential of this therapy. Interestingly, while the technologies being used in authorized mRNA vaccines for the prevention of COVID-19 are relatively similar, mRNA vaccines in clinical development for cancer vaccination show marked differences in mRNA modification, lipid carrier, and administration route. In this review, we describe findings on how these factors can impact the potency of mRNA vaccines in cancer therapy and provide insights into the complex interplay between them. We discuss how lipid carrier composition can affect passive targeting to immune cells to improve the efficacy and safety of mRNA vaccines. Finally, we summarize strategies that are established or still being explored to improve the efficacy of mRNA cancer vaccines and include next-generation vaccines that are on the horizon in clinical development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sofie Meulewaeter
- Laboratory of General Biochemistry and Physical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent 9000, Belgium; Cancer Research Institute Ghent (CRIG), Ghent University Hospital, Ghent University, Ghent 9000, Belgium
| | - Yao Zhang
- School of Biomedical Engineering, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z4, Canada; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Abishek Wadhwa
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Kevin Fox
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Ine Lentacker
- Laboratory of General Biochemistry and Physical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent 9000, Belgium; Cancer Research Institute Ghent (CRIG), Ghent University Hospital, Ghent University, Ghent 9000, Belgium
| | - Kenneth W Harder
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Pieter R Cullis
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Stefaan C De Smedt
- Laboratory of General Biochemistry and Physical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent 9000, Belgium; Cancer Research Institute Ghent (CRIG), Ghent University Hospital, Ghent University, Ghent 9000, Belgium
| | - Miffy H Y Cheng
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z4, Canada.
| | - Rein Verbeke
- Laboratory of General Biochemistry and Physical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent 9000, Belgium; Cancer Research Institute Ghent (CRIG), Ghent University Hospital, Ghent University, Ghent 9000, Belgium.
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8
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Jones CH, Androsavich JR, So N, Jenkins MP, MacCormack D, Prigodich A, Welch V, True JM, Dolsten M. Breaking the mold with RNA-a "RNAissance" of life science. NPJ Genom Med 2024; 9:2. [PMID: 38195675 PMCID: PMC10776758 DOI: 10.1038/s41525-023-00387-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2023] [Accepted: 12/07/2023] [Indexed: 01/11/2024] Open
Abstract
In the past decade, RNA therapeutics have gone from being a promising concept to one of the most exciting frontiers in healthcare and pharmaceuticals. The field is now entering what many call a renaissance or "RNAissance" which is being fueled by advances in genetic engineering and delivery systems to take on more ambitious development efforts. However, this renaissance is occurring at an unprecedented pace, which will require a different way of thinking if the field is to live up to its full potential. Recognizing this need, this article will provide a forward-looking perspective on the field of RNA medical products and the potential long-term innovations and policy shifts enabled by this revolutionary and game-changing technological platform.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Nina So
- Pfizer, 66 Hudson Boulevard, New York, NY, 10018, USA
| | | | | | | | - Verna Welch
- Pfizer, 66 Hudson Boulevard, New York, NY, 10018, USA
| | - Jane M True
- Pfizer, 66 Hudson Boulevard, New York, NY, 10018, USA.
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9
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Che S, Feng X, Li Z, Su Z, Ma G, Li Z, Yu A, Liu M, Zhang S. On-column capping of poly dT media-tethered mRNA accomplishes high capping efficiency, enhanced mRNA recovery, and improved stability against RNase. Biotechnol Bioeng 2024; 121:206-218. [PMID: 37747706 DOI: 10.1002/bit.28560] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2023] [Revised: 09/06/2023] [Accepted: 09/07/2023] [Indexed: 09/26/2023]
Abstract
The messenger RNA (mRNA) 5'-cap structure is indispensable for mRNA translation initiation and stability. Despite its importance, large-scale production of capped mRNA through in vitro transcription (IVT) synthesis using vaccinia capping enzyme (VCE) is challenging, due to the requirement of tedious and multiple pre-and-post separation steps causing mRNA loss and degradation. Here in the present study, we found that the VCE together with 2'-O-methyltransferase can efficiently catalyze the capping of poly dT media-tethered mRNA to produce mRNA with cap-1 structure under an optimized condition. We have therefore designed an integrated purification and solid-based capping protocol, which involved capturing the mRNA from the IVT system by using poly dT media through its affinity binding for 3'-end poly-A in mRNA, in situ capping of mRNA 5'-end by supplying the enzymes, and subsequent eluting of the capped mRNA from the poly dT media. Using mRNA encoding the enhanced green fluorescent protein as a model system, we have demonstrated that the new strategy greatly simplified the mRNA manufacturing process and improved its overall recovery without sacrificing the capping efficiency, as compared with the conventional process, which involved at least mRNA preseparation from IVT, solution-based capping, and post-separation and recovering steps. Specifically, the new process accomplished a 1.76-fold (84.21% over 47.79%) increase in mRNA overall recovery, a twofold decrease in operation time (70 vs. 140 min), and similar high capping efficiency (both close to 100%). Furthermore, the solid-based capping process greatly improved mRNA stability, such that the integrity of the mRNA could be well kept during the capping process even in the presence of exogenously added RNase; in contrast, mRNA in the solution-based capping process degraded almost completely. Meanwhile, we showed that such a strategy can be operated both in a batch mode and in an on-column continuous mode. The results presented in this work demonstrated that the new on-column capping process developed here can accomplish high capping efficiency, enhanced mRNA recovery, and improved stability against RNase; therefore, can act as a simple, efficient, and cost-effective platform technology suitable for large-scale production of capped mRNA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiyi Che
- State Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory of Biopharmaceutical Preparation and Delivery, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
- Monash Suzhou Research Institute, Monash University, Suzhou, China
| | - Xue Feng
- State Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory of Biopharmaceutical Preparation and Delivery, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Monash Suzhou Research Institute, Monash University, Suzhou, China
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Zhengjun Li
- State Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory of Biopharmaceutical Preparation and Delivery, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Zhiguo Su
- State Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory of Biopharmaceutical Preparation and Delivery, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Guanghui Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory of Biopharmaceutical Preparation and Delivery, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Zhikao Li
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
- Monash Suzhou Research Institute, Monash University, Suzhou, China
| | - Aibing Yu
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
- Monash Suzhou Research Institute, Monash University, Suzhou, China
| | - Minsu Liu
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
- Monash Suzhou Research Institute, Monash University, Suzhou, China
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Songping Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory of Biopharmaceutical Preparation and Delivery, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
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10
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Hu C, Bai Y, Liu J, Wang Y, He Q, Zhang X, Cheng F, Xu M, Mao Q, Liang Z. Research progress on the quality control of mRNA vaccines. Expert Rev Vaccines 2024; 23:570-583. [PMID: 38733272 DOI: 10.1080/14760584.2024.2354251] [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] [Received: 03/22/2024] [Accepted: 05/08/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The mRNA vaccine technologies have progressed rapidly in recent years. The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the application of mRNA vaccines, with research and development and clinical trials underway for many vaccines. Application of the quality by design (QbD) framework to mRNA vaccine development and establishing standardized quality control protocols for mRNA vaccines are essential for the continued development of high-quality mRNA vaccines. AREAS COVERED mRNA vaccines include linear mRNA, self-amplifying mRNA, and circular RNA vaccines. This article summarizes the progress of research on quality control of these three types of vaccines and presents associated challenges and considerations. EXPERT OPINION Although there has been rapid progress in research on linear mRNA vaccines, their degradation patterns remain unclear. In addition, standardized assays for key impurities, such as residual dsRNA and T7 RNA polymerase, are still lacking. For self-amplifying mRNA vaccines, a key focus should be control of stability in vivo and in vitro. For circular RNA vaccines, standardized assays, and reference standards for determining degree of circularization should be established and optimized.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chaoying Hu
- Institute of Biological Products, Division of Hepatitis and Enterovirus Vaccines, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Beijing, China
- National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Key Laboratory of Research on Quality and Standardization of Biotech Products, Beijing, China
- National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Evaluation of Biological Products, Beijing, China
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Regulatory Science, Institute of Biological Products, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Beijing, China
| | - Yu Bai
- Institute of Biological Products, Division of Hepatitis and Enterovirus Vaccines, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Beijing, China
- Changping Laboratory, Beijing, China
| | - Jianyang Liu
- Institute of Biological Products, Division of Hepatitis and Enterovirus Vaccines, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Beijing, China
| | - Yiping Wang
- Institute of Biological Products, Division of Hepatitis and Enterovirus Vaccines, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Beijing, China
- National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Key Laboratory of Research on Quality and Standardization of Biotech Products, Beijing, China
- National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Evaluation of Biological Products, Beijing, China
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Regulatory Science, Institute of Biological Products, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Beijing, China
| | - Qian He
- Institute of Biological Products, Division of Hepatitis and Enterovirus Vaccines, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Beijing, China
- National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Key Laboratory of Research on Quality and Standardization of Biotech Products, Beijing, China
- National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Evaluation of Biological Products, Beijing, China
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Regulatory Science, Institute of Biological Products, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Beijing, China
| | - Xuanxuan Zhang
- Institute of Biological Products, Division of Hepatitis and Enterovirus Vaccines, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Beijing, China
- National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Key Laboratory of Research on Quality and Standardization of Biotech Products, Beijing, China
- National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Evaluation of Biological Products, Beijing, China
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Regulatory Science, Institute of Biological Products, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Beijing, China
| | - Feiran Cheng
- Institute of Biological Products, Division of Hepatitis and Enterovirus Vaccines, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Beijing, China
- National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Key Laboratory of Research on Quality and Standardization of Biotech Products, Beijing, China
- National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Evaluation of Biological Products, Beijing, China
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Regulatory Science, Institute of Biological Products, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Beijing, China
| | - Miao Xu
- Institute of Biological Products, Division of Hepatitis and Enterovirus Vaccines, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Beijing, China
- National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Key Laboratory of Research on Quality and Standardization of Biotech Products, Beijing, China
- National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Evaluation of Biological Products, Beijing, China
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Regulatory Science, Institute of Biological Products, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Beijing, China
| | - Qunying Mao
- Institute of Biological Products, Division of Hepatitis and Enterovirus Vaccines, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Beijing, China
- National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Key Laboratory of Research on Quality and Standardization of Biotech Products, Beijing, China
- National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Evaluation of Biological Products, Beijing, China
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Regulatory Science, Institute of Biological Products, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Beijing, China
| | - Zhenglun Liang
- Institute of Biological Products, Division of Hepatitis and Enterovirus Vaccines, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Beijing, China
- National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Key Laboratory of Research on Quality and Standardization of Biotech Products, Beijing, China
- National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Evaluation of Biological Products, Beijing, China
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Regulatory Science, Institute of Biological Products, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Beijing, China
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11
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Nair A, Loveday KA, Kenyon C, Qu J, Kis Z. Quality by Digital Design for Developing Platform RNA Vaccine and Therapeutic Manufacturing Processes. Methods Mol Biol 2024; 2786:339-364. [PMID: 38814403 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3770-8_16] [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
Quality by digital design (QbDD) utilizes data-driven, mechanistic, or hybrid models to define and optimize a manufacturing design space. It improves upon the QbD approach used extensively in the pharmaceutical industry. The computational models developed in this approach identify and quantify the relationship between the product's critical quality attributes (CQAs) and the critical process parameters (CPPs) of unit operations within the manufacturing process. This chapter discusses the QbDD approach in developing and optimizing unit operations such as in vitro transcription, tangential flow filtration, affinity chromatography, and lipid nanoparticle (LNP) formulation in mRNA vaccine manufacturing. QbDD can be an efficient framework for developing a production process for a disease-agnostic product that requires extensive experimental and model-based process-product interaction characterization during the early process development phase.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adithya Nair
- Department of Biological and Chemical Engineering, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Kate A Loveday
- Department of Biological and Chemical Engineering, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Charlotte Kenyon
- Department of Biological and Chemical Engineering, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Jixin Qu
- Department of Biological and Chemical Engineering, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Zoltán Kis
- Department of Biological and Chemical Engineering, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK.
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Imperial College London, London, UK.
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12
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Reinhart AG, Osterwald A, Ringler P, Leiser Y, Lauer ME, Martin RE, Ullmer C, Schumacher F, Korn C, Keller M. Investigations into mRNA Lipid Nanoparticles Shelf-Life Stability under Nonfrozen Conditions. Mol Pharm 2023; 20:6492-6503. [PMID: 37975733 DOI: 10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.3c00956] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
mRNA LNPs can experience a decline in activity over short periods (ranging from weeks to months). As a result, they require frozen storage and transportation conditions to maintain their full functionality when utilized. Currently approved commercially available mRNA LNP vaccines also necessitate frozen storage and supply chain management. Overcoming this significant inconvenience in the future is crucial to reducing unnecessary costs and challenges associated with storage and transport. In this study, our objective was to illuminate the potential time frame for nonfrozen storage and transportation conditions of mRNA LNPs without compromising their activity. To achieve this goal, we conducted a stability assessment and an in vitro cell culture delivery study involving five mRNA LNPs. These LNPs were constructed by using a standard formulation similar to that employed in the three commercially available LNP formulations. Among these formulations, we selected five structurally diverse ionizable lipids─C12-200, CKK-E12, MC3, SM-102, and lipid 23─from the existing literature. We incorporated these lipids into a standard LNP formulation, keeping all other components identical. The LNPs, carrying mRNA payloads, were synthesized by using microfluidic mixing technology. We evaluated the shelf life stability of these LNPs over a span of 9 weeks at temperatures of 2-8, 25, and 40 °C, utilizing an array of analytical techniques. Our findings indicated minimal impact on the hydrodynamic diameter, zeta potential, encapsulation efficiency, and polydispersity of all LNPs across the various temperatures over the studied period. The RiboGreen assay analysis of LNPs showed consistent mRNA contents over several weeks at various nonfrozen storage temperatures, leading to the incorrect assumption of intact and functional LNPs. This misunderstanding was rectified by the significant differences observed in EGFP protein expression in an in vitro cell culture (using HEK293 cells) across the five LNPs. Specifically, only LNP 1 (C12-200) and LNP 4 (SM-102) exhibited high levels of EGFP expression at the start (T0), with over 90% of HEK293 cells transfected and mean fluorescence intensity (MFI) levels exceeding 1. Interestingly, LNP 1 (C12-200) maintained largely unchanged levels of in vitro activity over 11 weeks when stored at both 2-8 and 25 °C. In contrast, LNP 4 (SM-102) retained its functionality when stored at 2-8 °C over 11 weeks but experienced a gradual decline of in vitro activity when stored at room temperature over the same period. Importantly, we observed distinct LNP architectures for the five formulations through cryo-EM imaging. This highlights the necessity for a deeper comprehension of structure-activity relationships within these complex nanoparticle structures. Enhancing our understanding in this regard is vital for overcoming storage and stability limitations, ultimately facilitating the broader application of this technology beyond vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne-Gaëlle Reinhart
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Therapeutic Modalities, pCMC, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Grenzacherstrasse 124, Basel 4070, Switzerland
| | - Anja Osterwald
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, DTA Ophthalmology I2O, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Grenzacherstrasse 124, Basel 4070, Switzerland
| | - Philippe Ringler
- Biozentrum, University of Basel, Spitalstrasse 41, Basel CH - 4056, Switzerland
| | - Yael Leiser
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Therapeutic Modalities, pCMC, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Grenzacherstrasse 124, Basel 4070, Switzerland
| | - Matthias E Lauer
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Therapeutic Modalities, Lead Discovery, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Grenzacherstrasse 124, Basel 4070, Switzerland
| | - Rainer E Martin
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Therapeutic Modalities, Medicinal Chemistry, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Grenzacherstrasse 124, Basel 4070, Switzerland
| | - Christoph Ullmer
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, DTA Ophthalmology I2O, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Grenzacherstrasse 124, Basel 4070, Switzerland
| | - Felix Schumacher
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Therapeutic Modalities, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Grenzacherstrasse 124, Basel 4070, Switzerland
| | - Claudia Korn
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, DTA Ophthalmology I2O, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Grenzacherstrasse 124, Basel 4070, Switzerland
| | - Michael Keller
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Therapeutic Modalities, pCMC, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Grenzacherstrasse 124, Basel 4070, Switzerland
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13
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Megušar P, Miklavčič R, Korenč M, Ličen J, Vodopivec T, Černigoj U, Štrancar A, Sekirnik R. Scalable multimodal weak anion exchange chromatographic purification for stable mRNA drug substance. Electrophoresis 2023; 44:1978-1988. [PMID: 37828276 DOI: 10.1002/elps.202300106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2023] [Revised: 09/15/2023] [Accepted: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/14/2023]
Abstract
Messenger RNA (mRNA) has emerged as a modality with immense therapeutic potential. Recent innovations in production process of mRNA call for procedures to isolate pure mRNA drug substance (DS) with high yield, high capacity, scalability, and compatibility with GMP production systems. Novel RNA modalities, such as circular RNA (circRNA), have further driven the need for non-affinity capture possibilities which are already widely used in the biopharmaceutical industry, for example, in monoclonal antibody processing. The principle that multimodal ion exchange/hydrogen bonding chromatography can be used to separate mRNA from in vitro transcription components has recently been demonstrated. Here, we apply and refine this approach to be suitable for scalable purification of multiple mRNA constructs with sufficient yields, purity, and stability, for use in mRNA production process. Binding capacity of the PrimaS-modified monolithic chromatographic column for mRNA enabled up to 7 mg/mL product isolation in a single chromatographic run, with 98% recovery and room temperature stability of the eGFP mRNA demonstrated for up to 28 days. This approach is independent of construct size or the presence of polyadenylic acid tail and is applicable for capture of a wide variety of RNAs, including mRNA, self-amplifying RNA, circRNA, and with optimization also smaller RNAs such as transfer RNA and others.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Rok Miklavčič
- Sartorius BIA Separations d.o.o., Ajdovščina, Slovenia
| | - Matevž Korenč
- Sartorius BIA Separations d.o.o., Ajdovščina, Slovenia
| | - Jure Ličen
- Sartorius BIA Separations d.o.o., Ajdovščina, Slovenia
| | | | - Urh Černigoj
- Sartorius BIA Separations d.o.o., Ajdovščina, Slovenia
| | - Aleš Štrancar
- Sartorius BIA Separations d.o.o., Ajdovščina, Slovenia
| | - Rok Sekirnik
- Sartorius BIA Separations d.o.o., Ajdovščina, Slovenia
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14
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Chan SH, Molé CN, Nye D, Mitchell L, Dai N, Buss J, Kneller DW, Whipple JM, Robb GB. Biochemical characterization of mRNA capping enzyme from Faustovirus. RNA (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2023; 29:1803-1817. [PMID: 37625853 PMCID: PMC10578482 DOI: 10.1261/rna.079738.123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 08/07/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023]
Abstract
The mammalian mRNA 5' cap structures play important roles in cellular processes such as nuclear export, efficient translation, and evading cellular innate immune surveillance and regulating 5'-mediated mRNA turnover. Hence, installation of the proper 5' cap is crucial in therapeutic applications of synthetic mRNA. The core 5' cap structure, Cap-0, is generated by three sequential enzymatic activities: RNA 5' triphosphatase, RNA guanylyltransferase, and cap N7-guanine methyltransferase. Vaccinia virus RNA capping enzyme (VCE) is a heterodimeric enzyme that has been widely used in synthetic mRNA research and manufacturing. The large subunit of VCE D1R exhibits a modular structure where each of the three structural domains possesses one of the three enzyme activities, whereas the small subunit D12L is required to activate the N7-guanine methyltransferase activity. Here, we report the characterization of a single-subunit RNA capping enzyme from an amoeba giant virus. Faustovirus RNA capping enzyme (FCE) exhibits a modular array of catalytic domains in common with VCE and is highly efficient in generating the Cap-0 structure without an activation subunit. Phylogenetic analysis suggests that FCE and VCE are descended from a common ancestral capping enzyme. We found that compared to VCE, FCE exhibits higher specific activity, higher activity toward RNA containing secondary structures and a free 5' end, and a broader temperature range, properties favorable for synthetic mRNA manufacturing workflows.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Hong Chan
- New England Biolabs, Inc., Ipswich, Massachusetts 01938, USA
| | - Christa N Molé
- New England Biolabs, Inc., Ipswich, Massachusetts 01938, USA
| | - Dillon Nye
- New England Biolabs, Inc., Ipswich, Massachusetts 01938, USA
| | - Lili Mitchell
- New England Biolabs, Inc., Ipswich, Massachusetts 01938, USA
| | - Nan Dai
- New England Biolabs, Inc., Ipswich, Massachusetts 01938, USA
| | - Jackson Buss
- New England Biolabs, Inc., Ipswich, Massachusetts 01938, USA
| | | | | | - G Brett Robb
- New England Biolabs, Inc., Ipswich, Massachusetts 01938, USA
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15
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Hu C, Liu J, Cheng F, Bai Y, Mao Q, Xu M, Liang Z. Amplifying mRNA vaccines: potential versatile magicians for oncotherapy. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1261243. [PMID: 37936701 PMCID: PMC10626473 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1261243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 11/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer vaccines drive the activation and proliferation of tumor-reactive immune cells, thereby eliciting tumor-specific immunity that kills tumor cells. Accordingly, they possess immense potential in cancer treatment. However, such vaccines are also faced with challenges related to their design and considerable differences among individual tumors. The success of messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines against coronavirus disease 2019 has prompted the application of mRNA vaccine technology platforms to the field of oncotherapy. These platforms include linear, circular, and amplifying mRNA vaccines. In particular, amplifying mRNA vaccines are characterized by high-level and prolonged antigen gene expression at low doses. They can also stimulate specific cellular immunity, making them highly promising in cancer vaccine research. In this review, we summarize the research progress in amplifying mRNA vaccines and provide an outlook of their prospects and future directions in oncotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chaoying Hu
- Division of Hepatitis and Enterovirus Vaccines, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Beijing, China
- National Health Commission (NHC), Key Laboratory of Research on Quality and Standardization of Biotech Products, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Beijing, China
- National Medical Products Administration (NMPA), Key Laboratory for Quality Research and Evaluation of Biological Products, Institute of Biological Products, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Beijing, China
| | - Jianyang Liu
- Division of Hepatitis and Enterovirus Vaccines, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Beijing, China
- National Health Commission (NHC), Key Laboratory of Research on Quality and Standardization of Biotech Products, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Beijing, China
- National Medical Products Administration (NMPA), Key Laboratory for Quality Research and Evaluation of Biological Products, Institute of Biological Products, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Beijing, China
| | - Feiran Cheng
- Division of Hepatitis and Enterovirus Vaccines, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Beijing, China
- National Health Commission (NHC), Key Laboratory of Research on Quality and Standardization of Biotech Products, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Beijing, China
- National Medical Products Administration (NMPA), Key Laboratory for Quality Research and Evaluation of Biological Products, Institute of Biological Products, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Beijing, China
| | - Yu Bai
- Division of Hepatitis and Enterovirus Vaccines, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Beijing, China
- National Health Commission (NHC), Key Laboratory of Research on Quality and Standardization of Biotech Products, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Beijing, China
- National Medical Products Administration (NMPA), Key Laboratory for Quality Research and Evaluation of Biological Products, Institute of Biological Products, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Beijing, China
| | - Qunying Mao
- Division of Hepatitis and Enterovirus Vaccines, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Beijing, China
- National Health Commission (NHC), Key Laboratory of Research on Quality and Standardization of Biotech Products, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Beijing, China
- National Medical Products Administration (NMPA), Key Laboratory for Quality Research and Evaluation of Biological Products, Institute of Biological Products, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Beijing, China
| | - Miao Xu
- Division of Hepatitis and Enterovirus Vaccines, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Beijing, China
- National Health Commission (NHC), Key Laboratory of Research on Quality and Standardization of Biotech Products, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Beijing, China
- National Medical Products Administration (NMPA), Key Laboratory for Quality Research and Evaluation of Biological Products, Institute of Biological Products, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Beijing, China
| | - Zhenglun Liang
- Division of Hepatitis and Enterovirus Vaccines, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Beijing, China
- National Health Commission (NHC), Key Laboratory of Research on Quality and Standardization of Biotech Products, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Beijing, China
- National Medical Products Administration (NMPA), Key Laboratory for Quality Research and Evaluation of Biological Products, Institute of Biological Products, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Beijing, China
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16
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Gurba-Bryśkiewicz L, Maruszak W, Smuga DA, Dubiel K, Wieczorek M. Quality by Design (QbD) and Design of Experiments (DOE) as a Strategy for Tuning Lipid Nanoparticle Formulations for RNA Delivery. Biomedicines 2023; 11:2752. [PMID: 37893125 PMCID: PMC10604315 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11102752] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2023] [Revised: 09/28/2023] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The successful development of nonviral delivery systems for nucleic acids has been reported extensively over the past years. Increasingly employed to improve the delivery efficiency and therapeutic efficacy of RNA are lipid nanoparticles (LNPs). Many of the various critical formulation parameters can affect the quality attributes and effectiveness of these nano-formulations. Therefore, the systematic drug development approach (QbD) and multivariate design and statistical analysis (DOE) can be very helpful and recommended for the optimization of the composition and production of RNA-LNPs. This review addresses the concepts and applications of QbD and/or DOE for the development of lipid nanoparticles for the delivery of different types of RNA, reporting examples published in the ten recent years presenting the latest trends and regulatory requirements as well as the modern mathematical and statistical design methods. As the topic explored in this review is a novel approach, the full QbD has been described in only a few papers, and a few refer only to some aspects of QbD. In contrast, the DOE approach has been used in most of the optimization works. Different approaches and innovations in DOE have been observed. Traditional statistical tests and modeling (ANOVA, regression analysis) are slowly being replaced by artificial intelligence and machine learning methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lidia Gurba-Bryśkiewicz
- Medicinal Chemistry Department, Celon Pharma S.A., Marymoncka 15, 05-152 Kazuń Nowy, Poland; (W.M.); (D.A.S.); (K.D.); (M.W.)
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17
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Youssef M, Hitti C, Puppin Chaves Fulber J, Kamen AA. Enabling mRNA Therapeutics: Current Landscape and Challenges in Manufacturing. Biomolecules 2023; 13:1497. [PMID: 37892179 PMCID: PMC10604719 DOI: 10.3390/biom13101497] [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] [Received: 09/20/2023] [Revised: 10/05/2023] [Accepted: 10/06/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Recent advances and discoveries in the structure and role of mRNA as well as novel lipid-based delivery modalities have enabled the advancement of mRNA therapeutics into the clinical trial space. The manufacturing of these products is relatively simple and eliminates many of the challenges associated with cell culture production of viral delivery systems for gene and cell therapy applications, allowing rapid production of mRNA for personalized treatments, cancer therapies, protein replacement and gene editing. The success of mRNA vaccines during the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the immense potential of this technology as a vaccination platform, but there are still particular challenges to establish mRNA as a widespread therapeutic tool. Immunostimulatory byproducts can pose a barrier for chronic treatments and different production scales may need to be considered for these applications. Moreover, long-term storage of mRNA products is notoriously difficult. This review provides a detailed overview of the manufacturing steps for mRNA therapeutics, including sequence design, DNA template preparation, mRNA production and formulation, while identifying the challenges remaining in the dose requirements, long-term storage and immunotolerance of the product.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Amine A. Kamen
- Department of Bioengineering, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 0G4, Canada; (M.Y.); (C.H.); (J.P.C.F.)
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18
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Wang H, Chen Y, Wang L, Liu Q, Yang S, Wang C. Advancing herbal medicine: enhancing product quality and safety through robust quality control practices. Front Pharmacol 2023; 14:1265178. [PMID: 37818188 PMCID: PMC10561302 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1265178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2023] [Accepted: 09/15/2023] [Indexed: 10/12/2023] Open
Abstract
This manuscript provides an in-depth review of the significance of quality control in herbal medication products, focusing on its role in maintaining efficiency and safety. With a historical foundation in traditional medicine systems, herbal remedies have gained widespread popularity as natural alternatives to conventional treatments. However, the increasing demand for these products necessitates stringent quality control measures to ensure consistency and safety. This comprehensive review explores the importance of quality control methods in monitoring various aspects of herbal product development, manufacturing, and distribution. Emphasizing the need for standardized processes, the manuscript delves into the detection and prevention of contaminants, the authentication of herbal ingredients, and the adherence to regulatory standards. Additionally, it highlights the integration of traditional knowledge and modern scientific approaches in achieving optimal quality control outcomes. By emphasizing the role of quality control in herbal medicine, this manuscript contributes to promoting consumer trust, safeguarding public health, and fostering the responsible use of herbal medication products.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongting Wang
- Anhui Provincial Engineering Laboratory for Screening and Re-evaluation of Active Compounds of Herbal Medicines in Southern Anhui, Anhui Provincial Engineering Research Center for Polysaccharide Drugs, Anhui Innovative Center for Drug Basic Research of Metabolic Diseases, School of Pharmacy, Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, China
| | | | | | | | | | - Cunqin Wang
- Anhui Provincial Engineering Laboratory for Screening and Re-evaluation of Active Compounds of Herbal Medicines in Southern Anhui, Anhui Provincial Engineering Research Center for Polysaccharide Drugs, Anhui Innovative Center for Drug Basic Research of Metabolic Diseases, School of Pharmacy, Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, China
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19
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Daly O, Mahiny AJ, Majeski S, McClintock K, Reichert J, Boros G, Szabó GT, Reinholz J, Schreiner P, Reid S, Lam K, Lepper M, Adler M, Meffen T, Heyes J, Karikó K, Lutwyche P, Vlatkovic I. ASL mRNA-LNP Therapeutic for the Treatment of Argininosuccinic Aciduria Enables Survival Benefit in a Mouse Model. Biomedicines 2023; 11:1735. [PMID: 37371829 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11061735] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2023] [Revised: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 06/11/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Argininosuccinic aciduria (ASA) is a metabolic disorder caused by a deficiency in argininosuccinate lyase (ASL), which cleaves argininosuccinic acid to arginine and fumarate in the urea cycle. ASL deficiency (ASLD) leads to hepatocyte dysfunction, hyperammonemia, encephalopathy, and respiratory alkalosis. Here we describe a novel therapeutic approach for treating ASA, based on nucleoside-modified messenger RNA (modRNA) formulated in lipid nanoparticles (LNP). To optimize ASL-encoding mRNA, we modified its cap, 5' and 3' untranslated regions, coding sequence, and the poly(A) tail. We tested multiple optimizations of the formulated mRNA in human cells and wild-type C57BL/6 mice. The ASL protein showed robust expression in vitro and in vivo and a favorable safety profile, with low cytokine and chemokine secretion even upon administration of increasing doses of ASL mRNA-LNP. In the ASLNeo/Neo mouse model of ASLD, intravenous administration of the lead therapeutic candidate LNP-ASL CDS2 drastically improved the survival of the mice. When administered twice a week lower doses partially protected and 3 mg/kg LNP-ASL CDS2 fully protected the mice. These results demonstrate the considerable potential of LNP-formulated, modified ASL-encoding mRNA as an effective alternative to AAV-based approaches for the treatment of ASA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Owen Daly
- Genevant Sciences Corporation, Vancouver, BC V5T 4T5, Canada
| | | | - Sara Majeski
- Genevant Sciences Corporation, Vancouver, BC V5T 4T5, Canada
| | | | | | - Gábor Boros
- BioNTech SE, An der Goldgrube 12, 55131 Mainz, Germany
| | | | | | - Petra Schreiner
- Genevant Sciences Corporation, Vancouver, BC V5T 4T5, Canada
| | - Steve Reid
- Genevant Sciences Corporation, Vancouver, BC V5T 4T5, Canada
| | - Kieu Lam
- Genevant Sciences Corporation, Vancouver, BC V5T 4T5, Canada
| | - Marlen Lepper
- BioNTech SE, An der Goldgrube 12, 55131 Mainz, Germany
| | - Melanie Adler
- BioNTech SE, An der Goldgrube 12, 55131 Mainz, Germany
| | - Tracy Meffen
- Genevant Sciences Corporation, Vancouver, BC V5T 4T5, Canada
| | - James Heyes
- Genevant Sciences Corporation, Vancouver, BC V5T 4T5, Canada
| | | | - Pete Lutwyche
- Genevant Sciences Corporation, Vancouver, BC V5T 4T5, Canada
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20
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Placing a value on increased flexible vaccine manufacturing capacity for future pandemics. Vaccine 2023; 41:2317-2319. [PMID: 36870878 PMCID: PMC9978930 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2023.02.065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2022] [Accepted: 02/22/2023] [Indexed: 03/06/2023]
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21
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Scalable mRNA Machine for Regulatory Approval of Variable Scale between 1000 Clinical Doses to 10 Million Manufacturing Scale Doses. Processes (Basel) 2023. [DOI: 10.3390/pr11030745] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The production of messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) and other biologics is performed primarily in batch mode. This results in larger equipment, cleaning/sterilization volumes, and dead times compared to any continuous approach. Consequently, production throughput is lower and capital costs are relatively high. Switching to continuous production thus reduces the production footprint and also lowers the cost of goods (COG). During process development, from the provision of clinical trial samples to the production plant, different plant sizes are usually required, operating at different operating parameters. To speed up this step, it would be optimal if only one plant with the same equipment and piping could be used for all sizes. In this study, an efficient solution to this old challenge in biologics manufacturing is demonstrated, namely the qualification and validation of a plant setup for clinical trial doses of about 1000 doses and a production scale-up of about 10 million doses. Using the current example of the Comirnaty BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine, the cost-intensive in vitro transcription was first optimized in batch so that a yield of 12 g/L mRNA was achieved, and then successfully transferred to continuous production in the segmented plug flow reactor with subsequent purification using ultra- and diafiltration, which enables the recycling of costly reactants. To realize automated process control as well as real-time product release, the use of appropriate process analytical technology is essential. This will also be used to efficiently capture the product slug so that no product loss occurs and contamination from the fill-up phase is <1%. Further work will focus on real-time release testing during a continuous operating campaign under autonomous operational control. Such efforts will enable direct industrialization in collaboration with appropriate industry partners, their regulatory affairs, and quality assurance. A production scale-operation could be directly supported and managed by data-driven decisions.
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22
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Fekete S, Doneanu C, Addepalli B, Gaye M, Nguyen J, Alden B, Birdsall R, Han D, Isaac G, Lauber M. Challenges and emerging trends in liquid chromatography-based analyses of mRNA pharmaceuticals. J Pharm Biomed Anal 2023; 224:115174. [PMID: 36446261 PMCID: PMC9678211 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpba.2022.115174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2022] [Revised: 11/13/2022] [Accepted: 11/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Lipid encapsulated messenger RNA (LNP mRNA) has garnered a significant amount of interest from the pharmaceutical industry and general public alike. This attention has been catalyzed by the clinical success of LNP mRNA for SARS-CoV-2 vaccination as well as future promises that might be fulfilled by the biotechnology pipeline, such as the in vivo delivery of a CRISPR/Cas9 complex that can edit patient cells to reduce levels of low-density lipoprotein. LNP mRNAs are comprised of various chemically diverse molecules brought together in a sophisticated intermolecular complex. This can make it challenging to achieve thorough analytical characterization. Nevertheless, liquid chromatography is becoming an increasingly relied upon technique for LNP mRNA analyses. Although there have been significant advances in all types of LNP mRNA analyses, this review focuses on recent developments and the possibilities of applying anion exchange (AEX) and ion pairing reversed phase (IP-RP) liquid chromatography for intact mRNAs as well as techniques for oligo mapping analysis, 5' endcap testing and lipid compositional assays.
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23
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Oude Blenke E, Örnskov E, Schöneich C, Nilsson GA, Volkin DB, Mastrobattista E, Almarsson Ö, Crommelin DJA. The Storage and In-Use Stability of mRNA Vaccines and Therapeutics: Not A Cold Case. J Pharm Sci 2023; 112:386-403. [PMID: 36351479 PMCID: PMC9637289 DOI: 10.1016/j.xphs.2022.11.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 39.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2022] [Revised: 11/02/2022] [Accepted: 11/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
The remarkable impact of mRNA vaccines on mitigating disease and improving public health has been amply demonstrated during the COVID-19 pandemic. Many new mRNA-based vaccine and therapeutic candidates are in development, yet the current reality of their stability limitations requires their frozen storage. Numerous challenges remain to improve formulated mRNA stability and enable refrigerator storage, and this review provides an update on developments to tackle this multi-faceted stability challenge. We describe the chemistry underlying mRNA degradation during storage and highlight how lipid nanoparticle (LNP) formulations are a double-edged sword: while LNPs protect mRNA against enzymatic degradation, interactions with and between LNP excipients introduce additional risks for mRNA degradation. We also discuss strategies to improve mRNA stability both as a drug substance (DS) and a drug product (DP) including the (1) design of the mRNA molecule (nucleotide selection, primary and secondary structures), (2) physical state of the mRNA-LNP complexes, (3) formulation composition and purity of the components, and (4) DS and DP manufacturing processes. Finally, we summarize analytical control strategies to monitor and assure the stability of mRNA-based candidates, and advocate for an integrated analytical and formulation development approach to further improve their storage, transport, and in-use stability profiles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erik Oude Blenke
- Advanced Drug Delivery, Pharmaceutical Sciences, R&D, AstraZeneca, 43183 Gothenburg, Sweden.
| | - Eivor Örnskov
- Advanced Drug Delivery, Pharmaceutical Sciences, R&D, AstraZeneca, 43183 Gothenburg, Sweden.
| | - Christian Schöneich
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66047 United States.
| | - Gunilla A Nilsson
- Advanced Drug Delivery, Pharmaceutical Sciences, R&D, AstraZeneca, 43183 Gothenburg, Sweden.
| | - David B Volkin
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66047 United States; Vaccine Analytics and Formulation Center, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66047 United States.
| | - Enrico Mastrobattista
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences (UIPS), Utrecht University, the Netherlands.
| | - Örn Almarsson
- AfiRx LLC, Chestnut Hill, MA 02467 United States; Visiting Fellow, UNSW RNA Institute and the School of Chemistry, UNSW, Sydney, Australia.
| | - Daan J A Crommelin
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences (UIPS), Utrecht University, the Netherlands.
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24
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Bai Y, Liu D, He Q, Liu J, Mao Q, Liang Z. Research progress on circular RNA vaccines. Front Immunol 2023; 13:1091797. [PMID: 36713460 PMCID: PMC9878156 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1091797] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2022] [Accepted: 12/27/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Owing to the success of linear mRNA coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines, biopharmaceutical companies and research teams worldwide have attempted to develop more stable circular RNA (circRNA) vaccines and have achieved some preliminary results. This review aims to summarize key findings and important progress made in circRNA research, the in vivo metabolism and biological functions of circRNAs, and research progress and production process of circRNA vaccines. Further, considerations regarding the quality control of circRNA vaccines are highlighted herein, and the main challenges and problem-solving strategies in circRNA vaccine development and quality control are outlined to provide a reference for circRNA vaccine-related research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Bai
- Division of Hepatitis and Enterovirus Vaccines, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Beijing, China,NHC Key Laboratory of Research on Quality and Standardization of Biotech Products, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Beijing, China,NMPA Key Laboratory for Quality Research and Evaluation of Biological Products, Institute of Biological Products, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Beijing, China
| | - Dong Liu
- Division of Hepatitis and Enterovirus Vaccines, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Beijing, China,NHC Key Laboratory of Research on Quality and Standardization of Biotech Products, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Beijing, China,NMPA Key Laboratory for Quality Research and Evaluation of Biological Products, Institute of Biological Products, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Beijing, China
| | - Qian He
- Division of Hepatitis and Enterovirus Vaccines, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Beijing, China,NHC Key Laboratory of Research on Quality and Standardization of Biotech Products, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Beijing, China,NMPA Key Laboratory for Quality Research and Evaluation of Biological Products, Institute of Biological Products, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Beijing, China
| | - Jianyang Liu
- Division of Hepatitis and Enterovirus Vaccines, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Beijing, China,NHC Key Laboratory of Research on Quality and Standardization of Biotech Products, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Beijing, China,NMPA Key Laboratory for Quality Research and Evaluation of Biological Products, Institute of Biological Products, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Beijing, China
| | - Qunying Mao
- Division of Hepatitis and Enterovirus Vaccines, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Beijing, China,NHC Key Laboratory of Research on Quality and Standardization of Biotech Products, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Beijing, China,NMPA Key Laboratory for Quality Research and Evaluation of Biological Products, Institute of Biological Products, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Beijing, China,*Correspondence: Zhenglun Liang, ; Qunying Mao,
| | - Zhenglun Liang
- Division of Hepatitis and Enterovirus Vaccines, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Beijing, China,NHC Key Laboratory of Research on Quality and Standardization of Biotech Products, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Beijing, China,NMPA Key Laboratory for Quality Research and Evaluation of Biological Products, Institute of Biological Products, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control, Beijing, China,*Correspondence: Zhenglun Liang, ; Qunying Mao,
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25
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Vavilis T, Stamoula E, Ainatzoglou A, Sachinidis A, Lamprinou M, Dardalas I, Vizirianakis IS. mRNA in the Context of Protein Replacement Therapy. Pharmaceutics 2023; 15:pharmaceutics15010166. [PMID: 36678793 PMCID: PMC9866414 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics15010166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2022] [Revised: 12/22/2022] [Accepted: 12/29/2022] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Protein replacement therapy is an umbrella term used for medical treatments that aim to substitute or replenish specific protein deficiencies that result either from the protein being absent or non-functional due to mutations in affected patients. Traditionally, such an approach requires a well characterized but arduous and expensive protein production procedure that employs in vitro expression and translation of the pharmaceutical protein in host cells, followed by extensive purification steps. In the wake of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, mRNA-based pharmaceuticals were recruited to achieve rapid in vivo production of antigens, proving that the in vivo translation of exogenously administered mRNA is nowadays a viable therapeutic option. In addition, the urgency of the situation and worldwide demand for mRNA-based medicine has led to an evolution in relevant technologies, such as in vitro transcription and nanolipid carriers. In this review, we present preclinical and clinical applications of mRNA as a tool for protein replacement therapy, alongside with information pertaining to the manufacture of modified mRNA through in vitro transcription, carriers employed for its intracellular delivery and critical quality attributes pertaining to the finished product.
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Affiliation(s)
- Theofanis Vavilis
- Laboratory of Biology and Genetics, School of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
- Department of Dentistry, European University Cyprus, Nicosia 2404, Cyprus
- Correspondence:
| | - Eleni Stamoula
- Centre of Systems Biology, Department of Biotechnology, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Alexandra Ainatzoglou
- Centre of Systems Biology, Department of Biotechnology, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, 11527 Athens, Greece
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Athanasios Sachinidis
- 4th Department of Internal Medicine, Hippokration General Hospital, School of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54642 Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Malamatenia Lamprinou
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Ioannis Dardalas
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Ioannis S. Vizirianakis
- Laboratory of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
- Department of Life & Health Sciences, School of Sciences and Engineering, University of Nicosia, Nicosia 1700, Cyprus
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26
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Process Automation and Control Strategy by Quality-by-Design in Total Continuous mRNA Manufacturing Platforms. Processes (Basel) 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/pr10091783] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Vaccine supply has a bottleneck in manufacturing capacity due to operation personnel and chemicals needed. Assessment of existing mRNA (messenger ribonucleic acid) vaccine processing show needs for continuous manufacturing processes. This is enabled by strict application of the regulatory demanded quality by design process based on digital twins, process analytical technology, and control automation strategies in order to improve process transfer for manufacturing capacity, reduction out-of-specification batch failures, qualified personnel training and number, optimal utilization of buffers and chemicals as well as speed-up of product release. In this work, process control concepts, which are necessary for achieving autonomous, continuous manufacturing, for mRNA manufacturing are explained and proven to be ready for industrialization. The application of the process control strategies developed in this work enable the previously pointed out benefits. By switching from batch-wise to continuous mRNA production as was shown in previous work, which was the base for this study, a potential cost reduction by a factor 5 (i.e., from EUR 0.380 per dose to EUR 0.085 per dose) is achievable. Mainly, based on reduction of personnel (factor 30) and consumable (factor 7.5) per campaign due to the significant share of raw materials in the manufacturing costs (74–97). Future research focus following this work may be on model-based predictive control to gain further optimization potential of potential batch failure and out of specification (OOS) number reduction.
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