GEN-Thermo_Oct22_MakingThePromiseOf - 10

What's Next for mRNA Vaccines?
mutations, and identify antigen-protein targets-all
while eliminating human error.
Further, these technologies can accelerate the
process of identifying the ideal, most productive
mRNA sequence needed to generate those proteins.
Over time, AI/machine learning refinements will
continuously improve the range and effectiveness
of this approach by providing ever-larger datasets to
draw from.
GEN: Do mRNA vaccines have the potential to combat
antimicrobial/antibiotic resistance?
Langer: Yes. Antimicrobial and antibiotic resistance
arises as a natural evolutionary process, the result
of genetic variation ( " errors " ) and mutation in the
pathogen, giving rise to novel traits. Organisms that
develop traits which make them drug-resistant naturally
survive and thrive.
First, mRNA vaccines have the potential to help
combat antimicrobial and antibiotic resistance by
reducing our reliance on traditional antibiotics.
Additionally, Moderna's mRNA platform helps combat
resistance by identifying the most desirable and
persistent antigens for targeting, by improving the
prediction of new strains, and by accelerating the
production of vaccines to defeat those strains.
Finally, by training the immune system to look for
specific surface proteins on the bacterium, an mRNA
vaccine more effectively targets specific pathogens
while avoiding the issue of damaging a patient's
" good " bacteria with increasingly toxic antibiotics.
For instance, through the selection of a " coat protein "
as the target-antigen, an mRNA vaccine against a
drug-resistant strain of malaria has already yielded
encouraging results.
10 | GENengnews.com
GEN: On the whole, mRNA vaccines are safer, more efficient,
and easier to produce than " traditional " vaccines.
However, like with all technologies, there is always
room to improve its accessibility, affordability, efficacy,
and safety. Cold storage requirements and side effects
including possible allergic reactions are some of the
issues impacting uptake of these vaccines. Are there any
solutions to these (or any other) issues that researchers
are currently working upon?
Langer: Moderna is leveraging AI and machine
learning technologies to identify ways to make
mRNA vaccines safer and more durable (with
simpler refrigeration requirements) by minimizing
the length of mRNA strands. Moderna is implementing
a multi-pronged approach to ease the
substantial global disease burden by making mRNA
vaccines more widely accessible, affordable, efficient,
and safe.
Moderna's mRNA Access program aims to accelerate
the creation of new mRNA vaccines through collaboration
with global partners. mRNA Access lets outside
researchers leverage Moderna's platform to develop
mRNA vaccines against emerging and neglected
infectious diseases around the world.
This strategy exponentially expands our brain trust,
making the discovery of safer and more efficient
vaccines an inevitable outcome. To help ensure the
success of our mission to combat the top respiratory
diseases worldwide, Moderna has entered into
ten-year supply agreements with strategic countries.
Finally, Moderna is expanding its COVID-19 vaccine
technology patent-free into 92 additional low- and
middle-income countries as well as building an
mRNA manufacturing facility in Kenya.
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GEN-Thermo_Oct22_MakingThePromiseOf

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