GEN-Thermo_Oct22_MakingThePromiseOf - 11

OVERCOMING mRNA PRODUCTION SCALE-UP CHALLENGES
" The many advantages of mRNA versus
traditional vaccines prompted scientists to use
mRNA vaccines to fight SARS-CoV-2 "
Getty Images: Visoot Uthairam
In addition, at MIT, we are working on ways of
creating self-boosting vaccines that can be given in
a single injection that does not require the patient
to return for boosters. We are also developing ways
to create more stable nanoparticles, as well as
microneedle patches that could be shelf stable and
shipped around the world.
GEN: Recently, there has been discussion about developing
vaccines that can be administered as a pill or a
nasal spray. Is this method of delivery possible for mRNA
vaccines?
Langer: The possibilities for vaccine administration
are endless so long as an appropriate, effective
delivery mechanism can be found that protects the
mRNA from the local environments (e.g., mucus,
saliva, stomach acid [HCL]) yet facilitates the delivery
of mRNA into the cell. While the gold standard for
vaccine administration is through an intramuscular
shot in the arm, intranasal COVID-19 vaccines have
already been shown to elicit strong cellular immune
response in humans.
Additionally, at MIT, Gio Traverso and myself recently
developed a self-orienting mRNA " milli-injector "
capsule that uses a polymer coating to deliver mRNA
to the stomach via milli-needle injections in the
gastric lining, thereby avoiding damaging acids. The
experiments successfully produced proteins in gastric
mucosa, as well as systemic uptake though, due to
volume restrictions, their effectiveness may be limited
to diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.
One major roadblock to a nasal mRNA vaccine is nasal
clearing. Mucus and nasal cilia act as a protective
barrier against pathogens, typically a good thing.
Unfortunately, antigen absorption decreases as nasal
clearance increases. Another drawback to a nasal
mRNA vaccine is cost since a specialized delivery
system is required. Unlike an intramuscular injection,
an intranasally administered vaccine must survive
several biological obstacles to reach the target site
and provide long-term protection.
A nasal vaccine's formulation and delivery method
must be precisely tuned and would require ampliGENengnews.com
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GEN-Thermo_Oct22_MakingThePromiseOf

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