The Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines have put mRNA technology on the map, providing real-world proof that this emerging branch of medicine offers a viable way to save lives by preventing emerging infectious diseases. Now, scientists and researchers are looking to harness mRNA for a tantalizingly greater purpose: treating chronic illnesses.

Over the past decade, mRNA short for messenger ribonucleic acid  has emerged as a promising next-generation technology for creating a new class of medications to treat cystic fibrosis, heart disease, rare genetic conditions, and even some cancers. Many scientific and regulatory hurdles lie ahead for these new mRNA-based therapies, which are likely to be more complicated to develop than the COVID-19 vaccines.

But the safety and effectiveness of the new vaccines, and the breakneck speed at which they were developed, have spotlighted the potential for other medicinal uses of mRNA. And the future looks promising, experts say. “Now that they’ve been able to prove their worth with such high efficacy against COVID-19, you’re going to see mRNA vaccines flourish when it comes to thinking about other disease threats,”. “I think you’re going to see probably a twofold impact with mRNA one in preventive vaccines for other emerging infectious diseases as well as therapeutic vaccines they’re looking at, for cancer, for example and other lifestyle diseases and chronic diseases.”

That mRNA shift  from prevention to treatment is already underway. For instance:

Moderna has more than two dozen prospective mRNA therapies and vaccines in the pipeline some in partnership with Big Pharma heavy hitters like Merck and AstraZeneca targeting genetic diseases, influenza, HIV, heart disease, and cancer. BioNTech has a similar number of new mRNA studies and research projects in the works for various cancers, tuberculosis, and the flu. And CureVac, another leading mRNA biotech company, has launched studies into a half-dozen other potential medical uses.

Cells use mRNA to translate the genes of DNA into dynamic proteins, involved in virtually every bodily function and health condition. Biotech companies make some of these proteins as drugs, using genetically engineered cells in factories. But, in theory, mRNA therapies may be used to prompt proteins to be made in your body in effect putting the drug factory inside you, Hoge says.

Game Changer for the Drug Industry

If mRNA therapeutics prove to be as successful as the COVID-19 vaccines, mRNA could transform the drug industry, just as biotech companies like Biogen and Genentech developed protein therapies called biologics in the 1980s.

Setbacks on the Path to Advancement

First of all, none of the mRNA therapies under study have been conclusively validated in clinical trials for safety and effectiveness in the way the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines have.

Media Contact
David Paul
Managing Editor
Journal of Infectious Diseases and Diagnosis