Packaging, RNA and Vaccine - Drug Discovery Digest

A Visual Guide to Gene Delivery

Codon

JULY 28, 2025

Some diseases are caused by mutations in large genes that exceed the packaging limits of existing vectors like adeno-associated virus (AAV). Its exact packaging size can vary by serotype, and there are now more than 20 antigenically distinct types of AAV. Still, AAV’s most obvious limitation remains its packaging capacity (~4.7

Immune Response

Immune Response DNA Therapies Virus

Lexeo to help launch spinout around RNA drugs for the heart

BioPharma Drive: Drug Pricing

JUNE 24, 2025

Published June 24, 2025 Gwendolyn Wu Senior reporter post share post print email license Lexeo Therapeutics and two life sciences investors are working together to launch a startup to develop cardiac RNA therapies. The statement did not specify where the non-viral delivery technology the new startup will use comes from. “We

RNA

RNA Drugs Therapies Licensing

Levers for Biological Progress

Codon

NOVEMBER 1, 2024

Such models will, in turn, make it much easier to invent the sorts of platform tools that Amodei asserts “drive >50% of progress in biology,” such as CRISPR and mRNA vaccines, because the creation of these tools ultimately derive from a deeper understanding of how cells work.

DNA

DNA RNA Molecular Biology Laboratories

Pfizer COVID vaccine under EMA review for younger teens

The Pharma Data

MAY 3, 2021

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) is evaluating an application submitted by Pfizer and BioNTech for use of their COVID-19 vaccine in children aged 12 to 15 years. . The vaccine has been authorized by the EU for use in people 16 years and up since December 2020. . Pfizer also shared antibody responses from the younger age group.

Vaccine

Vaccine RNA Clinical Trials Packaging

Months of Work Hang in the Balance as Moderna’s COVID-19 Vaccine Awaits AdComm Vote

The Pharma Data

DECEMBER 16, 2020

Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advisory panel in regard to the COVID-19 vaccine from Moderna. The Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee will be determining whether the product should be authorized for emergency use, according to CNBC. The vote itself is not slated to take place until after 3 p.m.

Vaccine

Vaccine Immune Response FDA Virus

Janssen Announces U.S. FDA Approval of CABENUVA (rilpivirine and cabotegravir), the First Long-Acting Regimen for the Treatment of HIV

The Pharma Data

JANUARY 21, 2021

CABENUVA, a co-packaged kit with two injectable medicines, offers people living with HIV a new approach for maintaining viral suppression. In the ATLAS study, CABENUVA met the primary endpoint for noninferiority (the proportion of participants with plasma HIV-1 RNA ?50 50 c/mL, meeting noninferiority criteria.

FDA Approval

FDA Approval Treatment RNA FDA

Codon Digest: Ghana Approves A Better Malaria Vaccine

Codon

APRIL 23, 2023

Most people would take the two CRISPR gene-editing components (a Cas9 protein and guide RNA), package them up inside of a virus, and then inject the viruses into the skulls of mice. Promising new malaria vaccine for kids approved in Ghana. Stahl et al. on bioRxiv. If you want to edit a gene inside of a neuron, what do you do?

Vaccine

Vaccine DNA Virus Engineering

Codon Digest: Ghana Approves A Better Malaria Vaccine

Codon

APRIL 23, 2023

Most people would take the two CRISPR gene-editing components (a Cas9 protein and guide RNA), package them up inside of a virus, and then inject the viruses into the skulls of mice. Promising new malaria vaccine for kids approved in Ghana. Stahl et al. on bioRxiv. If you want to edit a gene inside of a neuron, what do you do?

Vaccine

Vaccine DNA Virus Engineering

Moderna Announces Primary Efficacy Analysis in Phase 3 COVE Study for Its COVID-19 Vaccine Candidate and Filing Today with U.S. FDA for Emergency Use Authorization

The Pharma Data

NOVEMBER 30, 2020

(Nasdaq: MRNA), a biotechnology company pioneering messenger RNA (mRNA) therapeutics and vaccines to create a new generation of transformative medicines for patients, today announced that the primary efficacy analysis of the Phase 3 study of mRNA-1273 conducted on 196 cases confirms the high efficacy observed at the first interim analysis.

Vaccine

Vaccine FDA Clinical Trials Disease

Enhancing gene therapy with Circio

Drug Target Review

MAY 22, 2024

What are the key findings of Circio’s in vivo proof-of-concept for its circVec circular RNA platform technology compared to conventional mRNA-based expression with DNA vectors? Circular RNA (circRNA) has two major advantages versus mRNA in a vector-expression context.

Therapies

Therapies RNA Protein Expression DNA

Codon Digest: Injected Gene Editors

Codon

APRIL 2, 2023

Read A new DNA polymerase variant, called RT-KTq I614Y, can directly detect RNA modifications, including pseudouridine (Ψ) and queuosine (Q). By combining this new variant with standard sequencing methods, it’s possible to identify RNA modifications in a really simple way. Nucleic Acids Research. Nature Biotechnology.

DNA

DNA RNA Engineering Licensing

Beyond Steel Tanks

Codon

MARCH 24, 2024

In the case of semaglutide, those cells are Saccharomyces cerevisiae— also known as Baker’s yeast — engineered to secrete a peptide precursor that is later purified, chemically modified, packaged into an injectable or tablet form, and then shipped around the world. Continuing this method may not scale.

Vaccine

Vaccine Engineering Production RNA

Cultivated Meat? Let Them Eat Snake

PLOS: DNA Science

MARCH 14, 2024

Biotechnology has solved many problems, from recombinant DNA and monoclonal antibody-derived drugs, to gene therapy and stem cell transplants, to RNA-based vaccines and genetically modified plants that resist diseases and pesticides. We package them into a range of branded consumer products.”

DNA

DNA RNA Packaging Production

Which Arthritis Painkiller Works the Fastest?

The Pharma Data

MAY 13, 2021

Stimulates DNA and RNA synthesis. You should apply the MindBody Matrix Pain Relief cream 3-4 times per day for the first week after you receive your package. Increases your energy levels by increasing ATP production. Activates and speeds up the lymphatic system. Reduces painful symptoms associated with arthritis.

Pharmacy

Pharmacy Doctors Production Therapies

Codon Digest: Discovering Antibiotics with Deep Learning

Codon

MAY 30, 2023

The researchers first compared the editing efficiency of different versions of IscB when coupled with 'ωRNA,' which guides the enzyme to the right spot on the DNA. A particular variant, named IscB*-ωRNA*, had the highest editing efficiency across multiple different sites in the genome. Read more in Nature Methods.

DNA

DNA RNA Engineering Vaccine

Codon Digest: Discovering Antibiotics with Deep Learning

Codon

MAY 30, 2023

The researchers first compared the editing efficiency of different versions of IscB when coupled with 'ωRNA,' which guides the enzyme to the right spot on the DNA. A particular variant, named IscB*-ωRNA*, had the highest editing efficiency across multiple different sites in the genome. Read more in Nature Methods.

DNA

DNA RNA Engineering Vaccine

A Field Guide To In Vivo Cell Therapy Companies

SugarCone Biotech

APRIL 8, 2025

That said, interest and opportunity in advanced therapeutic modalities for oncology cell therapy, bispecific antibodies, antibody drug conjugates, vaccine strategies remains high. The most typical genetic cargo for LNP-mediated in vivo CAR T cell production is messenger RNA (mRNA).

Therapies

Therapies RNA Packaging Virus

Strategic Infrastructure in a Fragmenting World: Biotech in the Transition Zone

LifeSciVC

APRIL 8, 2025

Meanwhile, Modernas ongoing CEPI partnershipsincluding pre-pandemic commitments to rapidly produce mRNA vaccines in LMICsdemonstrate how platform readiness, not just innovation, is being treated as public health infrastructure. Beneath that lies formulation science, packaging design, and delivery hardware.

RNA

RNA Packaging Computational Chemistry Science

The Forgotten Pandemic

Codon

OCTOBER 27, 2024

The second part — focused on vaccines and medicines — will be published next Sunday, concluding Issue 04 of Asimov Press. Identifying the bacteria behind the pathogen would later set the stage for many upcoming diagnostics, treatments, and even a vaccine. But doctors explored numerous uninformed remedies in the interim.

Immune Response

Immune Response Doctors Disease Laboratories

Making a “Miracle” HIV Medicine

Codon

FEBRUARY 23, 2025

.” In 1974, Wolfram Ostertag , a German geneticist at the Max Planck Institute, explored whether zidovudine could block retroviruses , which carry RNA, and use a reverse transcriptase enzyme to convert it into DNA before integrating into the host genome. A lifelong HIV vaccine would be ideal, but developing one has proved difficult.

Clinical Trials

Clinical Trials Virus Vaccine DNA

Drug Discovery Digest

A Visual Guide to Gene Delivery

Lexeo to help launch spinout around RNA drugs for the heart

Trending Sources

Levers for Biological Progress

Pfizer COVID vaccine under EMA review for younger teens

Months of Work Hang in the Balance as Moderna’s COVID-19 Vaccine Awaits AdComm Vote

Janssen Announces U.S. FDA Approval of CABENUVA (rilpivirine and cabotegravir), the First Long-Acting Regimen for the Treatment of HIV

Codon Digest: Ghana Approves A Better Malaria Vaccine

Codon Digest: Ghana Approves A Better Malaria Vaccine

Moderna Announces Primary Efficacy Analysis in Phase 3 COVE Study for Its COVID-19 Vaccine Candidate and Filing Today with U.S. FDA for Emergency Use Authorization

Enhancing gene therapy with Circio

Codon Digest: Injected Gene Editors

Beyond Steel Tanks

Cultivated Meat? Let Them Eat Snake

Which Arthritis Painkiller Works the Fastest?

Codon Digest: Discovering Antibiotics with Deep Learning

Codon Digest: Discovering Antibiotics with Deep Learning

A Field Guide To In Vivo Cell Therapy Companies

Strategic Infrastructure in a Fragmenting World: Biotech in the Transition Zone

The Forgotten Pandemic

Making a “Miracle” HIV Medicine

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