Messenger RNA-based vaccines: Past, present, and future directions in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic

Samagra Jain; Abhijeet Venkataraman; Marissa E Wechsler; Nicholas A Peppas

doi:10.1016/j.addr.2021.114000

Messenger RNA-based vaccines: Past, present, and future directions in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic

Adv Drug Deliv Rev. 2021 Dec:179:114000. doi: 10.1016/j.addr.2021.114000. Epub 2021 Oct 9.

Authors

Samagra Jain¹, Abhijeet Venkataraman², Marissa E Wechsler³, Nicholas A Peppas⁴

Affiliations

¹ Department of Chemical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA.
² Department of Biomedical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA.
³ Department of Biomedical Engineering and Chemical Engineering, The University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA.
⁴ Department of Chemical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA; Institute for Biomaterials, Drug Delivery, and Regenerative Medicine, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA; Division of Molecular Pharmaceutics and Drug Delivery, College of Pharmacy, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA; Department of Surgery and Perioperative Care, Dell Medical School, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA. Electronic address: peppas@che.utexas.edu.

Abstract

mRNA vaccines have received major attention in the fight against COVID-19. Formulations from companies such as Moderna and BioNTech/Pfizer have allowed us to slowly ease the social distancing measures, mask requirements, and lockdowns that have been prevalent since early 2020. This past year's focused work on mRNA vaccines has catapulted this technology to the forefront of public awareness and additional research pursuits, thus leading to new potential for bionanotechnology principles to help drive further innovation using mRNA. In addition to alleviating the burden of COVID-19, mRNA vaccines could potentially provide long-term solutions all over the world for diseases ranging from influenza to AIDS. Herein, we provide a brief commentary based on the history and development of mRNA vaccines in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, we address current research using the technology and future directions of mRNA vaccine research.

Keywords: Drug delivery; Immunology; Nanotechnology; SARS-CoV2; Vaccines; mRNA.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Review

MeSH terms

COVID-19 Vaccines / immunology*
COVID-19*
Humans
Pandemics*
Vaccines / immunology*
mRNA Vaccines / immunology*

Substances

COVID-19 Vaccines
Vaccines
mRNA Vaccines

Grants and funding

R01 EB022025/EB/NIBIB NIH HHS/United States