Multimeric RNAs for efficient RNA-based therapeutics and vaccines

Abstract

There has been a growing interest in RNA therapeutics globally, and much progress has been made in this area, which has been further accelerated by the clinical applications of RNA-based vaccines against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). Following these successful clinical trials, various technologies have been developed to improve the efficacy of RNA-based drugs. Multimerization of RNA therapeutics is one of the most attractive approaches to ensure high stability, high efficacy, and prolonged action of RNA-based drugs. In this review, we offer an overview of the representative approaches for generating repetitive functional RNAs by chemical conjugation, structural self-assembly, enzymatic elongation, and self-amplification. The therapeutic and vaccine applications of engineered multimeric RNAs in various diseases have also been summarized. By outlining the current status of multimeric RNAs, the potential of multimeric RNA as a promising treatment strategy is highlighted.

Keywords: Multimeric RNA; RNA elongation; RNA nanostructure; RNA therapeutics; Rolling circle transcription; Self-amplifying RNA; mRNA vaccines.