As we move deeper into the world of vaccine technology, there’s a new term you might be hearing: self-replicating mRNA. It’s an evolution of the mRNA technology that played such a central role in COVID-19 vaccines, but this next step brings its own set of complexities and, more importantly, questions.
The pharmaceutical industry is racing to evolve mRNA technology with a new frontier: self-replicating mRNA. It’s designed to enhance vaccine efficacy by producing more of the desired protein (e.g., spike protein) using less starting material. This is done through the addition of a replicase, a viral enzyme that allows the mRNA to multiply itself once inside the cell
The question is, why didn’t this technology appear earlier in the pandemic? The answer seems to be tied to the challenges discovered with traditional mRNA vaccines. Issues like high doses of lipid nanoparticles, which are used to deliver the mRNA, and concerns about side effects have pushed scientists to explore ways to reduce these components while increasing protein production inside the body.
