Cited by 1,566RNA Interference and Gene DeliveryNanoparticle-Based Drug DeliverySARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 Research

The DOI matches its Crossref record; 82 of the 85 references it cites were found in a registry or an index; 2 of the 84 sources its claims cite were checked for support.

mRNA-lipid nanoparticle COVID-19 vaccines: Structure and stability

Open access

Abstract

A drawback of the current mRNA-lipid nanoparticle (LNP) COVID-19 vaccines is that they have to be stored at (ultra)low temperatures. Understanding the root cause of the instability of these vaccines may help to rationally improve mRNA-LNP product stability and thereby ease the temperature conditions for storage. In this review we discuss proposed structures of mRNA-LNPs, factors that impact mRNA-LNP stability and strategies to optimize mRNA-LNP product stability. Analysis of mRNA-LNP structures reveals that mRNA, the ionizable cationic lipid and water are present in the LNP core. The neutral helper lipids are mainly positioned in the outer, encapsulating, wall. mRNA hydrolysis is the determining factor for mRNA-LNP instability. It is currently unclear how water in the LNP core interacts with the mRNA and to what extent the degradation prone sites of mRNA are protected through a coat of ionizable cationic lipids. To improve the stability of mRNA-LNP vaccines, optimization of the mRNA nucleotide composition should be prioritized. Secondly, a better understanding of the milieu the mRNA is exposed to in the core of LNPs may help to rationalize adjustments to the LNP structure to preserve mRNA integrity. Moreover, drying techniques, such as lyophilization, are promising options still to be explored.

Overview

AI snapshot

Written from the paper’s full text.

TL;DR

This review synthesizes the structure and storage stability of mRNA-LNP COVID-19 vaccines, concluding that mRNA exposure to water is likely the main driver of instability and that frozen storage remains necessary. It outlines analytical methods and stabilization opportunities such as excipient optimization and lyophilization, while highlighting major gaps in public stability data.

Key findings

  • Current mRNA-LNP COVID-19 vaccines require frozen storage: Moderna’s vaccine is kept at −15 to −25 °C and Pfizer/BioNTech’s at −60 to −90 °C; at 2–8 °C, Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna vaccines are stable for 5 and 30 days, respectively, while CureVac’s candidate is reported stable for 3 months at refrigerator temperatures and at −60 °C.
  • mRNA instability, rather than LNP instability, likely dictates storage conditions: siRNA-LNP Onpattro has a 3-year shelf life at 2–8 °C, and siRNA-LNPs remained stable at 2 °C for 156 days at pH 7 and at 4 °C for 1.5 years, whereas naked mRNA in aqueous solution can be stored at 4 °C for only a few days with RNase protection.
  • mRNA-LNPs are about 60–100 nm, with examples nCoVsaRNA at 75 nm and ARCoV at 89 nm; encapsulation efficiencies are typically >90%, and the isotropic LNP core may contain 24% water by volume fraction, potentially exposing mRNA to water and hydrolysis.
  • mRNA engineering includes 1-methyl-pseudouridine (m1Ψ) in Moderna and Pfizer/BioNTech vaccines and GC-enrichment in CureVac; conventional mRNA vaccines use 30 µg (Pfizer/BioNTech), 100 µg (Moderna), and 12 µg (CureVac) intramuscular doses, while self-amplifying mRNA constructs are about 9 kb versus 2–4 kb for non-replicating mRNA.

Methods

  • Narrative review; no primary experiments or new data are reported.
  • Draws on published literature, product and regulatory documents, and tables comparing BNT162b2/Comirnaty, mRNA-1273, CVnCoV, Onpattro, and self-amplifying mRNA candidates.
  • Synthesizes proposed mRNA-LNP structural models from cryo-TEM, SAXS/SANS, and NMR, mRNA degradation chemistry, analytical assays, and storage-stability evidence.

Limitations

  • Stated: little public data exist on long-term storage of mRNA-LNP formulations, the extent to which encapsulation affects storage stability is unclear, and very little is known about LNP structure/morphology, chemical stability of LNP components, and colloidal stability of the mRNA-LNP system.
  • Stated: no research report was available in the public domain on the integrity of both mRNA and LNPs in mRNA-LNP formulations, and questions remain about mRNA-LNP structure and mRNA–lipid interactions.
  • Evident: as a review, it relies on indirect evidence from siRNA-LNPs, naked mRNA, and product/regulatory documents rather than controlled head-to-head stability studies; some quality information comes from leaked EMA documents and public summaries rather than full public specifications.

Model-written summary. Check it against the paper before relying on it.

Integrity signals

Registry

Crossref · 10.1016/j.ijpharm.2021.120586

Cites

82 of 82 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

Statistics

Nothing to recompute.

Verification

Claims the paper makes

60 Not checked yet · 26 Own interpretation · 10 No basis given · 1 Partly supported · accuracy not yet measured

Verify all 82 references — free account

Show all 62 claims

  • Probably not a substantial claim. 10
  • It may state two separate claims as one. 27
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  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Currently, hardly any data is available in the public domain on what happens when mRNA-LNP formulations are stored for long periods of time.

    “Currently, hardly any data is available in the public domain on what happens when mRNA-LNP formulations are stored for long periods of time.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    It is unclear to what extent entrapping mRNA within LNPs influences the storage stability of the mRNA vaccine.

    “Moreover, it is unclear to what extent entrapping mRNA within LNPs influences the storage stability of the mRNA vaccine.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Very little is known about the structure and morphology of LNPs formulated with mRNA, the chemical stability of the LNP components and the colloidal stability of the mRNA-LNP system.

    “Additionally, very little is known about the structure and morphology of LNPs formulated with mRNA, the chemical stability of the LNP components and the colloidal stability of the mRNA-LNP system.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    The degradation processes and the reasons why storage temperature requirements differ are not fully understood.

    “To date, the degradation processes and the reasons why storage temperature requirements differ, are not fully understood.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    The composition of mRNA-LNP vaccines is fundamental to their stability.

    “The composition of mRNA-LNP vaccines is fundamental to their stability.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    PEG-lipid is used to control the particle size and act as a steric barrier to prevent aggregation during storage.

    “In addition, PEG-lipid is used to control the particle size and act as a steric barrier to prevent aggregation during storage.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    One factor that strongly influences the required storage conditions is the stability of the mRNA.

    “One factor that strongly influences the required storage conditions is the stability of the mRNA.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    The integrity and purity of the mRNA are essential to safeguard efficacy and safety of mRNA vaccines.

    “As the integrity and purity of the mRNA are essential to safeguard efficacy and safety of mRNA vaccines, it is important to have tools to monitor these aspects.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    No information on LNP stability tests is available for the present mRNA COVID-19 vaccines.

    “No information on LNP stability tests could be found for the present mRNA COVID-19 vaccines, but the siRNA-LNP formulation of Onpattro (patisaran) has a three-year shelf life when kept between 2° and 8 °C (EMA, 2018).”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    There is no research report available in the public domain on the integrity of both mRNA and LNPs in mRNA-LNP formulations.

    “To date, there is no research report available in the public domain on the integrity of both mRNA and LNPs in mRNA-LNP formulations.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    The presence of water initiates degradation reactions in mRNA-LNPs.

    “As the presence of water initiates degradation reactions in mRNA-LNPs, lyophilization would be a logical step to improve the long-term stability of mRNA-LNP formulations.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    mRNA is most stable in a weakly basic environment.

    “Generally, mRNA is most stable in a weakly basic environment.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Quality specifications for the presently accepted mRNA-LNP COVID-19 products are still not available in the public domain.

    “Quality specifications for the presently accepted mRNA-LNP COVID-19 products are still not available in the public domain.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Lyophilization of mRNA-LNP faces hurdles including high energy consumption and costs related to expanding lyophilization capacity.

    “Apart from challenges to preserve the integrity of mRNA-LNP through lyophilization, there are other hurdles such as the high energy consumption of the process and other costs, e.g., those related to the necessary, dramatic expansion of the lyophilization capacity worldwide in times of a pandemic.”
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Each contradiction between two passages listed here was confirmed by an independent check.

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Metadata

Authors
Schoenmaker, L., Witzigmann, D., Kulkarni, J. A., Verbeke, R., Kersten, G., Jiskoot, W., & Crommelin, D. J. A.
Affiliations
  • Leiden University (NL)
  • University of British Columbia (CA)
  • Ghent University (BE)
  • Utrecht University (NL)
Corresponding author
  • Jiskoot, Wim
  • Crommelin, Daan J.A.
Venue
International Journal of Pharmaceutics
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2021-05
Volume
601
Pages
120586
ISSN
0378-5173 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W3148255637
Cited by
1,566
References
85
Citations by year
2026: 267 · 2025: 351 · 2024: 317 · 2023: 291 · 2022: 259 · 2021: 81
FWCI
24.86
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • International Journal of Pharmaceutics (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Leiden Repository (Leiden University) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • Ghent University Academic Bibliography (Ghent University) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • Utrecht University Repository (Utrecht University) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
  • Data Archiving and Networked Services (DANS) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
Funders
Universiteit Leiden
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › RNA Interference and Gene Delivery
  • Physical Sciences › Materials Science › Biomaterials › Nanoparticle-Based Drug Delivery
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Infectious Diseases › SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 Research
Keywords
COVID-19 vaccines, vaccine stability, ionizable cationic lipids, helper lipids, mRNA degradation, freeze-drying
MeSH terms
COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19 Vaccines, Humans, Lipids, RNA, Messenger, RNA, Small Interfering, Nanoparticles

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