Cited by 4,076RNA Interference and Gene DeliveryNanoparticle-Based Drug DeliveryAdvancements in Transdermal Drug Delivery

The DOI matches its Crossref record; 255 of the 259 references it cites were found in a registry or an index; 10 of the 393 sources its claims cite were checked for support.

Lipid nanoparticles for mRNA delivery

Open access
Hou, Xucheng, Zaks, Tal, Langer, Robert, Dong, Yizhou·2021·Nature Reviews Materials

Abstract

Messenger RNA (mRNA) has emerged as a new category of therapeutic agent to prevent and treat various diseases. To function in vivo, mRNA requires safe, effective and stable delivery systems that protect the nucleic acid from degradation and that allow cellular uptake and mRNA release. Lipid nanoparticles have successfully entered the clinic for the delivery of mRNA; in particular, lipid nanoparticle-mRNA vaccines are now in clinical use against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which marks a milestone for mRNA therapeutics. In this Review, we discuss the design of lipid nanoparticles for mRNA delivery and examine physiological barriers and possible administration routes for lipid nanoparticle-mRNA systems. We then consider key points for the clinical translation of lipid nanoparticle-mRNA formulations, including good manufacturing practice, stability, storage and safety, and highlight preclinical and clinical studies of lipid nanoparticle-mRNA therapeutics for infectious diseases, cancer and genetic disorders. Finally, we give an outlook to future possibilities and remaining challenges for this promising technology.

Overview

AI snapshot

Written from the paper’s full text.

TL;DR

This review summarizes lipid nanoparticle (LNP)–mRNA delivery, covering lipid design, physiological barriers, administration routes, manufacturing/storage/safety, and preclinical/clinical translation. It highlights the clinical milestone of COVID-19 LNP–mRNA vaccines and remaining challenges for broader mRNA therapeutics.

Key findings

  • The COVID-19 vaccines mRNA-1273 and BNT162b2 use ionizable lipids SM-102 and ALC-0315, respectively, deliver nucleoside-modified mRNA encoding SARS-CoV-2 spike, and showed similar efficacy (~95%) in phase III trials.
  • Clinical immunogenicity examples include mRNA-1440 (H10N8) at 100 μg inducing 78.3% HAI and 87.0% MN seroconversion, mRNA-1851 (H7N9) at 50 μg inducing 96.3% HAI and 100% MN seroconversion, and mRNA-1893 interim phase I at 10 and 30 µg inducing 94% and 100% seroconversion.
  • Cancer vaccine data include FixVac, where after the eighth immunization more than 75% of patients generated immune responses against at least one tumour-associated antigen, and FixVac/anti-PD1 produced a >35% tumour regression rate in checkpoint inhibitor-experienced patients; mRNA-4157 monotherapy left 14/16 patients disease-free with median follow-up 8 months, while the combination cohort had 50% overall response rate and median progression-free survival 9.8 months.
  • Protein-replacement examples include MRT5005 in cystic fibrosis, where three patients at the 16-mg dose had maximal PPFEV1 increases of 11.1%, 13.6% and 22.2% on day 8, and mRNA-1944, where single i.v. doses of 0.1, 0.3 and 0.6 mg kg−1 produced 2.0, 7.9 and 10.2 µg ml−1 CHKV-IgG at 24 h, with half-life about 69 days.

Methods

  • Design: narrative Review; no primary experiments or new patient data are reported.
  • Data/sample: synthesizes published literature and representative clinical trials listed in Tables 1 and 2 for infectious diseases, cancer and genetic disorders, plus preclinical studies.
  • Analysis: qualitative synthesis of lipid chemistry, physiological barriers, administration routes, GMP/storage/safety considerations, and preclinical/clinical outcomes.

Limitations

  • The paper states that the mechanism of endosomal escape has not yet been fully understood, the immunogenicity of cationic and ionizable lipids has not yet been fully understood, factors impacting long-term storage need investigation, and safety concerns remain.
  • Evident from the text: as a narrative review, it does not use a systematic search or meta-analysis, and the clinical trial data presented are representative/interim rather than exhaustive; the literature is current to 2021.

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

Integrity signals

Registry

Crossref · 10.1038/s41578-021-00358-0

Cites

255 of 255 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

Statistics

Nothing to recompute.

Verification

Claims the paper makes

144 Not checked yet · 13 Own interpretation · 6 No basis given · 3 Supported so far · 2 Partly supported · accuracy not yet measured

Verify all 383 references — free account

Show all 101 claims

  • It may state two separate claims as one. 52
  • Probably not a substantial claim. 20
67 of 67
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    mRNA is unstable and has a short half-life.

    “However, the instability and short half-life of mRNA need to be carefully considered.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Cancers are often accompanied by mutations in the genome.

    “Cancers are often accompanied by mutations in the genome and, therefore, correction of these mutations could be an effective approach for cancer therapies.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Supplement of therapeutic proteins can relieve clinical symptoms but can often not provide lasting treatments or cures.

    “The supplement of therapeutic proteins can relieve clinical symptoms but can often not provide lasting treatments or cures.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Testing and comparing the cell distribution of many different lipid nanoparticle formulations remains challenging.

    “Testing and comparing the cell distribution of many different lipid nanoparticle formulations remains challenging.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Vaccines are the most effective approach to control and eradicate epidemics.

    “Vaccines are the most effective approach to control and eradicate epidemics.”
5 of 5

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Self-check

Percentages, sums and reported differences re-computed from the paper’s own numbers.

Each contradiction between two passages listed here was confirmed by an independent check.

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Metadata

Authors
Hou, X., Zaks, T., Langer, R., & Dong, Y.
Affiliations
  • The Ohio State University (US)
  • Moderna Therapeutics (United States) (US)
Corresponding author
  • Zaks, Tal
  • Dong, Yizhou
Venue
Nature Reviews Materials
Published
2021-08-10
Volume
6
Issue
12
Pages
1078-1094
ISSN
2058-8437 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W3188940990
Cited by
4,076
References
259
Citations by year
2026: 1075 · 2025: 1075 · 2024: 784 · 2023: 639 · 2022: 441 · 2021: 62
FWCI
50.51
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Nature Reviews Materials (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
  • National Institutes of Health (4r37eb000244-34)
  • National Institute of General Medical Sciences (R35GM119679)
  • National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (EB-000244, R01EB000244, R37-EB000244)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › RNA Interference and Gene Delivery
  • Physical Sciences › Materials Science › Biomaterials › Nanoparticle-Based Drug Delivery
  • Life Sciences › Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmaceutics › Pharmaceutical Science › Advancements in Transdermal Drug Delivery
Keywords
lipid nanoparticles, mRNA delivery, mRNA vaccines, COVID-19 vaccines, clinical translation, good manufacturing practices, safety, route of administration, infectious diseases, cancer, genetic disorders, nucleic acid delivery

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