Cited by 823RNA Interference and Gene DeliverySARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 ResearchImmunotherapy and Immune Responses

The clinical progress of mRNA vaccines and immunotherapies

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Barbier, Ann J., Jiang, Allen Yujie, Zhang, Peng, Wooster, Richard, Anderson, Daniel G.·2022·Nature Biotechnology

Abstract

The emergency use authorizations (EUAs) of two mRNA-based severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV)-2 vaccines approximately 11 months after publication of the viral sequence highlights the transformative potential of this nucleic acid technology. Most clinical applications of mRNA to date have focused on vaccines for infectious disease and cancer for which low doses, low protein expression and local delivery can be effective because of the inherent immunostimulatory properties of some mRNA species and formulations. In addition, work on mRNA-encoded protein or cellular immunotherapies has also begun, for which minimal immune stimulation, high protein expression in target cells and tissues, and the need for repeated administration have led to additional manufacturing and formulation challenges for clinical translation. Building on this momentum, the past year has seen clinical progress with second-generation coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines, Omicron-specific boosters and vaccines against seasonal influenza, Epstein-Barr virus, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and cancer. Here we review the clinical progress of mRNA therapy as well as provide an overview and future outlook of the transformative technology behind these mRNA-based drugs.

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Authors
Barbier, A. J., Jiang, A. Y., Zhang, P., Wooster, R., & Anderson, D. G.
Affiliations
  • Translate Bio (United States) (US)
  • Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research At MIT (US)
Corresponding author
Anderson, Daniel G.
Venue
Nature Biotechnology
Published
2022-05-09
Volume
40
Issue
6
Pages
840-854
ISSN
  • 0733-222X (ISSN-L)
  • 1087-0156
  • 1546-1696
OpenAlex
W4229452462
Cited by
823
References
40
Citations by year
2026: 169 · 2025: 237 · 2024: 210 · 2023: 161 · 2022: 46
FWCI
17.18
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Nature Biotechnology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
  • National Institutes of Health
  • National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (UH3HL147367, R01HL162564)
  • National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (R61AI161805)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › RNA Interference and Gene Delivery
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Infectious Diseases › SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 Research
  • Life Sciences › Immunology and Microbiology › Immunology › Immunotherapy and Immune Responses
Keywords
mRNA vaccines, mRNA therapeutics, COVID-19 vaccines, SARS-CoV-2, influenza vaccination, Epstein-Barr virus, HIV vaccine, cancer immunotherapy, cellular immunotherapy, vaccine production, vaccine formulation, clinical translation
MeSH terms
COVID-19, COVID-19 Vaccines, mRNA Vaccines, Herpesvirus 4, Human, Humans, Immunization, Secondary, Influenza Vaccines, RNA, Messenger, Vaccines, Synthetic, Epstein-Barr Virus Infections

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