title: mRNA-based therapeutics--developing a new class of drugs.
abstract: In vitro transcribed (IVT) mRNA has recently come into focus as a potential new drug class to deliver genetic information. Such synthetic mRNA can be engineered to transiently express proteins by structurally resembling natural mRNA. Advances in addressing the inherent challenges of this drug class, particularly related to controlling the translational efficacy and immunogenicity of the IVTmRNA, provide the basis for a broad range of potential applications. mRNA-based cancer immunotherapies and infectious disease vaccines have entered clinical development. Meanwhile, emerging novel approaches include in vivo delivery of IVT mRNA to replace or supplement proteins, IVT mRNA-based generation of pluripotent stem cells and genome engineering using IVT mRNA-encoded designer nucleases. This Review provides a comprehensive overview of the current state of mRNA-based drug technologies and their applications, and discusses the key challenges and opportunities in developing these into a new class of drugs.
authors.affiliation: 1] TRON Translational Oncology at the University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University, Langenbeckstrasse 1, 55131 Mainz, Germany. [2] BioNTech Corporation, An der Goldgrube 12, 55131 Mainz, Germany.
authors.forename: Ugur
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Sahin
authors.affiliation: 1] BioNTech Corporation, An der Goldgrube 12, 55131 Mainz, Germany. [2] Department of Neurosurgery, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA.
authors.forename: Katalin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Karikó
authors.affiliation: TRON Translational Oncology at the University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University, Langenbeckstrasse 1, 55131 Mainz, Germany.
authors.forename: Özlem
authors.initials: Ö
authors.lastname: Türeci
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems; D015195:Drug Design; D006801:Humans; D007167:Immunotherapy / Q000379:methods; D039904:Pluripotent Stem Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D011506:Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D011506:Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger