Journal of Vaccine Research 2024, Vol.14, No.6, 316-323 http://medscipublisher.com/index.php/jvr 316 Review and Progress Open Access mRNA Technology in Vaccine Development: Current Status and Future Prospects Xingzhu Feng Hainan Institute of Biotechnology, Haikou, 570206,Hainan, China Corresponding author email: josselynn.editor@gmail.com Journal of Vaccine Research, 2024, Vol.14, No.6 doi: 10.5376/jvr.2024.14.0030 Received: 22 Oct., 2024 Accepted: 30 Nov., 2024 Published: 28 Dec., 2024 Copyright © 2024 Feng, This is an open access article published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited Preferred citation for this article: Feng X.Z., 2024, mRNA technology in vaccine development: Current status and future prospects, Journal of Vaccine Research, 14(6): 316-323 (doi: 10.5376/jvr.2024.14.0030) Abstract The mRNA technology development has yielded phenomenal progress in vaccine development in recent years, creating a new tool for the control of emerging as well as re-emerging infectious diseases. This review systematically investigates the principles and technical features of mRNA vaccines, with an emphasis on evaluating its successful application in COVID-19 vaccines and its future application in the development of vaccines for other infectious diseases and cancer. Through the assessment of immune efficacy and safety studies, the extensive application of mRNA vaccines in diverse populations and their long-term protective efficacy are clarified. The manuscript also presents key challenges in mRNA vaccine development that encompass mRNA instability concerns, cold chain logistics needs, and scalability costs. The manuscript also delves into the application of emerging technologies, including nanotechnology, synthetic biology, and artificial intelligence, in facilitating research and development of mRNA vaccines. mRNA technology will drive the development of targeted medical and broad-spectrum vaccines and be central to global health equity and vaccine access. This study has significant implications to further enhance the understanding of mRNA technology application, enhance the process of vaccine development, and inform public health policy development. Keywords mRNA technology; Vaccine development; COVID-19 vaccines; Safety and efficacy; Advancements in cutting-edge technologies 1 Introduction The origins of messenger RNA (mRNA) technology can be traced back to early investigations into RNA biology and its role in protein synthesis. The past two decades have witnessed significant advancements in RNA chemistry, stability, and delivery technologies that have converted mRNA from a theoretical concept into a working tool in the medical sector. Early on, mRNA research was mostly aimed at gene therapy and protein replacement strategies; however, its use as a vaccine platform has quickly taken hold because it can cause a potent immune response without integrating into the host genome (Jackson et al., 2020). Vaccines have been the cornerstone in the prevention of infectious diseases in the past, leading to a dramatic decrease in morbidity and mortality on a global scale. Conventional vaccines, including live attenuated vaccines, inactivated vaccines, and subunit vaccines, play a crucial role in the management of disease due to poliomyelitis, measles, and influenza. Nevertheless, such conventional approaches are usually plagued with numerous challenges, including lengthy research and development periods, complicated production procedures, and poor efficacy against highly mutable pathogens (Chen et al., 2022). The requirement for more effective and flexible vaccine platforms has spurred the investigation of novel technologies, such as mRNA vaccines. mRNA technology represents a revolution in vaccine production. mRNA vaccines, unlike the traditional vaccines, are entirely synthesized and can be prepared and produced at a very fast pace. It is thereby able to respond quickly to emerging infectious diseases, as has been evident in the creation of mRNA vaccines in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. mRNA vaccines have several advantages, including high effectiveness, ability to elicit cellular and humoral immune responses, and favorable safety. Also, the manufacturing process involving mRNA vaccines is highly scalable and cost-efficient, enabling the fast production of vaccines in large quantities (Mbatha et al., 2023).
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