Benefits Of PCR-Based mRNA Manufacturing Processes

By Eike Joest, Ph.D., Principal Scientist, mRNA Innovation, and Julian Mochayedi, Ph.D., Strategic Marketing Manager, mRNA Solutions

mRNA is one of the most prominent and promising modalities for vaccines and therapeutics. Although the development of COVID-19 vaccines occurred at unprecedented speed, ongoing innovations in manufacturing technologies are essential for the successful advancement of new mRNA applications. Typically, the production of these therapeutics and vaccines starts with generating a large quantity of plasmid DNA (pDNA) followed by linearization utilizing restriction enzymes. This is a time-consuming and resource-intensive process, as the need for sufficient quantity and quality of pDNA can create bottlenecks in the manufacturing workflow. Additionally, extensive use of genetically modified bacteria and antibiotics presents challenges in maintaining good manufacturing practices (GMP).

To overcome the challenges and bottlenecks associated with pDNA, a proprietary polymerase chain reaction (PCR) solution has been developed to combine the high quality benefits of synthetic templates with accuracy and scalability. Continue reading to learn more about this solution that applies the high accuracy of PCR to mRNA manufacturing.