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Chinese scientists working on mRNA technology, the foundation of Covid-19 vaccines, are hopeful of a boost to their field following a Nobel Prize win for two pioneers in the area.
Hungarian-born Katalin Kariko and American Drew Weissman won the Nobel Prize for medicine this year for work that paved the way for groundbreaking vaccines against the coronavirus.
Billions of mRNA-based Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna doses were administered and together with other Covid-19 vaccines, “saved millions of lives and prevented severe disease in many more”, the Nobel committee said.
Now the race is on in China – and around the world – to build on that work to improve the technology’s stability, extend its shelf life and make storage easier above ultra-low temperatures. Researchers are also aiming to expand applications to cancer and other diseases.


Unlike traditional vaccines that introduce a weakened or inactivated virus into the body, messenger RNA uses a molecule that teaches human cells how to make a protein, which triggers an immune response in the body by producing antibodies.
China approved its first locally made mRNA vaccine for Covid-19 in March this year.
Pharmaceutical scientist Song Xiangrong, a professor at Sichuan University who has been studying mRNA for a decade, said the global deployment of mRNA vaccines during the pandemic drew attention to the field in China, and now more students were interested in joining her team.
“Right after the Nobel Prize announcement, my social media was flooded with posts from peers congratulating the winners. As scientists in the same field, we are overjoyed for their work being recognised internationally,” said Song, who also works at the State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy.
She said mRNA research boomed in China during the pandemic but financing problems with some firms had clouded the field, dimming prospects.
“The Nobel acknowledgement helps the local biopharmaceutical industry, scientists and academia regain confidence in the field,” she said. “Some scientists from other research areas also asked me how they can apply their techniques to mRNA developments.”
Pioneer of mRNA vaccine touts technology’s promise while in Hong Kong for award
Song co-founded WestGene Biopharma two years ago to research and develop mRNA drugs and adjuvants, vaccine components that improve immune response. According to the firm, it is working on more than 20 mRNA products, including anti-tumour immunotherapy, and vaccines to combat cancer, ageing and obesity.
She said it would take five to 10 years for China to catch up with the global progress in mRNA.
“China started later in this field and it takes time to lay and build the groundwork of the technology, as well as nurture talent in research and industry.”
She said the key areas for mRNA development now were minimising side effects, improving its protection duration and eliminating the need for ultra-cold-chain storage and transport.
Yu Xuefeng, CEO of Chinese vaccine maker CanSino Biologics, agreed that the technology had a way to go.
He said it was a great addition to the pharmaceutical toolbox but not a “one solution for all”.
“The Covid-19 pandemic was a chance to demonstrate that the mRNA technology certainly has its value. But when we look at the whole application, we feel there are still things that need to be improved,” Yu told the Post.
“To me, the mRNA technology is in its infancy.
“Hopefully we will develop something that is fit for the regular cold-chain environment, can be stable for a long time and may have fewer side effects.
“Regardless, mRNA deserves the recognition of the Nobel Prize – it is an excellent technology.”
CanSino Biologics CEO says mRNA vaccines are key to China’s Covid-19 fight
Yu, who has more than 30 years of experience in biotech research, said his company started exploring technical aspects of mRNA around six years ago after noticing its potential in therapeutics and vaccines.
“We consulted mRNA technology experts from industry and academics, including Drew Weissman who was very helpful,” he said. “At the time, we were thinking about the advantages of this technology – it would be a good technology to deal with pandemic flu.”
When the coronavirus started spreading, the company shifted to developing Covid-19 vaccines based both on mRNA and a more mature viral vector technology.
The latter vaccine was approved for emergency use by the World Health Organization in May last year while the company has continued to work on its mRNA version.
In August, CanSino signed a deal with Anglo-Swedish drug maker AstraZeneca to collaborate on the “research and development of certain vaccines of AstraZeneca by using [CanSino’s] mRNA manufacturing platform”, according to a document published on the Hong Kong stock exchange.
The product candidates have not been disclosed but Yu said the project “goes beyond Covid” and focused on prophylactic – or preventive – vaccines.


American pharmaceutical firm Moderna, which specialises in mRNA vaccines and medicine, said it “expects to advance up to 50 new candidate medicines into clinical trials” over the next five years.
“The company expects to double the number of programmes in Phase 3 [clinical trials] by 2025 and launch up to 15 products in five years across cancer, rare disease and infectious diseases. Up to four of those launches could come by 2025,” Moderna said.
The firm is developing a personalised cancer vaccine as well as those for infectious diseases such as seasonal influenza and respiratory syncytial virus that causes cold-like symptoms.
In July, Moderna struck deals to research, develop and manufacture mRNA medicines in China.
“Any medicines produced under this agreement will be exclusively for the Chinese people – who face many of the same health challenges that affect other communities around the world – and will not be exported,” the company said.
Moderna said it was part of its efforts to “create the greatest possible impact to people through mRNA medicines”.
Congratulating the Nobel laureates, the company said: “Their work in mRNA research has helped pave the way for transformative medicines and bring us closer to conquering some of the most challenging diseases.”


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Science

‘We are overjoyed’: Chinese mRNA researchers celebrate Nobel win for field’s pioneers

Researchers are trying to improve the stability, shelf life and storage of mRNA vaccines. Photo: AP

Nobel Medicine Prize awarded to US, Hungarian scientists Drew Weissman, Katalin Kariko for developing mRNA Covid vaccines

Drew Weissman and Katalin Kariko won the Nobel Medicine Prize for work on  mRNA technology that paved the way for groundbreaking Covid-19 vaccines. Photo: Reuters

Katalin Kariko and Drew Weissman won the Nobel Medicine Prize on Monday for work on mRNA technology that paved the way for Covid-19 vaccines. Photo: AFP

This year’s Nobel Prize for medicine was awarded to mRNA Covid vaccine researchers. Photo: Shutterstock

Pioneer of mRNA vaccine touts technology’s promise while in Hong Kong for award, recalls how Covid placed her in spotlight

The science of mRNA gave rise to Covid-19 vaccines widely used around the world during the pandemic. Photo: Shutterstock

Professor Katalin Kariko accepts her CUHK award in Hong Kong, one of many titles she has received worldwide. Photo: Jelly Tse

China’s first mRNA Covid-19 vaccine approved for use in Indonesia

Walvax’s AWcorna is the first mRNA vaccine against Covid-19 to be approved for emergency use in adults. Photo: AP

Can China’s home-grown mRNA Covid-19 vaccine pass its final tests?

Illustration: Brian Wang

News

China

It will take up to a decade for China to catch up with global developments in the technology, which is the foundation of Covid-19 vaccines, scientist says
Key areas for improvement are storage, side effects and shelf life


It will take up to a decade for China to catch up with global developments in the technology, which is the foundation of Covid-19 vaccines, scientist says.
