Advances in mRNA non-viral delivery approaches

ABS T R A C T Messenger RNAs (mRNAs) present a great potential as therapeutics for the treatment and prevention of a wide range of human pathologies, allowing for protein replacement, vaccination, cancer immunotherapy, and genomic engineering. Despite advances in the design of mRNA-based therapeutics, a key aspect for their widespread translation to clinic is the development of safe and effective delivery strategies. To this end, non-viral delivery systems including peptide-based complexes, lipidic or polymeric nanoparticles, and hybrid formulations are attracting growing interest. Despite displaying somewhat reduced efficacy compared to viral-based systems, non-viral carriers offer important advantages in terms of biosafety and versatility. In this review, we provide an overview of current mRNA therapeutic applications and dis-cuss key biological barriers to delivery and recent advances in the development of non-viral systems. Challenges and future applications of this novel therapeutic modality are also discussed. (c) 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

Messenger RNA (mRNA) holds great potential as therapeutics for various human pathologies, but the key to its clinical translation lies in the development of safe and effective delivery strategies. Non-viral delivery systems, although slightly less efficacious compared to viral systems, offer important advantages in terms of biosafety and versatility. Challenges and future applications of mRNA therapeutics are also discussed in this review.