Role of nanotechnology behind the success of mRNA vaccines for COVID-19

Abstract

The emergency use authorization (EUA) by the US-FDA for two mRNA-based vaccines BNT162b2 (Pfizer-BioNTech) and mRNA-1273 (Moderna) has brought hope of addressing the COVID-19 pandemic which has killed more than 2 million people globally. Nanotechnology has played a significant role in the success of these vaccines. Nanoparticles (NPs) aid in improving stability by protecting the encapsulated mRNA from ribonucleases and facilitate delivery of intact mRNA to the target site. The overwhelming success of these two mRNA based vaccines with ~95% efficacy in phase 3 clinical trials can be attributed to their unique nanocarrier, the "lipid nanoparticles" (LNPs). LNPs are unique compared with bilayered liposomes and provide improved stability of the cargo, possess rigid morphology, and aid in better cellular penetration. This EUA is a major milestone and showcases the immense potential of nanotechnology for vaccine delivery and for fighting against future pandemics. Currently, these two vaccines are aiding in the alleviation of the COVID-19 health crisis and demonstrate the potential utility of nanomedicine for tackling health problems at the global level.

Anti-SARS-CoV-2 Receptor-Binding Domain Total Antibodies Response in Seropositive and Seronegative Healthcare Workers Undergoing COVID-19 mRNA BNT162b2 Vaccination

“…The last generation of lipid-based mRNA-lipid nanoparticles vaccines (mRNA-LNPs) was found to be especially convenient, since they conjugate many technical, biological and clinical advantages [ 6 ]. The major technical advantages of these mRNA-LNPs are represented by their ability to closely reproduce natural viral infection without delivering viral particles (mRNA penetrates the host cells and is translated into antigen viral proteins mounted at cell surface or released in the surrounding environment), the potentially lower immunogenicity and cytotoxicity of nanoparticles, the capability to deliver multimeric antigens which may hence allow the rapid reengineering of the formulation with inclusion of new polymorphisms [ 7 , 8 ]. With respect to the biological aspects, the currently used mRNA-LNPs contain genetic material encoding a recombinant form of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein with its receptor-binding domain (RBD), and are hence effective to stimulate B cells to generate neutralizing antibodies directed against the spike protein, thus reducing binding effectiveness with receptors at the host cell surface (especially with angiotensin converting enzyme 2; ACE2), and enhancing virus inactivation and clearance.…”

Critical neurological features of COVID-19: Role of imaging methods and biosensors for effective diagnosis

“…Currently, nanoparticles (NPs) are gaining huge interest in viral detection because of their fast sensing and biological activity. Recent advancements in nanotechnology offer the utilization of nanomaterials for the development of biosensors which results into significant upgradation in the performance of these devices [ 72 , 73 , 74 , 75 ]. Nanomaterials are known to enhance the efficiency and sensitivity of biosensors due to their good conductance, excellent photoelectrochemical features and the miniaturization platform [ 76 , 77 ].…”

Therapeutic Applications of Functional Nanomaterials for Prostatitis

“…Advances in nanotechnology have facilitated the development of delivery systems to treat prostate-related disorders. Advantages of nanocarrier preparations include the combination of a variety of drugs, including biomacromolecule drugs; reduced degradation of unstable drugs for slow and controlled release; and increased residence time of relevant drugs to avoid frequent injections and meet the needs of prostatitis treatment ( Thakur and Agrawal, 2015 ; Liu et al, 2020 ; Liu et al, 2020 ; Wang et al, 2020 ; Lin et al, 2021 ; Liu et al, 2021 ). More importantly, the modular design and preparation characteristics of nanotechnology endow nanomaterials with intelligent characteristics ( van der Meel et al, 2019 ).…”