Moderna has developed several drugs with its cost and time effective mRNA technology that are currently undergoing trials for HIV, cancer, heart diseases and genetic disorders that could potentially lead to a paradigm shift in the way medicines are developed and manufactured.

The company currently has vaccines for 10 viruses in trials including one for seasonal flu, HIV shots and three kinds of COVID-19 boosters. By the end of the year, they plan to begin trials for two mRNA derived HIV vaccine candidates.

We believe mRNA has the potential to transform how medicines are discovered, developed and manufactured – at a breadth, speed and scale not common in our industry. Our company can become a dominant vaccine maker, developing shots for emerging viruses such as Nipah and Zika, as well as HIV,” says Moderna CEO, Stephane Bancel.

How does mRNA work?

mRNA or messenger ribonucleic acid, made using DNA is basically a molecule that has the genetic code or a set of instructions for the cells to carry out protein synthesis. These proteins help in fighting against an infection or disease. They also help in their prevention.

Using the mRNA approach can make it possible to treat several diseases that wouldn’t be possible using other drugs and methods as these medicines work within the cells by initiating protein synthesis.

How is Moderna working with mRNA?

At Moderna,

• First, the desired sequence for a protein is chosen.
• Then the corresponding mRNA sequence is designed and synthesized – the code that will create that protein.
• The mRNA sequence is delivered to the cells responsible for making that protein. Reaching different types of cells requires different delivery methods.
• And, once the mRNA is in the cell, human biology takes over. Ribosomes read the code and build the protein, and the cells express the protein in the body.

Moderna’s efforts are to show that their mRNA-based vaccine can produce broadly neutralizing antibodies; a type of immune response that researchers believe will be protective against circulating HIV strains. However, as per veteran HIV researchers only continued testing could tell if this could actually turn out to be a safe and effective solution.

 “Despite the success of using mRNA to immunize against COVID-19, HIV is a “very different ballgame,” Sekaly, the HIV researcher at Emory University, said.

HIV remains active in some cells in the body permanently once it has entered which requires the vaccine to work differently and more efficiently to be able to overcome this difficulty and prevent the infection. The last HIV vaccine candidate only showed some 33% efficacy in one of its versions in the trials.