Our mRNA

Moderna’s mRNA products are designed for high protein expression, beginning with the design of the mRNA itself and including the process used to make the final material.

• Our mRNA is made with modified chemistry, replacing the uridine nucleoside found in mammalian mRNA with N1-methylpseudouridine (N1mψ), naturally found in transfer RNA (tRNA), to evade the host innate immune response mechanisms.

• The open reading frame (ORF) of the mRNA is codon optimized in our Design Studio using artificial intelligence to improve translational efficiency.

• Our 5’ and 3’ UTR sequences, cap1, and polyA tail are engineered to improve stability and translational efficiency of the mRNA.

• The mRNA is manufactured using a process specifically designed for vaccine products, minimizing process and product-related impurities such as double-stranded RNA and aborted transcripts.

Our Formulated mRNA

We encapsulate our mRNA in a hydrophobic lipid nanoparticle (LNP) to protect the mRNA from endogenous mRNAse and naturally transport the mRNA to the cell cytoplasm.

• Our prophylactic LNPs contain ionizable, structural, helper and polyethylene glycol lipids, and are mixed with mRNA in a controlled environment.

• The LNP process is engineered to provide consistent biophysical attributes, which are measured as part of an extensive characterization panel.

• These attributes include particle size and polydispersity, mRNA encapsulation, mRNA purity, pH, osmolality, and endotoxin. Research-grade LNPs are stored in a Tris buffer system at physiological pH (7.5) with sucrose added as a cryoprotectant.

Experimental Standards

Ready to order standards are available for reporter constructs to facilitate assay development.