PhD Student Center of Pharmacometrics and Systems Pharmacology, University of Florida, Orlando, FL, United States
Disclosure(s):
Devam A. Desai, M.S.: No financial relationships to disclose
Messenger RNA (mRNA) has shown great promise for broad therapeutic applications. However, the efficient and safe delivery of mRNA remains a key challenge for the clinical use of mRNA-based therapeutics. Lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) possess unique properties for mRNA delivery. Lipid nanoparticle (LNP)-mRNA technology has rapidly evolved following its success in SARS-CoV-2 vaccines, paving the way for groundbreaking advancements in cancer immunotherapy. By harnessing LNP technology, mRNA therapeutics can be effectively delivered to target cells, enabling robust immune activation and tumor suppression. Our latest advancements include sugar-alcohol-derived LNPs optimized for efficient mRNA delivery to dendritic cells (DCs), facilitating potent DC-based immunotherapy. Additionally, we have developed multifunctional LNPs capable of both delivering mRNA into tumor cells and inducing immunogenic cell death (ICD), thereby amplifying antitumor immune responses. In this talk, I will present the LNP design, delivery mechanisms, and immunomodulatory effects, providing insights into their translational potential for next-generation cancer immunotherapies.
