Reaching Outer Space and Enabling the mRNA Revolution: A Critical Role of Partnerships for Successful Drug and Vaccine Development.

Abstract

mRNA and targeted delivery of mRNA carry the promise to enable targeted treatment of undruggable diseases with high unmet medical needs. The transient nature of mRNA opens options for safe influencing of protein biology, immune responses, and complex ailments without impacting DNA heritage. Technical challenges such as mRNA stability and targeted delivery require next generation solutions, which attracted substantial funding and research interests. To build an integrated mRNA value chain and enable the development of novel therapeutics, Merck KGaA Darmstadt, Germany has initiated an internally incubated program, "Targeted mRNA Delivery" (TMD). This collaborative approach brings together scientists, researchers, engineers, and commercial experts from diverse backgrounds to overcome the multidimensional challenges associated with mRNA technology. In this chapter, the multiple opportunities and challenges for the development of mRNA formulations and therapeutics are described comprehensively. Specifically, the TMD program is presented as a use case to show how intrapreneurs were gathered to establish internal mRNA capabilities and foster collaborations for technology development. In the realm of targeted mRNA delivery, partnerships, encompassing internal partnership and external private, public, and hybrid collaborations, play a crucial role in driving innovation and addressing these hurdles. Within multinational pharmaceutical companies, the establishment of "internal startups" is an effective solution to drive innovation to the next level with support from different business sectors, where existing capabilities and positioning are seamlessly blended with the agility and speed of a startup.