Therapeutics based on mRNA are notoriously harder to preserve than they are to produce. Due to the instability of their structure, the smallest post-processing maneuver may reduce their effectiveness. A research team led by Professor Geunbae LIM (ME) and Ph.D. student Seungbin YOON (ME), in collaboration with Inventage Lab Inc., has directly addressed this bottleneck.

mRNA is a macromolecule that delivers genetic information from DNA to cells, instructing them to produce proteins. When not contained in a cellular environment, it is highly vulnerable to enzymes in the body, making it difficult to use as a therapeutic agent on its own. Lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) serve to encapsulate and protect mRNA and transport it into cells. Ultimately, the performance of any therapeutics utilizing mRNA relies on how well the LNPs are able to preserve.

However, mRNA-LMPs composites are unstable immediately after production. Conventional post-processing methods significantly reduce particle concentration and increase solution volume, leading to overall lower production efficiency.

The research team identified a solution in a “non-contact concentration” method. Using an electric field and microchannels, they moved and concentrated LNPs without physical contact. Through Nafion, an ion-selective polymer membrane, they induced ion concentration polarization (ICP) within an ion depletion zone, enabling concentration without structural damage. As a result, they maintained uniform LNPs with extremely low dispersity and achieved over 94% mRNA encapsulation efficiency.

This technology is drawing attention as a key advancement that reduces mRNA–LNP loss and process bottlenecks, potentially accelerating the commercialization of mRNA therapeutics.