Syed Reza, a scientific and sales consultant at NOF Corporation, delivered this presentation on biodegradable lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) for mRNA therapies and vaccines. Reza, who has been with NOF since 2017, had a background in managing industry partnerships and business development in the pharmaceutical sector.
NOF Corporation, based in Japan, specialised in lipid and PEG polymer technology, with applications spanning from automotive to life sciences. Earlier in the year, NOF announced a collaboration with Phosphorex to advance LNP development for mRNA medicines. Reza explained that LNPs were emerging as a key modality for delivering nucleic acid medicines, including vaccines and gene therapies.
LNPs could be made with passive or active lipids, with the latter allowing for targeted delivery to specific tissues. The development of LNP formulations was complex, involving control over nanoparticle size, stability, and tissue targeting. However, the promise of plug-and-play therapeutics made this complexity worthwhile.
Reza highlighted that a single LNP formulation could be used for various nucleic acids, maintaining stability and manufacturing consistency. NOF's approach involved a large lipid library, with lipids undergoing formulation assessment and safety evaluations. The key feature of NOF's lipids was their high biodegradability, which correlated with RNA expression and tolerability.
The presentation detailed the chemistry of NOF's SS lipids, which contained disulfide bonds that facilitated biodegradability. Reza discussed the benefits of biodegradable lipids, including their ability to degrade quickly and enhance RNA expression. He also mentioned the development of LNPs for specific applications, such as hepatic and CNS targeting.
For vaccine applications, NOF screened LNPs for cytokine expression, aiming to induce beneficial immune responses while minimising toxicity. The company had also developed scalable processes for producing stable LNP drug products. Reza concluded by emphasising NOF's end-to-end LNP expertise and their partnership with Phosphorex.
