Rational design of lipid nanoparticles for enabling gene therapies

Lipid nanoparticle (LNP) technology is increasingly enabling RNA-based gene therapies that can potentially be used to treat most diseases. Further, these LNP RNA therapeutics can be designed and manufactured in a matter of weeks, allowing personalized medicines that can be produced in a time frame r...

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Main Authors: Cedric A. Brimacombe, Jayesh A. Kulkarni, Miffy H.Y. Cheng, Kevin An, Dominik Witzigmann, Pieter R. Cullis
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-09-01
Series:Molecular Therapy: Methods & Clinical Development
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2329050125001135
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author Cedric A. Brimacombe
Jayesh A. Kulkarni
Miffy H.Y. Cheng
Kevin An
Dominik Witzigmann
Pieter R. Cullis
author_facet Cedric A. Brimacombe
Jayesh A. Kulkarni
Miffy H.Y. Cheng
Kevin An
Dominik Witzigmann
Pieter R. Cullis
author_sort Cedric A. Brimacombe
collection DOAJ
description Lipid nanoparticle (LNP) technology is increasingly enabling RNA-based gene therapies that can potentially be used to treat most diseases. Further, these LNP RNA therapeutics can be designed and manufactured in a matter of weeks, allowing personalized medicines that can be produced in a time frame relevant to individuals suffering from terminal diseases. Here, we focus on the rational design principles that have successfully enabled LNP small interfering RNA (siRNA) formulations to silence pathogenic genes in the liver and LNP mRNA formulations to express therapeutic proteins for vaccines and gene therapies. These principles have evolved from over 50 years of research into the physical properties and functional roles of lipids in membranes as well as experience gained developing LNP systems for delivery of small molecule drugs. It is expected that these rational design principles will be successful in enabling most forms of gene therapies.
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series Molecular Therapy: Methods & Clinical Development
spelling doaj-art-4cf2f5940bc84a7b8eb99bb96389fe982025-08-20T03:17:03ZengElsevierMolecular Therapy: Methods & Clinical Development2329-05012025-09-0133310151810.1016/j.omtm.2025.101518Rational design of lipid nanoparticles for enabling gene therapiesCedric A. Brimacombe0Jayesh A. Kulkarni1Miffy H.Y. Cheng2Kevin An3Dominik Witzigmann4Pieter R. Cullis5Polymorphic BioSciences Inc, 2665 East Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada; Corresponding author: Cedric Brimacombe, Polymorphic BioSciences Inc, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada.NanoVation Therapeutics, 2665 East Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, CanadaDepartment of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The University of British Columbia, 2350 Health Sciences Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, CanadaNanoVation Therapeutics, 2665 East Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, CanadaNanoVation Therapeutics, 2665 East Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, CanadaPolymorphic BioSciences Inc, 2665 East Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada; NanoVation Therapeutics, 2665 East Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The University of British Columbia, 2350 Health Sciences Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada; Corresponding author: Pieter R Cullis, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada.Lipid nanoparticle (LNP) technology is increasingly enabling RNA-based gene therapies that can potentially be used to treat most diseases. Further, these LNP RNA therapeutics can be designed and manufactured in a matter of weeks, allowing personalized medicines that can be produced in a time frame relevant to individuals suffering from terminal diseases. Here, we focus on the rational design principles that have successfully enabled LNP small interfering RNA (siRNA) formulations to silence pathogenic genes in the liver and LNP mRNA formulations to express therapeutic proteins for vaccines and gene therapies. These principles have evolved from over 50 years of research into the physical properties and functional roles of lipids in membranes as well as experience gained developing LNP systems for delivery of small molecule drugs. It is expected that these rational design principles will be successful in enabling most forms of gene therapies.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2329050125001135lipid nanoparticlemessenger RNAsiRNArational designendosomal escapegene therapy
spellingShingle Cedric A. Brimacombe
Jayesh A. Kulkarni
Miffy H.Y. Cheng
Kevin An
Dominik Witzigmann
Pieter R. Cullis
Rational design of lipid nanoparticles for enabling gene therapies
Molecular Therapy: Methods & Clinical Development
lipid nanoparticle
messenger RNA
siRNA
rational design
endosomal escape
gene therapy
title Rational design of lipid nanoparticles for enabling gene therapies
title_full Rational design of lipid nanoparticles for enabling gene therapies
title_fullStr Rational design of lipid nanoparticles for enabling gene therapies
title_full_unstemmed Rational design of lipid nanoparticles for enabling gene therapies
title_short Rational design of lipid nanoparticles for enabling gene therapies
title_sort rational design of lipid nanoparticles for enabling gene therapies
topic lipid nanoparticle
messenger RNA
siRNA
rational design
endosomal escape
gene therapy
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2329050125001135
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AT kevinan rationaldesignoflipidnanoparticlesforenablinggenetherapies
AT dominikwitzigmann rationaldesignoflipidnanoparticlesforenablinggenetherapies
AT pieterrcullis rationaldesignoflipidnanoparticlesforenablinggenetherapies