COVID-19 mRNA Vaccines
- Title
- COVID-19 mRNA Vaccines
- Description
COVID-19 mRNA Vaccines
mRNA (messenger RNA) vaccines represent a breakthrough in vaccine technology, first deployed at a mass scale during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Key Facts
- Mechanism: They deliver genetic instructions for cells to produce the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, which triggers an active immune response without using live virus.
- First Approvals: BNT162b2 (Pfizer-BioNTech) and mRNA-1273 (Moderna) received emergency use authorizations in late 2020.
- Pioneering Scientists: Based on foundational nucleoside-modified mRNA research by Katalin Karikó and Drew Weissman.
- Nobel Recognition: Karikó and Weissman were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2023 for their work on nucleoside base modifications.
- Safety: mRNA does not integrate into or alter human DNA and is rapidly degraded by cellular machinery after translation.
- Future Potential: The platform offers rapid development times and is being adapted for influenza, malaria, cancer immunotherapy, and personalized vaccines.
- Category
- Medicine
- Year of Discovery/Development
- 2020
- Key Person/Organization
- Katalin Karikó & Drew Weissman