Moderna and the potential of mRNA beyond vaccines
InnoSphère by UNITHER: Moderna and the potential of mRNA beyond vaccines
Please note: this podcast episode is available in French only. This English page provides an overview of the main topics discussed in the episode.
From vaccines to new therapeutic possibilities: exploring the future of messenger RNA
Messenger RNA, or mRNA, became widely known during the COVID-19 pandemic. But vaccination may represent only one of the possible applications of this technology.
In this episode of InnoSphère by Unither, Arnaud Chéret, Country Medical Director France at Moderna, joins Clémentine to explain how mRNA works and explore some of the areas in which this technology is currently being investigated.
From infectious diseases and next-generation vaccines to rare diseases, oncology and pandemic preparedness, the conversation provides an accessible overview of a technology that could play an increasingly important role in future therapeutic innovation.
The discussion also looks at another technology transforming pharmaceutical R&D: artificial intelligence, and how computational approaches can support the design and selection of mRNA candidates.
What exactly is messenger RNA?
One of the challenges surrounding mRNA is explaining a highly complex biological mechanism in simple terms.
During the conversation, Arnaud Chéret uses the analogy of miniature factories inside our cells.
These cellular factories produce proteins that are essential to the functioning of the human body. Messenger RNA acts as a temporary set of instructions telling the cell which protein to produce.
Another way of looking at it is as a temporary recipe: the mRNA provides the instructions, while the cell uses those instructions to manufacture the required protein.
This concept is at the heart of both current vaccine applications and many of the therapeutic possibilities explored during the episode.
Why has mRNA attracted so much scientific interest?
The COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated the potential of mRNA technology in vaccination on a global scale.
But one of the most interesting characteristics discussed in the podcast is the flexibility of the platform.
Instead of developing completely unrelated technological approaches for every application, researchers can work with the same underlying principle: designing an mRNA sequence containing specific biological instructions and finding an appropriate way to deliver it to the cells where it is needed.
This platform approach is one of the reasons why research is now exploring applications that extend considerably beyond COVID-19 vaccines.
From respiratory viruses to new vaccines
Vaccination remains an important area of mRNA research.
The episode discusses work involving respiratory viruses and other infectious diseases, as well as the potential development of combined vaccines, where protection against different pathogens could eventually be provided through a single administration.
The conversation also addresses research into norovirus, one of the pathogens associated with gastroenteritis, particularly relevant for vulnerable populations.
These examples illustrate how an established technological principle can potentially be adapted to different infectious-disease challenges.
Could mRNA provide new approaches to rare diseases?
The potential application of mRNA to rare diseases follows a different logic from vaccination.
Some rare diseases involve the absence of a protein required by the body or the production of a protein that does not function correctly.
The principle discussed in the episode is therefore particularly interesting: could an mRNA therapy provide cells with temporary instructions enabling them to produce a protein that the body needs?
In this context, mRNA would no longer be used as a vaccine but as a therapeutic approach.
This distinction is essential for understanding why researchers see applications for messenger RNA across very different areas of medicine.
mRNA, oncology and personalised medicine
Oncology represents another major research field discussed in the conversation.
One approach consists in helping the immune system recognise specific characteristics of tumour cells.
Every tumour can present its own molecular characteristics. In the personalised approach described during the episode, researchers analyse the tumour and use this information to design an mRNA sequence intended to help the immune system recognise specific tumour-associated characteristics.
This introduces one of the most fascinating possibilities discussed in the podcast: a therapeutic approach tailored to an individual patient and their tumour.
Research is also investigating targets that could be shared between several types of tumours or groups of patients.
What role can artificial intelligence play?
As therapies become increasingly sophisticated and personalised, researchers face enormous amounts of biological information and potentially very large numbers of possible candidates.
This is where artificial intelligence and computational algorithms become particularly relevant.
Arnaud Chéret explains how these tools can help researchers analyse potential biological targets and identify promising candidates for further investigation.
The episode also looks back at the early development of the COVID-19 vaccine, illustrating how computational capabilities contributed to the rapid design process once the genetic sequence of SARS-CoV-2 became publicly available.
Artificial intelligence therefore does not replace scientific expertise. In the examples discussed, it provides researchers with tools to work through biological complexity more efficiently.
Preparing for future pandemics
The final scientific theme explored in the episode is pandemic preparedness.
A future pandemic would once again require the scientific community to identify a pathogen, understand it and develop appropriate preventive or therapeutic responses as rapidly as possible.
The flexibility, adaptability and speed associated with the mRNA platform could make it an important component of this preparedness.
But the episode also highlights that pandemic preparedness cannot depend on one company alone.
Collaboration between biotechnology companies, academic researchers and research institutions is an important part of building scientific knowledge before a new threat emerges.
In this episode
You will discover:
- How messenger RNA works, explained through simple analogies
- Why mRNA is considered a flexible technological platform
- How research is exploring new vaccine applications
- The potential role of mRNA in rare diseases
- New research approaches involving oncology and personalised medicine
- How artificial intelligence can contribute to mRNA research and development
- Why mRNA could play an important role in future pandemic preparedness
About InnoSphère by Unither
InnoSphère by Unither explores innovation across pharmaceuticals, biotechnology and healthcare by giving scientists, entrepreneurs and industry experts the opportunity to share their knowledge and perspectives.
Through accessible conversations, the podcast aims to make complex topics easier to understand and to explore the scientific and technological developments shaping the future of healthcare.
Innovation is one of the core communication themes defined by Unither Pharmaceuticals, alongside industrial and sector expertise, relationships with stakeholders, and CSR commitments.
Listen to the episode in French and discover more conversations from InnoSphère by Unither.
Arnaud Chéret
Arnaud Chéret is Country Medical Director France at Moderna.
He holds a PhD in Immuno-Virology and has held several positions across the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries, working in Market Access and Medical Affairs at French, European and international levels.
A consistent theme throughout his career has been innovation in infectious diseases, including HIV infection, viral hepatitis, multidrug-resistant tuberculosis and respiratory viral infections such as influenza and RSV.
Drawing on his experience with anti-infective agents and vaccines, and convinced of the potential contribution of messenger RNA to unmet medical needs in infectious diseases and other therapeutic fields, he joined Moderna France as Medical Director.