Researchers who follow their instincts and achieve slow results while trying to break barriers have little support. They replace it with persistence. This is the story of Katalin Karikó and Drew Weissman. What was once a dream in their minds was later a success. Their work together for decades was essential to achieving mRNA vaccines, and their perseverance was rewarded today with the 2023 Nobel Prize in Medicine.

Modex Therapeutics Inc. has been awarded a contract from the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) to advance a platform and specific candidates designed to address a range of public health threats in viral infectious diseases.

Lyme disease, caused by the bacteria Borrelia burgdorferi and transmitted by Ixodes ticks, is expanding in many countries, posing a significant global health concern. The outer surface protein A (OspA) of B. burgdorferi is currently the most promising target for vaccine development, primarily because of its broad conservation among different bacterial strains that cause the disease. In a recent publication, researchers from the University of Pennsylvania and collaborators proposed using a lipid nanoparticle-encapsulated nucleoside-modified mRNA (mRNA-LNP) platform, similar to that of clinical vaccines against SARS-CoV-2, to develop a vaccine against Lyme disease.

Viruses of the Betacoronavirus genus that bind to angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) are the coronaviruses posing the most significant pandemic risk. Sarbecoviruses of this genus caused the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) epidemic and the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Therefore, new vaccines with broader protection from ACE2-binding sarbecoviruses and emerging variants of concern are urgently needed.

The Global Health Innovative Technology (GHIT) Fund has announced new investments in the development of a new prophylactic vaccine against malaria, a new anti-malarial drug, and product development projects against neglected tropical diseases.

Phylex Biosciences Inc. has announced plans to pursue the development of a nanoparticle mRNA vaccine against the Nipah virus. Last year, the company published proof of principle for its second-generation nanoparticle mRNA vaccine against the SARS-CoV-2 delta virus.

Evaxion Biotech A/S has established a collaboration with Afrigen Biologics Pty Ltd. aimed at developing a prophylactic mRNA vaccine against gonorrhea.

Spybiotech Ltd. has filed a clinical trial application (CTA) with the U.K. Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) to evaluate SPYVLP-01, a vaccine targeting human cytomegalovirus (CMV) using its hepatitis B virus-like-particle platform technology.