Newgen mRNA: Quick and effective vaccines at a lower cost

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  Quantumrun Foresight
• June 8, 2022

Insight summary

Harnessing the power of mRNA technology, scientists are creating vaccines that are faster to produce and more affordable, opening doors to personalized medicine. This shift could foster a competitive market that could drive down drug prices and a surge in partnerships between healthcare suppliers and drug manufacturers. Moreover, the technology is paving the way for environmental benefits by reducing resource usage in production and democratizing vaccine access.

Newgen mRNA context

mRNAs are genetically programmed instructions that inform cells in our bodies how to build proteins, the proportionally large molecules that make up most of life's machinery. Vaccines that contain mRNAs code for viral proteins that elicit an immune response within the body. These vaccines function by delivering a fragment of mRNA that corresponds to a viral protein within the immune system.

A small amount of protein is usually located on a virus' outer membrane, while those who receive an mRNA vaccination are not exposed to the virus and cannot become infected by it. Cells make the viral protein using this mRNA blueprint. The immune system then identifies the protein as alien and creates specialized antibodies as a typical immunological reply. Antibodies aid in the body's defense against infection by recognizing particular viruses or other pathogens, adhering to them, and marking them for elimination.

Antibodies persist in the body after the virus has been eliminated, allowing the immune system to respond promptly if it is exposed again. For example, after receiving an mRNA vaccine, a person is infected with a virus. Antibodies swiftly detect the virus, bind to it, and designate it for destruction before it causes significant illness because it is already familiar with the virus, even though the patient may never have been infected with it. Fortunately, mRNA vaccines can be broadly applied to treat a wide range of illnesses beyond just treating COVID-19—its most famous application. Moreover, manufacturers of mRNA vaccines claim they can do the same work as traditional vaccinations yet they are tenfold faster to produce and cost a fraction compared to established vaccines.

Disruptive impact

The use of mRNA technology to develop a COVID-19 vaccine has fueled research into various mRNA vaccines for diseases ranging from cancer to herpes. However, because mRNAs may code for almost any protein, the same fundamental technique might be used to generate a wide range of medicines. The absence of a protein called CFTR in lung cells, for example, is a common cause of cystic fibrosis.

Moderna and Vertex are working on a possible medication called VXc-522, which comprises mRNAs that code for the CFTR protein. Inhalation will be used to deliver them. VXc-522 is presently conducting safety testing and, if everything goes well, might enter human trials by the mid-2020s. Moderna is also collaborating with AstraZeneca on yet another mRNA treatment, this time to induce the production of a protein known as a vascular endothelial growth factor (VGF). 

Because VEGF increases blood vessel formation, this medication, called AZD8601, might be utilized for everything from non-healing wounds to heart problems. mRNA vaccines could be developed to such a degree that they can be potentially used to treat different forms of cancer.  By directing our bodies to focus on the time-consuming and challenging task of producing needed proteins, mRNAs might save healthcare companies development time and expenses and lead to millions of lives being affected in positive ways.

Implications of new generation vaccines driven by mRNA technology

Wider implications of new mRNA vaccines being developed to treat different conditions may include:

• A surge in partnerships between healthcare suppliers and drug manufacturers to streamline the delivery of specific drugs to allocated facilities.


• Drone-facilitated virtual consultations or patient monitoring, with drones being dispatched to homes equipped with telemedicine technologies.


• Drones with enhanced medical storage facilities, enabling the transportation of emergency medicines over extended distances, particularly to remote areas.


• A shift in labor market demands, with an increased need for professionals skilled in drone operation, system maintenance, and troubleshooting.


• The rapid development and lower production costs of mRNA vaccines fostering a competitive market with multiple healthcare companies offering vaccines for the same diseases, potentially driving down drug prices.


• Governments potentially revisiting and revising regulatory frameworks to facilitate the quicker approval of mRNA vaccines, balancing speed with safety and efficacy.


• The democratization of vaccine access, as lower production costs and faster development timelines enable broader global distribution, including in low-income regions, fostering greater societal health equity.


• Environmental benefits stemming from the reduced resource usage in the production of mRNA vaccines compared to traditional methods, leading to a smaller carbon footprint and less waste generation.


• A potential shift in educational focus towards biotechnology and related fields, as the demand for skilled labor in these areas increases, influencing academic curricula and encouraging more students to pursue careers in these fields.


• The emergence of new business models centered around personalized medicine, with companies offering individualized mRNA vaccines tailored to a person's genetic makeup, potentially transforming preventative healthcare and treatment approaches.

Questions to consider

• Do you have concerns about receiving an mRNA vaccine? If so, what further research do you think is required before you would be comfortable with them?


• How could mRNA vaccines change the way vaccines are administered to the public? How could it change the healthcare industry?