PSTU-04 - Accelerating mRNA therapeutics: Vaccines and beyond
Chair(s)
Dr Stuart Newman, Therapeutic Innovation, AustraliaIntroduction
The success of the COVID-19 mRNA vaccines has demonstrated the potential of RNA vaccines and therapies. Over the next decade, RNA is poised to become a central therapeutic platform for treating a wide range of human diseases. Accordingly, new RNA vaccines and therapeutics are currently undergoing clinical trials for infectious pathogens, cancer and autoimmunity. This symposium will provide insights into the manufacturing innovations being used to optimise existing RNA vaccine platforms and discuss more broadly, the emerging use of RNA-based strategies in cancer.
Programme
| 11:00 – 11:05 | Session introduction by the chair |
| 11:05 – 11:45 |
Optimising mRNA vaccines — New approaches and innovations Prof. Colin Pouton, Monash University, Australia |
| 11:45 – 12:25 |
Accelerating the use of mRNA strategies in cancer Dr Vi Wickramasinghe, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Australia |
| 12:25 – 12:30 | Closing and summary |
Learning objectives
- To describe the processes involved in the development of novel mRNA therapeutics for COVID-19, with a particular focus on emerging strains
- To appreciate the barriers associated with the clinical implementation of mRNA vaccines on a global scale
- To identify the novel targets that can be exploited using RNA technology for the treatment of cancer
Take home messages
Learn about the possibilities of mRNA therapeutics for infectious diseases and cancer and the challenges in their translation to the clinic.
