mRNA (messenger RNA) approaches offer several advantages in the management of cardiovascular diseases. Our lab has been working with mRNA therapeutics to reduce inflammation and inflammatory-related cardiovascular diseases. We aim to generate nanodelivery systems that can be delivered via mRNA-based therapies directly to the desired cells or tissues. The nanodelivery systems we design can encapsulate and protect mRNA and facilitate their uptake by target cells, an approach that minimises off-target effects and enhances therapeutic efficacy. We engineer our systems to minimise immunogenicity concerns and to reduce the risk of triggering an immune response.
While mRNA-based therapies for cardiovascular diseases are still in the early stages of development, the promising results seen in the development of mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccines highlight this technology’s potential to transform cardiovascular disease treatment.