Our next interview from the Congress in Washington is a conversation with Vernal Biosciences‘ Dr Grant Henderson, who joined us at the event to discuss “accelerating mRNA and LNP manufacturing with platform analytical and process technologies”. The Vernal team also shared two posters in our poster zone; links to these can be found below. Dr Henderson is Vernal’s Senior Director of Commercial and Technical Operations and has recently shifted into this role to help researchers accelerate their journey from lead identification through candidate selection, and on to IND and commercial supply.
Accelerating manufacturing
We asked Dr Henderson for an insight into the content his session on accelerating mRNA and LNP manufacturing, and he emphasises that the team has “gone out of our way” to develop a seamless mRNA platform that reaches as far back as the research stage of an asset.
“Customers can come to us, we’ll give them research grade material, and from there it just develops all the way through; we can support them through their clinical manufacture and commercial.”
Talking technology
Our next question considers the technology or strategy that Vernal is using in its goal of “making mRNA readily available“.
“The technology is versatile, so it’s a platform that takes us all the way through from the strain development up to the LNP formulation.”
This can be done across a broad range of manufacturing scales with two different quality standards: the first offer for research grade (RUO) uses “open processing type equipment with reusable parts” , while the CGMP offering uses “fully single use” equipment, operating in a CGMP space.
Unmet need or fierce competition?
We next asked Dr Henderson about the company’s profile; is it meeting an unmet need or distinguishing itself from many competitors? He suggests that it’s “yes to both”!
“We look at it more of as an unmet need.”
Dr Henderson explains that his team helps early-stage companies solve hard problems around mRNA and LNP supply, including scale, and process and analytical development. With more mature companies, Vernal is able to accept all or the most robust aspects of their process and analytical technology and make improvements around the edges. They don’t expect customers to compromise on quality, regardless of their stage of research and development.
Dr Henderson identifies a lack of options to “get your product all the way through to commercial” or Phase I clinical manufacturing without partnering with a larger company. Vernal works with companies with “really exciting technology”, designed to accelerate the path to life-changing medicines, who need a purpose-built CDMO to deliver high purity, research grade and CGMP, drug substance, drug product, and intermediates.
Why WVC?
Finally, we cover the reasons for Vernal’s presence at the Congress. Dr Henderson comments on the “diverse set of exhibitors”, comprising both potential customers and competitors.
“Really it’s the entire cross-section of the market that Vernal is in.”
Vernal’s posters at WVC
Vernal also presented two posters during the Congress – click the links below to learn more!
Novel plasmid DNA-encoded poly(A) tails for mRNA synthesis: this study evaluates the stability of variant poly(A) regions, which are essential for the translation and stability of mRNA, and evaluates the biological activity of the mRNA containing the variant poly(A) tails.
mRNA capping technologies – effects on quality attributes, biological effects, and innate immune stimulation: this study compares two important mRNA capping technologies by evaluating mRNA integrity, percent Cap1 content, dsRNA content, in vivo expression, and innate immune activation in mice.
It was great to meet Dr Henderson and we hope that you enjoy the conversation.
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