The Wellcome Leap HBNet is the largest, most rapidly ‘activatable’ health research network in the world. With more than 100 world-class institutions, non-profits and commercial entities representing a network of over 1,000,000 scientists and engineers across six continents, they are able to increase speed and collaboration, reducing barriers to breakthroughs in human health.
RIBOPRO will be active within their R3 program to improve the RNA-readiness for future emergencies such as pandemics.
The R3 Program
As seen with the recent COVID-19 pandemic, we need a rapid response by mRNA manufacturing facilities to adequately combat emergency situations. Even though we see continuous and increasing investments to scale the existing mRNA manufacturing capabilities, the global capacity is currently not sufficient to provide the needed response.
Moreover, most researchers have limited or no access to the know-how and resources required to develop a small-scale manufacturing process required for clinical trials. And even within corporations that have invested in cGMP, it would be challenging to get priority in the largescale manufacturing strategy of the company without a product with an expected net present value nearing a billion dollars
The R3 program seeks to change the dynamics and costs of RNA-based biologics development and production. To do this, we will address the limitations of current manufacturing by establishing RNA as a versatile, deployable, standardized, multi-product platform technology. This platform should: 1) in non-emergency times provide access to cGMP-formulated RNA for the development and production of a diversity of viable RNA-based products, and 2) in emergency times shift to needed products at speeds & quantities sufficient to mount a globally coordinated, regionally focused response to a pandemic.
With its two goals in mind, R3 has the potential to make an sizeable impact on the global state of RNA development and production. We are thrilled to be a part of this network and are looking forward to contributing to fill this need for efficient production and equal access to cGMP-grade RNA-based biologics.
