Opportunities for innovation: Building on the success of lipid nanoparticle vaccines

Lipid nanoparticle (LNP) formulations of messenger RNA (mRNA) have demonstrated high efficacy as vaccines against SARS-CoV-2. The success of these nanoformulations underscores the potential of LNPs as a delivery system for next-generation biological therapies. In this article, we highlight the key considerations necessary for engineering LNPs as a vaccine delivery system and explore areas for further optimisation. There remain opportunities to improve the protection of mRNA, optimise cytosolic delivery, target specific cells, minimise adverse side-effects and control the release of RNA from the particle. The modular nature of LNP formulations and the flexibility of mRNA as a payload provide many pathways to implement these strategies. Innovation in LNP vaccines is likely to accelerate with increased enthusiasm following recent successes; however, any advances will have implications for a broad range of therapeutic applications beyond vaccination such as gene therapy.