Chinese Journal of Nature ›› 2023, Vol. 45 ›› Issue (6): 423-428.doi: 10.3969/j.issn.0253-9608.2023.06.004

• Brief Introduction of Nobel Prize • Previous Articles     Next Articles

The mRNA technology won the 2023 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine

XU Yao, LI Kexin, ZHAO Lianmei, ZHANG Hongtao   

  1. ① Hangzhou CytoCan Biotech Limited Company, Hangzhou 310000, China;② Research Center, the Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang 050011, China
  • Received:2023-10-25 Online:2023-12-25 Published:2023-12-21

Abstract: One of the most significant obstacles that mRNA must overcome on its path to become a drug or vaccine is the immune surveillance and degradation it faces. Katalin Karikó and Drew Weissman won the 2023 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for their discovery of nucleoside base modifications, which enabled the development of effective mRNA vaccines against COVID-19. Through these specialized modifications, synthetic mRNAs can avoid the monitoring and degradation by immune cells. Of course, the success of mRNA vaccines is inseparable from the delivery system (LNP) and the quick deciphering of the genetic sequence of the virus. Beyond vaccines preventing pathogen infections, mRNA technology also holds a broad prospect in fields like cancer vaccines, gene editing, and cell therapy.