When Deborah Day Barbara told me she'd been mulling over some thoughts about the mRNA industry's future (that would also be great fodder for an article) I was all ears. After several great conversations, I'm thrilled with what she came up with in her article "constructing" The Four Pillars of Medicine, and I was excited to give it a home here at Advancing RNA. Looking forward to celebrating and supporting the ongoing efforts to further carve out this fourth pillar —"the mRNA pillar"— by the growing RNA therapeutics industry and Alliance for mRNA Medicines.

There's still time to register (for free!) to join me, Recipharm's Melanie Cerullo M.S., CQA, Arcturus Therapeutics' Ye Zhang, and Nutcracker Therapeutics' Oreanna Thomas on Thursday, May 2 @ 11 AM ET for my upcoming Advancing RNA LIVE event on the mRNA/RNA regulatory paradigm. I've loved meeting/working with each of them individually so far, so I can't wait to bring them together for this well-rounded conversation on what we know, don't know, and hope to know in the near future about how are mRNA products will be regulated.

Matthew Pillar and I share a cube wall, but on Monday 4/29 we will also officially share a podcast episode! When he told me he had secured Orna Therapeutics' CEO Tom Barnes, I knew there was no way I could miss out on all the fun. Stay tuned for the episode next Monday--BUT here's a little teaser for you in the meantime...

Michael Koeris and I have always "flown" in the same circles. But it wasn't until recently we finally (and fortunately) met to discuss the biggest challenges in the mRNA world--starting with LNP development & mRNA-LNP delivery. Getting our cargo to where we need it to go--with LNPs or other forms of delivery--will be critical for the entire nucleic acid space to play the most meaningful roles in patients' lives. But as Koeris explains here (with a surprise appearance/some help from our friend Batman, too 🦇), we have a long way to go before this becomes a reliable reality. Be sure to stay tuned for part 2 of this two-part Advancing RNA series, forthcoming soon!

Part 1 was great--looking forward to part 2 (and hopefully many more on the world of mRNA). Check it out!

A new report out from the CDC late last week has determined mRNA COVID vaccines are not linked to/responsible for myocarditis deaths in young patients. The data was gathered following an investigation of death records in the state of Oregon. "Of 40 deaths that occurred among persons who had received an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine dose, three occurred ≤100 days after vaccination. Two of these deaths were attributed to chronic underlying conditions; the cause was undetermined for one. No death certificate attributed death to vaccination. These data do not support an association between receipt of mRNA COVID-19 vaccine and sudden cardiac death among previously healthy young persons." 

Last week, we celebrated a total eclipse in Erie, PA. 😎 🌕 🌑 There was NO way I was going to let such a momentous occasion pass without using it as some writing inspiration. In my latest ATMP Manufacturing Must-Reads, I share some of my favorite pieces of content on #celltherapies #genetherapies & #RNA from the past month, accompanied by a few lyrics from famous songs featuring eclipses (astrological or otherwise...). If you still have your eclipse glasses, perhaps put them on before engaging with the bright minds of Greg Troiano & April Sena, PhD; Tyler Menichiello and Dennis Huang; Alliance for Regenerative Medicine & Josephine Lembong, PhD; Chrysanthi Sitmalidou; Camille Malburet & Stéphanie Prizzon.