Seven companies leading the mRNA revolution in biotechnology By Roohi Mariam Peter Add Labiotech as your Google Preferred Source 13 minutesmins July 17, 2026 13 minutesmins Share WhatsApp Twitter Linkedin Email Photo credits: Spencer Davis (Unsplash) Add Labiotech as your Google Preferred Source Newsletter Signup - Under Article / In Page"*" indicates required fieldsLinkedInThis field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.Subscribe to our newsletter to get the latest biotech news!By clicking this I agree to receive Labiotech's newsletter and understand that my personal data will be processed according to the Privacy Policy.*Company name*Job title*Business email* Messenger RNAs (mRNAs) work with DNA molecules to make our bodies function properly. They carry the genetic information stored in DNA and translate them into proteins, which help control cell division and metabolism. As a result, therapies that harness mRNAs can help combat a range of diseases. mRNA technology has became hugely popular in the race to develop a COVID-19 vaccine. They work by using a piece of mRNA, which instructs cells in the body to make a specific protein that is also present on the virus. When these proteins are made, the body’s immune system recognizes them as foreign and starts producing antibodies in response. This process effectively trains the immune system, preparing it to quickly recognize and fight the actual virus if it ever invades the body. As mRNA technology evolves to prevent other infectious diseases, and treat cancers and genetic disorders, more biotech companies have entered the field in recent times. Here are seven mRNA companies that have recently raised funds to push their candidates into preclinical and clinical trials.Table of contentsAbogen Biosciences Founded in 2019 Location: China Lead candidate: ABO2011 in solid tumors Based in the city of Shanghai, Chinese biotech company Abogen Biosciences uses its mRNA platform to create synthetic mRNA molecules, which are delivered with the help of a lipid nanoparticle (LNP) system. LNPs not only aid in the targeted delivery of the mRNA into specific cells but also protect the mRNA molecule from degradation. Through dynamic precision mixing technology, non-toxic, pH-neutral LNPs are produced. This way, it allows for over a 90% encapsulation rate, which is the percentage of the drug that is successfully entrapped into a vector. The focus of its pipeline is on cancer, infectious diseases, and rare diseases. The lead candidate is ABO2011, an interleukin (IL)-12 mRNA in phase 1/2 trials for solid tumors, which is delivered to the tumor via an injection. It is being evaluated as a monotherapy as well as in combination with the monoclonal antibody toripalimab in patients. Another one of the company’s main candidates is its shingles vaccine ABO1108, which trains the immune system to fight the varicella-zoster virus. A phase 3 trial for the vaccine began last month following robust immune responses and a strong safety profile from a phase 2 two-dose regimen, according to the company. Also part of Abogen’s portfolio is ABO-2102, an mRNA-based cancer vaccine that targets five KRAS mutations. Abogen previously developed the mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccine Awcorna targeting SARS-2-COV-2 Omicron along with China-based Walvax Biotechnology. The vaccine was granted Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) in Indonesia in 2022. This clearance was based on trial results that showed that the vaccine Awcorna had higher levels of neutralization and IgG antibodies against wild-type, Delta, and Omicron when compared to homologous boosters. Abogen’s series C financing round was deemed to be one of the largest private biotech funding rounds in China ever, according to a Fierce Biotech report from 2021. The company had raised $700 million to fuel its COVID-19 vaccine through the clinic. Arcturus Therapeutics Founded in 2013 Location: U.S. Lead candidates: LUNAR-OTC for OTC deficiency and LUNAR-CF for cystic fibrosis Established in California, Arcturus Therapeutics is a late-stage mRNA company and is particularly a notable player in the mRNA vaccine space. It has two platforms, Lunar and Starr. Lunar is a lipid-mediated nucleic acid delivery system that consists of a library of over 250 lipids. As for Starr, it combines Lunar with self-replicating RNA to create a nanoparticle delivery system to produce proteins in the body. The former is the system involved in the design of mRNA therapies, which has brought about LUNAR-OTC and LUNAR-CF, both of which are in phase 2 trials. The candidate LUNAR-OTC is designed to treat a disease called ornithine transcarbamylase (OTC) deficiency, a genetic disorder that impairs the urea cycle in the body, leading to the toxic buildup of ammonia in the blood. As it is caused by a deficiency of the OTC enzyme, LUNAR-OTC directs the liver cells to produce the enzyme to prevent ammonia buildup. The inhaled mRNA is enclosed in fat molecules to aid its delivery. Suggested Articles mRNA vaccine funding cuts: the impact on U.S. healthcare and biotech mRNA vaccines: a promising future From pandemic spotlight to post-COVID crossroads: What happened to these biotech players? Will tRNA therapy be the next big thing in genetic disease treatment? Needle-free vaccines: Micron Biomedical, Vaxxas, and IntegriMedical bring their new technologies to patients On the other hand, LUNAR-CF, which is also an inhaled mRNA encased in tiny fat molecules, is delivered by a special nebulizer to address cystic fibrosis, a genetic disorder that causes mucus buildup in the lungs due to mutations in the CFTR gene. A normal copy of CFTR mRNA enters the lungs to prompt the production of CFTR and restore water and salt balance in the airways. Meanwhile, Arcturus has several mRNA vaccines up its sleeve, one of which – the self-amplifying mRNA vaccine Kostaive – was approved by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) for COVID-19. The development of Kostaive has been part of its long-standing partnership with Australian pharma giant CSL, with which it is conducting clinical and preclinical studies for other mRNA vaccine candidates to treat seasonal influenza and other infectious diseases. Arcturus Therapeutics announced that it was doubling down on mRNA drug development after slashing early-stage vaccine programs in May last year. Following this, it filed an omnibus shelf registration of up to $500 million in 2025. This came after a $9 million grant from the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation two years ago. Ethris Founded in 2009 Location: Germany Lead candidate: ETH47 for asthma Situated in Planegg in Germany, Ethris is devoted to using non-immunogenic messenger RNA (SNIM mRNA) to develop vaccines and therapies. The company’s Stabilized Non-Immunogenic mRNA (SNIM RNA) platform generates stabilized non-immunogenic mRNA. This mRNA is said to overcome the instability of mRNA because of chemical changes in their structures. This can be used to create and replace proteins that can tame diseases. It also has an LNP platform that allows the efficient transport of mRNAs via inhalation to the lungs as well as via intramuscular injection for vaccination. Ethris evades the challenges of maintaining the quality of LNPs with the help of its lipidoid formulation and optimized nebulization technology. Ethris’ ETH47 is in phase 2 trials for asthma and phase 1 trials for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, both of which are chronic lung disorders that affect breathing. It encodes interferon lambda (IFNλ), a protein crucial for viral immunity in the airways. ETH47 is designed to target viral triggers of asthma exacerbations, one of the most common causes of acute symptoms in patients with asthma. Also in its pipeline is ETH42 for a rare genetic disorder called primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD). The condition is characterized by defects in the cilia, which are tiny hair-like structures that move mucus and particles out of the airways. By delivering mRNA that codes for the missing protein called CCDC40 that results in the condition to the lungs, it helps restore the proper function of the cilia. The candidate is currently in preclinical studies. The company raked in €148 million ($169.1 million) from the European Commission to develop a mucosal vaccine against pandemic influenza back in February. Previously, Ethris was awarded €10 million ($11.67 million) from EU4Health, the European Union’s largest health program, to advance the development of ETH47 a year ago. Immorna Founded in 2019 Location: China Lead candidate: JCXH-221 for COVID-19 Situated in North Carolina and Hangzhou, Immorna is focused on developing therapies made up of self-replicating RNA and mRNA. Its mRNA pipeline is specialized in infectious diseases, the most advanced being JCXH-108, an mRNA respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine. Its development in the U.S. and China is supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The mRNA wrapped in an LNP teaches the body’s immune system to recognize and fight the RSV virus before an actual infection occurs. Immorna’s investigational mRNA vaccine candidate, JCXH-401, was granted investigational new drug (IND) clearance by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of acne vulgaris late last year. The candidate, which targets the Cutibacterium acnes bacteria, is currently in phase 1/2 trials. Utilizing the natural translation mechanisms within the cell, the company’s mRNAs make the cell a biosynthetic factory for the target protein. This technology has also helped create the other mRNA drugs in the roster, including JCXH-107 for the flu and JCXH-213 for B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma, as well as the lead candidate, which is a self-replicating RNA (sr-RNA) for shingles currently in phase 3 trials. Prior to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation grant in 2024, the Immorna-located biotech bagged CN¥90 million ($12.64 million) in a series A round in 2023. Innorna Founded in 2019 Location: Hong Kong Lead candidate: IN026 for gout Hong Kong-based Innorna has built its library of ionizable lipids, which have been designed from more than 100,000 structures, with more than 6,000 synthesized and screened through a rigorous funnel from cell-based assays based on animal models and studies in non-human primates. These ionizable lipids make up the key ingredient in lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) that package and deliver mRNA. The mRNA company’s LNP formulations have demonstrated delivery to immune cells, muscle, and fat cells, among various tissue types. The startup’s lead candidate is IN026, which received the go-ahead from the FDA on its IND application in March for the treatment of gout. Gout is caused by an excess of uric acid in the blood, which leads to a harmful surplus of uric acid that settles in the joints. The disease is a painful form of inflammatory arthritis where a gout flare causes intense joint pain, severe inflammation and tenderness. Innorna’s IN026 delivers mRNA encoding urate oxidase, an enzyme that aids in the breakdown of uric acid in the body. The biotech has not begun recruiting patients for the phase 1 trial yet. The last time it bagged funding was in 2022 in a $108 million series B round, having amassed about $150 million since it was founded in 2019. RNAimmune Founded in 2020 Location: U.S. Lead candidates: RV-1730 for COVID-19 and RV-1770 for RSV Located in Maryland, the startup RNAimmune has come up with its mRNA pipeline centered around treating cancer, infectious diseases, and rare diseases. Two of its infectious disease candidates are in phase 1 trials, namely RV-1730 and RV-1770. The candidate RV-1730 is a COVID booster vaccine for SARS-CoV-2 and was granted IND status from the FDA two years ago. The vaccine encodes the Delta variant spike protein with the S6P mutation to enhance stability and immunogenicity. The phase 1 study is investigating the safety and efficacy of the vaccine when it is administered as a single booster dose to people aged between 18 and 55 who have previously been vaccinated. The booster dosages are set at 15 µg, 30 µg, or 100 µg in three cohorts consisting of a total of 45 participants. The other clinical candidate RV-1770 is being tested against the deadly RSV. It was designed using artificial intelligence (AI). The vaccine demonstrated immunogenic responses and neutralization against both type A and B strains of RSV in preclinical cotton rat studies. The candidate was licensed to Hualan Biological Vaccine for further development and potential commercialization in China. Currently in the IND-enabling stages, the mRNA startup has vaccines targeting KRAS – a common mutated gene in cancers such as lung, skin, colon, and pancreatic cancers – and influenza. It last secured $27 million in a series A funding round in 2022. The company is a subsidiary of Hong Kong- and U.S.-based Sirnaomics, which was set up in 2007. Strand Therapeutics Founded in 2017 Location: U.S. Lead candidates: STX-001 for solid tumors American biotech company Strand Therapeutics programs mRNAs to target various kinds of proteins ranging from allosteric proteins, protein-protein complexes, and nucleic acid protein complexes to membrane proteins. The mRNA constructs combine genes for self-replication derived from RNA viruses that are genetically programmed. Once they enter target cells, they translate the therapeutic protein they are encoding to treat the disease in the specific cells. And if they go into the wrong cells, they are degraded by those cells. Committed to creating mRNA-based drugs, the company’s most advanced drug targets IL-12 and is used to treat melanoma, triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), and other solid tumors. Its sr mRNA therapy STX-001 is in phase 2 studies having obtained IND clearance to embark on its clinical journey to address solid tumors, such as head and neck cancer, breast cancer, bladder cancer, and melanoma two years ago. Phase 1 data was encouraging as anti-tumor activity was seen in 22 patients with solid tumors who had previously been treated with checkpoint inhibitors. This data was presented at the 2025 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) annual meeting.Strand’s other clinical sr mRNA candidate is ST-003, which is in phase studies for non-small cell lung cancer and other solid tumors. The Massachusetts-based startup pocketed $153 million in a series B funding round to move its pipeline forward last year. mRNA therapeutics: heyday not over mRNA therapeutics gained prominence for their ability to limit COVID-19 infections, but it hasn’t ended there. Apart from their growing use in infectious disease vaccines, they are being trialed as cancer vaccines, as seen with Abogen Biosciences and RNAimmune, among others. The biggest news in the field in recent times was German multinational company BioNTech’s $1.25 billion acquisition of fellow German mRNA therapeutics developer CureVac at the end of last year. The two have been major players in the space and are among the pioneers of mRNA-based cancer vaccines. Other big wigs like Sanofi, Moderna, and Pfizer continue vaccine development. The French giant Sanofi has just sued Pfizer and Moderna, claiming that their COVID-19 vaccines infringe several of its patents. Meanwhile, biotechs are employing mRNA in their cell therapy platforms. Companies like Massachusetts-based Intellia Therapeutics and Tessera Therapeutics use mRNA as a component in their CRISPR/Cas9 LNP delivery system for their gene editing programs. As mRNA research grows, it has also diversified, and its ability to be integrated into other drug delivery systems has been recognized. This article was originally written by Roohi Mariam Peter in April 2024 and has since been updated. This article is reserved for subscribers Subscribe for free to continue reading.Enter your details to log in or subscribe. Email Company name Job title Continue Readingor Continue with Microsoft Continue with LinkedIn By continuing, I agree to receive Labiotech's newsletter and understand that my personal data will be processed according to the Privacy Policy. Organoids in cancer research: Paving the way for faster drug development across cancer indications This webinar explores how patient-derived organoids (PDOs) are redefining oncology research. Discover how advanced, well-characterized models empower researchers to streamline candidate selection, accelerate orphan drug programs, and deliver transformative therapies to patients faster than ever. 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