BSTP/STP Webinar
Preclinical safety strategy for the development of mRNA Lipid Nano Particle-based vaccines
May 31, 2022
11:00 AM EDT | 4:00 PM GMT | 5:00 PM CEST
A BSTP webinar - in collaboration with the Society of Toxicological Pathology (STP) to be held on Tuesday 31st May 2022, at 11:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time (New York, GMT-4), 4:00 PM British Summer Time (London, GMT+1), and the duration of the webinar will be up to 1 hour.
Title: Preclinical safety strategy for the development of mRNA Lipid Nano Particle-based vaccines
Eric Jacquinet, DVM, PhD, DABT, Senior Director of Pathology at Moderna, Inc.
Abstract: The rapid development of vaccines against SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for the ‘coronavirus disease 2019’ (COVID-19) pandemic, exemplifies the power of mRNA technologies for vaccine development. The first human clinical trials of a COVID-19 vaccine were initiated within 4 months of the publication of the SARS-CoV-2 sequence using lipid nano-particle (LNP)-encapsulated mRNA-based vaccines engineered to encode the SARS-CoV-2 S (“Spike”) protein in its pre-fusion conformation. Antibodies against S protein epitopes can neutralize the virus. The advantages of the RNA modality are in its versatility (antigen sequences can be swapped into the constructs easily), ease of manufacturing (in vitro transcription from a DNA template), and general safety. mRNA vaccines are non-infectious and non-integrating and because the mRNA is degraded by the host within cytosol quickly, both the mRNA and antigen expression are transient. As this type of vaccine is using the same cargo (LNP) to deliver the load (mRNA), the safety profile of the different vaccines become very predictable and allow a platform-based approach and a reduced development period.
Speaker Bio: After graduating from Veterinary School in Belgium, Dr. Jacquinet spent 7 years at the University of Liege in the Pathology department. His time was distributed between the necropsy floor, research, teaching, and biopsies. Additionally, he also spent 3 years in the Pulmonary Department at the University of Utah, where he described TPMRSS2 leading to his PhD. After defending its thesis, he moved to CRL Montreal to embrace a career in toxicological pathology. He held few different positions within the industry, he as now working for Moderna as Senior Director of Pathology.
We look forward to your participation.