Yeast cell factory for mRNA bioproduction

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New Project Yscript

Our consortium sets out to develop a tailor-made yeast-based messenger RNA (mRNA) factory platform.

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mRNA bioproduction

Although yeast has been employed for the production of several biopharmaceuticals, RNA production has never been attempted.

About us

The mission of the Yscript consortium is to lay the foundations for low-cost, large-scale production of mRNA drugs and vaccines by building a customised mRNA factory platform using yeast. Messenger RNA vaccines have decisively changed the fight against COVID-19, and mRNA is considered the basis for a wide range of therapeutic applications.

Currently, however, the only available technology for mRNA production is highly complex and expensive. These restrictions hinder large-scale mRNA production and are especially a problem for low-income countries. Yscript is working with eight partners from five countries to develop a specific mRNA bioproduction and purification process in yeast that overcomes this obstacle. Low production costs and viable supply chains could thus enable mRNA-based therapeutics to effectively combat diseases and epidemics worldwide.

5

Countries

8

Partners

3

Years of
Duration

3.1

Mio Euro
Budget

Yscript Partner Sartorius BIA Separations Brings Science Into Schools

Yscript at Hybrid Days and National Conference of the Ligue Contre Le Cancer

Yscript Launches YouTube Channel With Official Project Film

Yscript Consortium With Active Contribution to Leading mRNA Research Summit

Yscript at the HPLC Conference in Dusseldorf

EU Knowledge Valorisation Week 2023: Learn More on Turning Research into Solutions

Yscript Consortium Comes Together in Portugal: Successful 1st Progress Meeting in Beautiful Spring Setting

Yscript Partner UBI Presents the Project to State Minister

Make Your Results Matter: Join the Webinar ‘Horizon Results Platform & Partners: A Value Proposition’

Yscript Coordinator awarded with Charité Fellowship

Getting Ready for 2023: Yscript Consortium Meets Online

Yscript Coordinator Participates in NCP Round Table

Join the European Research and Innovation Days 2022 Online on 28 & 29 September

Yscript partner BIA Separations, now part of Sartorius, is lead partner of 2nd Annual mRNA-Based Therapeutics Summit End of July in Boston

Yscript partner BIA Separations hosts Monolith Summer Symposium 2022

Workshop on Leading Strategies in Biopharmaceuticals Manufacturing at University of Aveiro in Portugal

Kick-off meeting in France: the Yscript consortium meets in person for the first time

New Project “Yscript”

mRNA bioproduction

mRNA is a natural molecule and a component of all life forms. Yeasts produce mRNA in a way that is very similar to humans. Yscript wants to use this property of yeast. It is easy to grow and regularly used to produce medicines (e.g. cough suppressants). Our decades of experience show us that medicines based on yeast are safe. However, there is not yet a process for producing yeast-based mRNA.

The biggest challenge in the production process is to separate the yeast's own mRNA from the therapeutic target mRNA. Therefore, our consortium will isolate the desired mRNA in a capsule within the yeast. The capsule containing the therapeutic mRNA can then be extracted. We will test whether large-scale production is possible for efficient manufacturing of mRNA therapeutics. As a next step, the consortium will extract and purify the desired mRNA. Finally, the biologically produced mRNA is subjected to a quality and purity check.

We assume that mRNA therapeutics from yeast will be cheaper and easier to produce than chemically produced mRNA, making them accessible to everyone. Moreover, the therapeutic efficacy of yeast-based RNA will at least approach that of chemically produced RNA.