Yscript Delivers Proof-of-Concept for Yeast-based mRNA Production – A Milestone on the Road to Scalable, Affordable Therapeutics

Orléans / Europe, 26 September 2025 – The EIC-funded Yscript project, running from April 2022 to September 2025, has successfully demonstrated the proof-of-concept for producing messenger RNA (mRNA) using yeast cells, marking a significant milestone and paving the way for a groundbreaking shift in mRNA manufacturing.

Yscript set out with a bold and pioneering mission: to create a tailor-made yeast-based “mRNA factory” platform capable of producing low-cost, large-scale mRNA for drugs and vaccines – an alternative to the costly and complex in vitro transcription (IVT) methods currently in use. Although yeast is widely used in biopharmaceuticals, it had never before been employed to produce mRNA. This made the undertaking highly innovative – but also inherently risky.

The consortium, comprising eight partners from five European countries, integrated expertise in mRNA therapeutics, yeast biology, molecular engineering, extraction, purification, and project management. Their core strategy was twofold:

This project embodied the high-risk/high-gain philosophy of the EIC Pathfinder programme – the bold idea being that its success could transform mRNA manufacturing for global health, but without any guarantee of feasibility at the outset.

Result: Proof-of-Concept Achieved – Next Challenges Ahead

Thanks to sustained collaboration and scientific innovation, the Yscript team has now delivered the proof-of-concept: yeast cells can indeed produce therapeutic mRNA, successfully isolated from the yeast’s own RNA.

However, further engineering is still required:

• Enhance the quality of yeast-derived mRNA, ensuring correct structure, purity, and stability.
• Scale up production to an industrial level, enabling global manufacturing of mRNA-based vaccines and therapies.

Reflecting on this achievement, the project’s coordinator Prof. Chantal Pichon (Université d’Orléans) noted:

“When I first envisioned using yeast to produce mRNA, it seemed a daring and uncertain idea. Today, I am proud that together we have proven this approach can work. This proof-of-concept is a remarkable team achievement – and while we still need to improve the quality and yield of the mRNA, I am confident that further research will build on this strong foundation.”

As the project draws to a close, an official closing video has been released. It features all partner voices sharing their reflections, offers glimpses of laboratory work and daily research life, and vividly illustrates the path from concept to result. The video can be watched here: https://youtu.be/Z9pTtSBpVpo.

The Yscript project has realised its core ambition – proving that mRNA can be produced in yeast. Although additional engineering is needed to enhance mRNA quality and scale up output, the platform now stands as a promising foundation for affordable, scalable mRNA therapeutics, with the potential to transform global health responses.

Yscript key facts