On Novermber 2nd, Cambridge, MA-based Moderna announced that it has entered into a strategic R&D collaboration with Metagenomi to advance new gene editing systems for in vivo human therapeutic applications.  The collaboration will bring together Metagenomi’s novel gene-editing tools with Moderna's mRNA platform and lipid nanoparticle (LNP) delivery technologies, to develop curative therapies for patients with serious genetic diseases.

Moderna jumped into the spotlight during the COVID-19 after it became one of the first companies to produce an effective vaccine using mRNA technology. This was Moderna’s first commercial product. Currently, most of their pipeline focuses on vaccine development, with their second most advanced product being a vaccine for Cytomegalovirus (CMV), currently in Phase 3 clinical trials. CMV is one of the leading causes of childhood hearing loss. Their pipeline also includes vaccines for Zika, influenza, and other viruses. 

However, their mRNA platform can be used to develop therapies beyond vaccines. For example, they are using their technology to develop instructions for cells to produce antibodies against the Chikungunya virus and autoimmune disorders. Due to the versatile nature of their mRNA platform, Moderna can expand to new markets.