| | | |   | Hi all, Meghana here. Ever wondered about the origin story of lipid nanoparticles? Or why the NIH has managed to stay so bureaucratic? All this and more below. | | | The rise of lipid nanoparticle technology CRISPR is a powerful technology, but when it comes to drug delivery, it would likely be ineffective if not for lipid nanoparticles. Billions of microscopic balls of fat help ferry genetic cargo, like CRISPR-encoded mRNA, throughout a patient’s bloodstream. These LNPs have helped mRNA-based Covid-19 vaccines, like those from Moderna and Pfizer, to disseminate efficiently. They’ve also been used effectively in gene therapy. The science underpinning LNPs goes back about four decades: They were proposed as safer, cheaper, easier-to-manufacture alternatives to viral vectors as far back as the 1980s. Bitter rivalries emerged — with much debate and litigation over who invented the technology. This nearly derailed LNPs entirely, but they’ve recently proven their potential. Read more. | What happened to the NIH’s efficiency board? An oversight board was established in 2006 to help the NIH become more efficient. But members stopped meeting seven years ago, according to a STAT review of agency records — and the board still doesn’t know why. “There wasn’t any notification that we weren’t going to meet again — it was just that the meetings stopped getting called,” one board member told STAT. “I had the sense that we were asking questions in areas that they didn’t really want to get into, and I suppose [former NIH director Francis Collins] in particular didn’t really want us working on.” The unofficial dissolution of the NIH’s Scientific Management Review Board suggests that the agency is unwilling to change. There’s been criticism that the NIH is too lumbering, too conservative, and too bureaucratic. President Biden hasn’t yet appointed a successor for Collins, but there are already plenty of signs that the NIH is headed for major change. Perhaps resurrecting the board will help? Read more. | Unmatched biotech workforce + $1B city investment = an emerging innovation hub in NYC Driven by a diversity of science and talent, the largest biotech workforce in the US, abundant commercial lab space, and a robust VC & startup ecosystem, NYC has all the makings of an innovation hub. LifeSci NYC is a $1B city initiative to support the industry and help companies expand and grow. Discover more about life sciences in NYC. | What’s next for the cash-rich Moderna? Moderna achieved unbelievable heights thanks to its Covid-19 vaccine… but what’s next? Until the pandemic, the company had been unprofitable, with mRNA technology that had proven to be clinically lackluster. But now it’s sitting on about $19 billion in cash — with a market value of $54 billion. But outside of vaccines that target global scourges, it’s unclear how the company will apply its technologies. The company will have four vaccines for common viral infections in advanced clinical trials in the next month or so, with many more forthcoming, CEO Stéphane Bancel told the Boston Globe. “The pace at which we are going to be going will be surprising to people,” he said. It has 29 mRNA vaccines and therapies in clinical studies for cancer, genetic diseases, heart conditions, and infectious disease. Read more. | Strengthening GAVI is key to vaccine equity Although nearly 12 billion doses of Covid-19 vaccines have been administered globally, only 16% of people in low-income countries have received vaccines. This inequity stems from rich, vaccine-producing countries getting first dibs on the technology, the failure of international coordination, and the cost to purchase and deliver the shots abroad being higher than expected. Strengthening the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization, or GAVI, could help improve access to these important inoculations, opines global health expert Nina Schwalbe. “Omicron will not be the last Covid-19 variant,” she said. “Another mystery disease will someday emerge. Gavi has a key role to play in pandemic-proofing countries around the world and can lead the way on holding industry to account, staying ahead of the curve on delivery, and empowering stakeholders from the Global South.” Read more. | More reads - As poor nationals seek Covid pills, officials fear repeat of AIDS crisis. (New York Times)
- The White House, warning of a fall surge, plans for how to provide vaccines if there’s no more Covid aid. (Washington Post)
| Thanks for reading! Until tomorrow,  | | | |
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