Classifications

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  • A61K9/1272—Non-conventional liposomes, e.g. PEGylated liposomes or liposomes coated or grafted with polymers comprising non-phosphatidyl surfactants as bilayer-forming substances, e.g. cationic lipids or non-phosphatidyl liposomes coated or grafted with polymers
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  • A61K31/7088—Compounds having three or more nucleosides or nucleotides
  • A61K31/7105—Natural ribonucleic acids, i.e. containing only riboses attached to adenine, guanine, cytosine or uracil and having 3'-5' phosphodiester links
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  • A61K47/06—Organic compounds, e.g. natural or synthetic hydrocarbons, polyolefins, mineral oil, petrolatum or ozokerite
  • A61K47/08—Organic compounds, e.g. natural or synthetic hydrocarbons, polyolefins, mineral oil, petrolatum or ozokerite containing oxygen, e.g. ethers, acetals, ketones, quinones, aldehydes, peroxides
  • A61K47/10—Alcohols; Phenols; Salts thereof, e.g. glycerol; Polyethylene glycols [PEG]; Poloxamers; PEG/POE alkyl ethers
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  • A61K47/06—Organic compounds, e.g. natural or synthetic hydrocarbons, polyolefins, mineral oil, petrolatum or ozokerite
  • A61K47/08—Organic compounds, e.g. natural or synthetic hydrocarbons, polyolefins, mineral oil, petrolatum or ozokerite containing oxygen, e.g. ethers, acetals, ketones, quinones, aldehydes, peroxides
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  • A61K47/06—Organic compounds, e.g. natural or synthetic hydrocarbons, polyolefins, mineral oil, petrolatum or ozokerite
  • A61K47/24—Organic compounds, e.g. natural or synthetic hydrocarbons, polyolefins, mineral oil, petrolatum or ozokerite containing atoms other than carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, halogen, nitrogen or sulfur, e.g. cyclomethicone or phospholipids
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
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  • A61K47/26—Carbohydrates, e.g. sugar alcohols, amino sugars, nucleic acids, mono-, di- or oligo-saccharides; Derivatives thereof, e.g. polysorbates, sorbitan fatty acid esters or glycyrrhizin
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  • A61K47/06—Organic compounds, e.g. natural or synthetic hydrocarbons, polyolefins, mineral oil, petrolatum or ozokerite
  • A61K47/28—Steroids, e.g. cholesterol, bile acids or glycyrrhetinic acid
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
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  • A61K9/00—Medicinal preparations characterised by special physical form
  • A61K9/0012—Galenical forms characterised by the site of application
  • A61K9/0019—Injectable compositions; Intramuscular, intravenous, arterial, subcutaneous administration; Compositions to be administered through the skin in an invasive manner
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
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  • A61K9/10—Dispersions; Emulsions
  • A61K9/127—Synthetic bilayered vehicles, e.g. liposomes or liposomes with cholesterol as the only non-phosphatidyl surfactant
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
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  • A61K9/127—Synthetic bilayered vehicles, e.g. liposomes or liposomes with cholesterol as the only non-phosphatidyl surfactant
  • A61K9/1271—Non-conventional liposomes, e.g. PEGylated liposomes or liposomes coated or grafted with polymers
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
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  • A61K9/00—Medicinal preparations characterised by special physical form
  • A61K9/10—Dispersions; Emulsions
  • A61K9/127—Synthetic bilayered vehicles, e.g. liposomes or liposomes with cholesterol as the only non-phosphatidyl surfactant
  • A61K9/1277—Preparation processes; Proliposomes
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61K—PREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL OR TOILETRY PURPOSES
  • A61K9/00—Medicinal preparations characterised by special physical form
  • A61K9/10—Dispersions; Emulsions
  • A61K9/127—Synthetic bilayered vehicles, e.g. liposomes or liposomes with cholesterol as the only non-phosphatidyl surfactant
  • A61K9/1277—Preparation processes; Proliposomes
  • A61K9/1278—Post-loading, e.g. by ion or pH gradient
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61K—PREPARATIONS FOR MEDICAL, DENTAL OR TOILETRY PURPOSES
  • A61K9/00—Medicinal preparations characterised by special physical form
  • A61K9/48—Preparations in capsules, e.g. of gelatin, of chocolate
  • A61K9/50—Microcapsules having a gas, liquid or semi-solid filling; Solid microparticles or pellets surrounded by a distinct coating layer, e.g. coated microspheres, coated drug crystals
  • A61K9/51—Nanocapsules; Nanoparticles
  • A61K9/5107—Excipients; Inactive ingredients
  • A61K9/5123—Organic compounds, e.g. fats, sugars

Definitions

• the undesired property change is a reduction of the physical stability of an LNP formulation. In some embodiments, the undesired property change is an increase of the amount of impurities and/or sub-visible particles, or an increase in the average size of an LNP in an LNP formulation.
• an empty LNP produced by the method of the present disclosure has an average diameter of about 99% or less, about 98% or less, about 97% or less, about 96% or less, about 95% or less, about 90% or less, about 85% or less, about 80% or less, about 75% or less, about 70% or less, about 65% or less, about 60% or less, about 55% or less, about 50% or less, about 40% or less, about 30% or less, about 20% or less, or about 10% or less than the average diameter of an empty LNP produced by a different method (e.g., a method excluding one or more of the steps of the methods of the disclosure, or a method that differs from the methods of the disclosure in at least one step).
• a different method e.g., a method excluding one or more of the steps of the methods of the disclosure, or a method that differs from the methods of the disclosure in at least one step.
• the second adding step comprises adding about 0.1 mol% to about 3.0 mol% PEG lipid, about 0.2 mol% to about 2.5 mol% PEG lipid, about 0.5 mol% to about 2.0 mol% PEG lipid, about 0.75 mol% to about
• the second adding step comprises adding about 0.1 mol% to about 3.0 mol% PEG lipid, about 0.2 mol% to about 2.5 mol% PEG lipid, about 0.5 mol% to about 2.0 mol% PEG lipid, about 0.75 mol% to about
• the first adding step is performed at a temperature of less than about 30 °C, less than about 28 °C, less than about 26 °C, less than about 25 °C, less than about 24 °C, less than about 22 °C, or less than about 20 °C.
• the step of processing the empty-LNP solution or loaded-LNP solution further comprises pH adjusting.
• the pH adjusting comprises adding a second buffering agent is selected from the group consisting of an acetate buffer, a citrate buffer, a phosphate buffer, and a tris buffer.
• the buffer exchanging comprises addition of an aqueous buffer solution comprising a third buffering agent.
• the step of processing the empty-LNP solution or loaded-LNP solution further comprises diluting the empty -LNP solution or loaded-LNP solution.
• the step of processing the empty-LNP solution or loaded- LNP solution further comprises dialyzing the empty-LNP solution or loaded-LNP solution.
• the step of processing the empty-LNP solution or loaded-LNP solution further comprises concentrating the empty-LNP solution or loaded-LNP solution.
• the step of processing the empty-LNP solution or loaded-LNP solution further comprises lyophilizing the empty-LNP solution or loaded-LNP solution.
• the drying is performed at about -35 °C to about -15 °C.
• the step of packing the empty-LNP solution or loaded-LNP solution comprises one or more of the following steps: iib) adding a cryoprotectant to the empty-LNP solution or loaded-LNP solution; iic) lyophilizing the empty-LNP solution or loaded-LNP solution, thereby forming a lyophilized LNP composition; iid) storing the empty-LNP solution or loaded-LNP solution of the lyophilized LNP composition; and/or iie) adding a buffering solution to the empty-LNP solution, loaded-LNP solution or the lyophilized LNP composition, thereby forming the LNP formulation.
• the cryoprotectant comprises sucrose. In some embodiments, the cryoprotectant is sucrose.
• the empty-LNP solution, loaded-LNP solution, or the lyophilized LNP composition is stored at a temperature of from about -40 °C to about 0 °C, from about -35 °C to about -5 °C, from about -30 °C to about -10 °C, from about -25 °C to about -15 °C, from about -22 °C to about -18 °C, or from about -21 °C to about -19 °C prior to adding the buffering solution.
• the methods of the present disclosure provide a lipid solution.
• the lipid solution comprises the ionizable lipid at a concentration of greater than greater than about 0.1 mg/mL, greater than about 0.5 mg/mL, greater than about 0.6 mg/mL, greater than about 0.7 mg/mL, greater than about 0.8 mg/mL, greater than about 0.9 mg/mL, greater than about 1.0 mg/mL, greater than about 1.5 mg/mL, greater than about 2.0 mg/mL, greater than about 3.0 mg/mL, greater than about 4.0 mg/mL, greater than about 5.0 mg/mL, greater than about 6.0 mg/mL, greater than about 7.0 mg/mL, greater than about 8.0 mg/mL, greater than about 9.0 mg/mL, greater than about 10 mg/mL, greater than about 11 mg/mL, greater than about 12 mg/mL, greater than about 13 mg/mL, greater than about 14 mg/mL, greater than about 15 mg/mL, greater than about 20 mg/mL, greater than about 25 mg/mL or
• the lipid solution comprises an ionizable lipid at a concentration of up to about 30 mg/mL, about 25, about mg/mL, about 20 mg/mL, about 18 mg/mL, about 16 mg/mL, about 15 mg/mL, about 14 mg/mL, about 12 mg/mL, about 10 mg/mL, about 8 mg/mL, about 6 mg/mL, about 5.0 mg/mL, about 4.0 mg/mL, about 3.0 mg/mL, about 2.0 mg/mL, about 1.0 mg/mL, about 0.09 mg/mL, about 0.08 mg/mL, about 0.07 mg/mL, about 0.06 mg/mL, or about 0.05 mg/mL.
• the lipid solution comprises a buffering agent at a concentration of from about 0.1 mM to about 100 mM, from about 0.5 mM to about 90 mM, from about 1.0 mM to about 80 mM, from about 2 mM to about 70 mM, from about 3 mM to about 60 mM, from about 4 mM to about 50 mM, from about 5 mM to about 40 mM, from about 6 mM to about 30 mM, from about 7 mM to about 20 mM, from about 8 mM to about 15 mM, from about 9 mM to about 12 mM.
• a buffering agent at a concentration of from about 0.1 mM to about 100 mM, from about 0.5 mM to about 90 mM, from about 1.0 mM to about 80 mM, from about 2 mM to about 70 mM, from about 3 mM to about 60 mM, from about 4 mM to about 50 mM,
• the lipid solution comprises a buffering agent at a concentration of or greater than about 0.1 mM, about 0.5 mM, about 1 mM, about 2 mM, about 4 mM, about 6 mM, about 8 mM, about 10 mM, about 15 mM, about 20 mM, about 25 mM, about 30 mM, about 35 mM, about 40 mM, about 45 mM, or about 50 mM.
• exemplary suitable salts include, but are not limited to, potassium chloride, magnesium chloride, sodium chloride, and the like.
• the lipid solution has a pH of from about 4.5 to about 7.0, from about 4.6 to about 7.0, from about 4.8 to about 7.0, from about 5.0 to about 7.0, from about 5.5 to about 7.0, from about 6.0 to about 7.0, from about 6.0 to about 6.9, from about 6.0 to about 6.8, from about 6.0 to about 6.7, from about 6.0 to about 6.6, from about 6.0 to about 6.5.
• the lipid solution has a pH of from about 7.0 to about 8.0, from about 7.1 to about 7.8, from about 7.2 to about 7.6, or from about 7.3 to about 7.5.
• a lipid solution has a pH of or no greater than 4.5, of or no greater than 4.6, of or no greater than 4.7, of or no greater than 4.8, of or no greater than 4.9, of or no greater than 5.0, of or no greater than 5.2, of or no greater than 5.4, of or no greater than 5.6, of or no greater than 5.8, of or no greater than 6.0, of or no greater than 6.1, of or no greater than 6.2, of or no greater than 6.3, of or no greater than 6.4, of or no greater than 6.5, of or no greater than 6.6, of or no greater than 6.7, of or no greater than 6.8, of or no greater than 6.9, or of or no greater than 7.0.
• the lipid solution comprises from about 1% by volume to about 50% by volume of a first organic solvent relative to the total volume of the lipid solution. In some embodiments, the lipid solution comprises from about 2% by volume to about 45% by volume of the organic solvent relative to the total volume of the lipid nanoparticle formulation. In some embodiments, the lipid solution comprises from about 3% by volume to about 40% by volume of the organic solvent relative to the total volume of the lipid nanoparticle formulation. In some embodiments, the lipid solution comprises from about 4% by volume to about 35% by volume of the organic solvent relative to the total volume of the lipid nanoparticle formulation. In some embodiments, the lipid solution comprises from about 5% by volume to about 33% by volume of the organic solvent relative to the total volume of the lipid nanoparticle formulation.
• the first organic solvent is an alcohol
• the organic solvent is ethanol.
• the first aqueous buffer solution comprises a first buffering agent at a concentration of from about 0.1 nM to about 100 mM, from about 0.5 nM to about 90 mM, from about 1.0 nM to about 80 mM, from about 2 nM to about 70 mM, from about 3 nM to about 60 mM, from about 4 nM to about 50 mM, from about 5 nM to about 40 mM, from about 6 nM to about 30 mM, from about 7 nM to about 20 mM, from about 8 nM to about 15 mM, from about 9 mM to about 12 mM.
• the first aqueous buffer solution comprises a first buffering agent at a concentration of or greater than about 0.1 mM, of or greater than about 0.5 mM, of or greater than about 1 mM, of or greater than about 2 mM, of or greater than about 4 mM, of or greater than about 6 mM, of or greater than about 8 mM, of or greater than about 10 mM, of or greater than about 15 mM, of or greater than about 20 mM, of or greater than about 25 mM, of or greater than about 30 mM, of or greater than about 35 mM, of or greater than about 40 mM, of or greater than about 45 mM, or of or greater than about 50 mM.
• Exemplary suitable salts include, but are not limited to, potassium chloride, magnesium chloride, sodium chloride, and the like.
• the first buffering agent comprises a first aqueous buffer.
• a suitable solution may further comprise one or more aqueous buffer and/or a salt.
• aqueous buffers include, but are not limited to, ammonium sulfate, sodium bicarbonate, sodium citrate, sodium acetate, potassium phosphate, tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane (tris), sodium phosphate, HEPES, and the like.
• the first aqueous buffer comprises an aqueous buffer at a concentration of from about 0.1 nM to about 100 mM, from about 0.5 nM to about 90 mM, from about 1.0 nM to about 80 mM, from about 2 nM to about 70 mM, from about 3 nM to about 60 mM, from about 4 nM to about 50 mM, from about 5 nM to about 40 mM, from about 6 nM to about 30 mM, from about 7 nM to about 20 mM, from about 8 nM to about 15 mM, from about 9-12 mM.
• the first aqueous buffer comprises an aqueous buffer at a concentration of or greater than about 0.1 mM, of or greater than about 0.5 mM, of or greater than about 1 mM, of or greater than about 2 mM, of or greater than about 4 mM, of or greater than about 6 mM, of or greater than about 8 mM, of or greater than about 10 mM, of or greater than about 15 mM, of or greater than about 20 mM, of or greater than about 25 mM, of or greater than about 30 mM, of or greater than about 35 mM, of or greater than about 40 mM, of or greater than about 45 mM, or of or greater than about 50 mM.
• Exemplary suitable salts include, but are not limited to, potassium chloride, magnesium chloride, sodium chloride, and the like.
• the first aqueous buffer solution has a pH of or no greater than 4.5, of or no greater than 4.6, of or no greater than 4.7, of or no greater than 4.8, of or no greater than 4.9, of or no greater than 5.0, of or no greater than 5.2, of or no greater than 5.4, of or no greater than 5.6, of or no greater than 5.8, of or no greater than 6.0, of or no greater than 6.1, of or no greater than 6.2, of or no greater than 6.3, of or no greater than 6.4, of or no greater than 6.5, of or no greater than 6.6, of or no greater than 6.7, of or no greater than 6.8, of or no greater than 6.9, or of or no greater than 7.0.
• the first aqueous buffer is selected from the group consisting of an acetate buffer, a citrate buffer, a phosphate buffer, and a tris buffer.
• the buffering agent is selected from the group consisting of an acetate buffer, a citrate buffer, a phosphate buffer, and a tris buffer.
• the first aqueous buffer solution comprises greater than about 1 mM citrate, acetate, phosphate or tris, greater than about 2 mM citrate, acetate, phosphate or tris, greater than about 5 mM citrate, acetate, phosphate or tris, greater than about 10 mM citrate, acetate, phosphate or tris, greater than about 15 mM citrate, acetate, phosphate or tris, greater than about 20 mM citrate, acetate, phosphate or tris, greater than about 25 mM citrate, acetate, phosphate or tris, or greater than about 30 mM citrate, acetate, phosphate or tris.
• the first aqueous buffer solution comprises about 5 mM citrate, acetate, phosphate or tris.
• the second aqueous buffer solution comprises a second buffering agent.
• a suitable solution may further comprise one or more buffering agent and/or a salt.
• Exemplary suitable buffering agent include, but are not limited to, ammonium sulfate, sodium bicarbonate, sodium citrate, sodium acetate, potassium phosphate, tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane (tris), sodium phosphate, HEPES, and the like.
• the second buffering agent comprises a second aqueous buffer.
• a suitable solution may further comprise one or more aqueous buffer and/or a salt.
• exemplary suitable aqueous buffers include, but are not limited to, ammonium sulfate, sodium bicarbonate, sodium citrate, sodium acetate, potassium phosphate, tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane (tris), sodium phosphate, HEPES, and the like.
• the second aqueous buffer comprises an aqueous buffer at a concentration of from about 0.1 mM to about 100 mM, from about 0.5 mM to about 90 mM, from about 1.0 mM to about 80 mM, from about 2 mM to about 70 mM, from about 3 mM to about 60 mM, from about 4 mM to about 50 mM, from about 5 mM to about 40 mM, from about 6 mM to about 30 mM, from about 7 mM to about 20 mM, from about 8 mM to about 15 mM, from about 9 mM to about 12 mM.
• the second aqueous buffer comprises an aqueous buffer at a concentration of or greater than about 0.1 mM, about 0.5 mM, of or greater than about 1 mM, of or greater than about 2 mM, of or greater than about 4 mM, of or greater than about 6 mM, of or greater than about 8 mM, of or greater than about 10 mM, of or greater than about 15 mM, of or greater than about 20 mM, of or greater than about 25 mM, of or greater than about 30 mM, of or greater than about 35 mM, of or greater than about 40 mM, of or greater than about 45 mM, or of or greater than about 50 mM.
• Exemplary suitable salts include, but are not limited to, potassium chloride, magnesium chloride, sodium chloride, and the like.
• the second buffering agent has a pH of from about 4.5 to about 7.0, from about 4.6 to about 7.0, from about 4.8 to about 7.0, from about 5.0 to about 7.0, from about 5.5 to about 7.0, from about 6.0 to about 7.0, from about 6.0 to about 6.9, from about 6.0 to about 6.8, from about 6.0 to about 6.7, from about 6.0 to about 6.6, from about 6.0 to about 6.5.
• the second aqueous buffer solution has a pH of from about 4.5 to about 7.0, from about 4.6 to about 7.0, from about 4.8 to about 7.0, from about 5.0 to about 7.0, from about 5.5 to about 7.0, from about 6.0 to about 7.0, from about 6.0 to about 6.9, from about 6.0 to about 6.8, from about 6.0 to about 6.7, from about 6.0 to about 6.6, from about 6.0 to about 6.5.
• the second aqueous buffer is selected from the group consisting of an acetate buffer, a citrate buffer, a phosphate buffer, and a tris buffer.
• the second buffering agent is a tris buffer.
• the second aqueous buffer has a pH of about 7.5.
• the second buffering agent has a pH of about 7.5.
• the third aqueous buffer solution comprises a third buffering agent at a concentration of from about 0.1 mM to about 100 mM, from about 0.5 mM to about 90 mM, from about 1.0 mM to about 80 mM, from about 2 mM to about 70 mM, from about 3 mM to about 60 mM, from about 4 mM to about 50 mM, from about 5 mM to about 40 mM, from about 6 mM to about 30 mM, from about 7 mM to about 20 mM, from about 8 mM to about 15 mM, from about 9 mM to about 12 mM.
• the third buffering agent comprises a third aqueous buffer.
• a suitable solution may further comprise one or more aqueous buffer and/or a salt.
• exemplary suitable aqueous buffers include, but are not limited to, ammonium sulfate, sodium bicarbonate, sodium citrate, sodium acetate, potassium phosphate, tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane (tris), sodium phosphate, HEPES, and the like.
• the third aqueous buffer comprises an aqueous buffer at a concentration of from about 0.1 mM to about 100 mM, from about 0.5 mM to about 90 mM, from about 1.0 mM to about 80 mM, from about 2 mM to about 70 mM, from about 3 mM to about 60 mM, from about 4 mM to about 50 mM, from about 5 mM to about 40 mM, from about 6 mM to about 30 mM, from about 7 mM to about 20 mM, from about 8 mM to about 15 mM, from about 9 mM to about 12 mM.
• the third aqueous buffer comprises an aqueous buffer at a concentration of or greater than about 0.1 mM, about 0.5 mM, about 1 mM, about 2 mM, about 4 mM, about 6 mM, about 8 mM, about 10 mM, about 15 mM, about 20 mM, about 25 mM, about 30 mM, about 35 mM, about 40 mM, about 45 mM, or about 50 mM.
• Exemplary suitable salts include, but are not limited to, potassium chloride, magnesium chloride, sodium chloride, and the like.
• the third aqueous buffer has a pH of from about 4.5 to about 7.0, from about 4.6 to about 7.0, from about 4.8 to about 7.0, from about 5.0 to about 7.0, from about 5.5 to about 7.0, from about 6.0 to about 7.0, from about 6.0 to about 6.9, from about 6.0 to about 6.8, from about 6.0 to about 6.7, from about 6.0 to about 6.6, from about 6.0 to about 6.5.
• the third buffering agent has a pH of or no greater than 4.5, of or no greater than 4.6, of or no greater than 4.7, of or no greater than 4.8, of or no greater than 4.9, of or no greater than 5.0, of or no greater than 5.2, of or no greater than 5.4, of or no greater than 5.6, of or no greater than 5.8, of or no greater than 6.0, of or no greater than 6.1, of or no greater than 6.2, of or no greater than 6.3, of or no greater than 6.4, of or no greater than 6.5, of or no greater than 6.6, of or no greater than 6.7, of or no greater than 6.8, of or no greater than 6.9, or of or no greater than 7.0.
• the third aqueous buffer is selected from the group consisting of an acetate buffer, a citrate buffer, a phosphate buffer, and a tris buffer.
• the third aqueous buffer has a pH in a range of from about 6.5 to about 8.5, from about 7.0 to about 8.0, from about 7.2 to about 7.8, or from about 7.4 to about 7.6.
• the third aqueous buffer has a pH of about 7.5.
• the therapeutic and/or prophylactic agent is a nucleic acid.
• the methods of the present disclosure provide a nucleic acid solution comprising a nucleic acid.
• the nucleic acid may be provided in a solution to be mixed or added to a lipid nanoparticle or lipid nanoparticle solution such that the nucleic acid may be encapsulated in the lipid nanoparticle (thereby forming the “loaded LNP”).
• the nucleic acid solution comprises a nucleic acid at a concentration of from about 0.01 mg/mL to about 1.0 mg/mL, from about 0.01 mg/mL to about 0.9 mg/mL, from about 0.01 mg/mL to about 0.8 mg/mL, from about 0.01 mg/mL to about 0.7 mg/mL, from about 0.01 mg/mL to about 0.6 mg/mL, from about 0.01 mg/mL to about 0.5 mg/mL, from about 0.01 mg/mL to about 0.4 mg/mL, from about 0.01 mg/mL to about 0.3 mg/mL, from about 0.01 mg/mL to about 0.2 mg/mL, from about 0.01 mg/mL to about 0.1 mg/mL, from about 0.05 mg/mL to about 1.0 mg/mL, from about 0.05 mg/mL to about 0.9 mg/mL, from about 0.05 mg/mL to about 0.8 mg/mL, from about 0.05 mg/mL to about 0.05 mg/m
• the nucleic acid solution comprises from about 0.001 to about 1.0 mg/mL of the nucleic acid, from about 0.0025 to about 0.5 mg/mL of the nucleic acid, or from about 0.005 to about 0.2 mg/mL of the nucleic acid. In some embodiments, the nucleic acid solution comprises about 0.005 to about 0.2 mg/mL of the nucleic acid.
• the nucleic acid solution comprises a nucleic acid in an aqueous buffer.
• a suitable nucleic acid solution may further comprise a buffering agent and/or a salt.
• buffering agents include, but are not limited to, ammonium sulfate, sodium bicarbonate, sodium citrate, sodium acetate, potassium phosphate, sodium phosphate, tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane (tris), HEPES, and the like.
• the nucleic acid solution comprises a buffering agent at a concentration of from about 0.1 mM to about 100 mM, from about 0.5 mM to about 90 mM, from about 1.0 mM to about 80 mM, from about 2 mM to about 70 mM, from about 3 mM to about 60 mM, from about 4 mM to about 50 mM, from about 5 mM to about 40 mM, from about 6 mM to about 30 mM, from about 7 mM to about 20 mM, from about 8 mM to about 15 mM, from about 9 mM to about 12 mM.
• a buffering agent at a concentration of from about 0.1 mM to about 100 mM, from about 0.5 mM to about 90 mM, from about 1.0 mM to about 80 mM, from about 2 mM to about 70 mM, from about 3 mM to about 60 mM, from about 4 mM to about 50 m
• the nucleic acid solution comprises a buffering agent at a concentration of or greater than about 0.1 mM, greater than about 0.5 mM, greater than about 1 mM, greater than about 2 mM, greater than about 4 mM, greater than about 6 mM, greater than about 8 mM, greater than about 10 mM, greater than about 15 mM, greater than about 20 mM, greater than about 25 mM, greater than about 30 mM, greater than about 35 mM, greater than about 40 mM, greater than about 45 mM, or greater than about 50 mM.
• Exemplary suitable salts include, but are not limited to, potassium chloride, magnesium chloride, sodium chloride, and the like.
• the nucleic acid solution has a pH of from about 4.5 to about 7.0, from about 4.6 to about 7.0, from about 4.8 to about 7.0, from about 5.0 to about 7.0, from about 5.5 to about 7.0, from about 6.0 to about 7.0, from about 6.0 to about 6.9, from about 6.0 to about 6.8, from about 6.0 to about 6.7, from about 6.0 to about 6.6, from about 6.0 to about 6.5.
• the nucleic acid solution has a pH of from about 4.5 to from about 6.5, from about 4.8 to about 6.25, from about 4.8 to about 6.0, from about 5.0 to about 5.8, or from about 5.2 to about 5.5.
• the nucleic acid solution has a pH of from about 5.0 to about 6.0, from about 5.1 to about 5.75, or from about 5.2 to about 5.5. In some embodiments, the nucleic acid solution has a pH of from about 4.5 to about 6.5, from about 4.8 to about 6.25, from about 4.8 to about 6.0, from about 5.0 to about 5.8, or from about 5.2 to about 5.5.
• a suitable nucleic acid solution has a pH of or no greater than 4.5, of or no greater than 4.6, of or no greater than 4.7, of or no greater than 4.8, of or no greater than 4.9, of or no greater than 5.0, of or no greater than 5.2, of or no greater than 5.4, of or no greater than 5.6, of or no greater than 5.8, of or no greater than 6.0, of or no greater than 6.1, of or no greater than 6.2, of or no greater than 6.3, of or no greater than 6.4, of or no greater than 6.5, of or no greater than 6.6, of or no greater than 6.7, of or no greater than 6.8, of or no greater than 6.9, or of or no greater than 7.0.
• the nucleic acid solution comprises an acetate buffer.
• the nucleic acid solution comprises from about 1 mM to about 200 mM acetate buffer, from about 2 mM to about 180 mM acetate buffer, from about 3 mM to about 160 mM acetate buffer, from about 4 mM to about 150 mM acetate buffer, from about 4 mM to about 140 mM acetate buffer, from about 5 mM to about 130 mM acetate buffer, from about 6 mM to about 120 mM acetate buffer, from about 7 mM to about 110 mM acetate buffer, from about 8 mM to about 100 mM acetate buffer, from about 9 mM to about 90 mM acetate buffer, from about 10 mM to about 80 mM acetate buffer, from about 15 mM to about 70 mM acetate buffer, from about 20 mM to about 60 mM
• the nucleic acid solution comprises about 130 mM acetate buffer.
• the present disclosure provides an empty lipid nanoparticle (empty LNP) prepared by a method disclosed herein.
• the present disclosure provides an empty LNP comprising a polymeric lipid.
• the polymeric lipid is a PEG lipid.
• the polymeric lipid is not a PEG lipid.
• the polymeric lipid is an amphiphilic polymer-lipid conjugate.
• the polymeric lipid is a PEG-lipid conjugate.
• the polymeric lipid is Brij or OH-PEG-stearate.
• the empty LNP further comprises from about 0 1 mol% to about 0.5 mol% PEG lipid, a phospholipid, a structural lipid, or any combination thereof.
• the empty LNP comprises about 3.0 mol% PEG lipid or less, about 2.75 mol% PEG lipid or less, about 2.5 mol% PEG lipid or less, about 2.25 mol% PEG lipid or less, about 2.0 mol% PEG lipid or less, about 1.75 mol% PEG lipid or less, about 1.5 mol% PEG lipid or less, about 1.25 mol% PEG lipid or less, about 1.0 mol% PEG lipid or less, about 0.9 mol% PEG lipid or less, about 0.8 mol% PEG lipid or less, about 0.7 mol% PEG lipid or less, about 0.6 mol% PEG lipid or less, about 0.5 mol% PEG lipid or less, about 0.4 mol% PEG lipid
• the empty LNP comprises from about 0 mol% to about 3.0 mol% PEG lipid, from about 0.1 mol% to about 2.5 mol% PEG lipid, from about 0.2 mol% to about 2.25 mol% PEG lipid, from about 0.25 mol% to about 2.0 mol% PEG lipid, from about 0.5 mol% to about 1.75 mol% PEG lipid, from about 0.75 mol% to about 1.5 mol% PEG lipid, or from about 1.0 mol% to about 1.25 mol% PEG lipid.
• the empty LNP has an average lipid nanoparticle diameter of about 200 nm or less, about 175 nm or less, about 150 nm or less, about 125 nm or less, about 100 nm or less, about 90 nm or less, about 80 nm or less, about 75 nm or less, about 70 nm or less, about 65 nm or less, about 60 nm or less, about 55 nm or less, about 50 nm or less, about 45 nm or less, about 40 nm or less, about 35 nm or less, about 30 nm or less, about 25 nm or less, or about 20 nm or less.
• the empty LNP has an average lipid nanoparticle diameter of from about 20 nm to about 150 nm, from about 25 nm to about 125 nm, from about 30 nm to about 110 nm, from about 35 nm to about 100 nm, from about 40 nm to about 90 nm, from about 45 nm to about 80 nm, or from about 50 nm to about 70 nm.
• empty LNP has an average lipid nanoparticle diameter of about 25 to about 45 nm.
• the present disclosure provides an empty lipid nanoparticle solution (empty-LNP solution) prepared by a method disclosed herein.
• the empty-LNP solution comprises the empty LNP.
• the empty-LNP solution comprises the empty LNP at a concentration of greater than about 0.01 mg/mL, about 0.05 mg/mL, about 0.06 mg/mL, about 0.07 mg/mL, about 0.08 mg/mL, about 0.09 mg/mL, about 0.1 mg/mL, about 0.15 mg/mL, about 0.2 mg/mL, about 0.3 mg/mL, about 0.4 mg/mL, about 0.5 mg/mL, about 0.6 mg/mL, about 0.7 mg/mL, about 0.8 mg/mL, about 0.9 mg/mL, or about 1.0 mg/mL.
• the empty-LNP solution comprises the empty LNP at a concentration of from about 0.01 mg/mL to about 1.0 mg/mL, from about 0.01 mg/mL to about 0.9 mg/mL, from about 0.01 mg/mL to about 0.8 mg/mL, from about 0.01 mg/mL to about 0.7 mg/mL, from about 0.01 mg/mL to about 0.6 mg/mL, from about 0.01 mg/mL to about 0.5 mg/mL, from about 0.01 mg/mL to about 0.4 mg/mL, from about 0.01 mg/mL to about 0.3 mg/mL, from about 0.01 mg/mL to about 0.2 mg/mL, from about 0.01 mg/mL to about 0.1 mg/mL, from about 0.05 mg/mL to about 1.0 mg/mL, from about 0.05 mg/mL to about 0.9 mg/mL, from about 0.05 mg/mL to about 0.8 mg/mL, from about 0.05 mg/mL to about 0.7 mg/mL,
• the empty-LNP solution comprises an empty LNP at a concentration up to about 5.0 mg/mL, up to about 4.0 mg/mL, up to about 3.0 mg/mL, up to about 2.0 mg/mL, up to about 1.0 mg/mL, up to about 0.09 mg/mL, up to about 0.08 mg/mL, up to about 0.07 mg/mL, up to about 0.06 mg/mL, or up to about 0.05 mg/mL.
• the empty-LNP solution comprises an empty LNP in an aqueous buffer.
• the empty-LNP solution may further comprise a buffering agent and/or a salt.
• the empty-LNP solution comprises a buffering agent at a concentration of from about 0.1 mM to about 100 mM, from about 0.5 mM to about 90 mM, from about 1.0 mM to about 80 mM, from about 2 mM to about 70 mM, from about 3 mM to about 60 mM, from about 4 mM to about 50 mM, from about 5 mM to about 40 mM, from about 6 mM to about 30 mM, from about 7 mM to about 20 mM, from about 8 mM to about 15 mM, from about 9 mM to about 12 mM.
• the empty-LNP solution comprises a buffering agent at a concentration of or greater than about 0.1 mM, about 0.5 mM, about 1 mM, about 2 mM, about 4 mM, about 6 mM, about 8 mM, about 10 mM, about 15 mM, about 20 mM, about 25 mM, about 30 mM, about 35 mM, about 40 mM, about 45 mM, or about 50 mM.
• exemplary suitable salts include, but are not limited to, potassium chloride, magnesium chloride, sodium chloride, and the like.
• the empty-LNP solution has a pH of from about 4.5 to about 7.0, from about 4.6 to about 7.0, from about 4.8 to about 7.0, from about 5.0 to about 7.0, from about 5.5 to about 7.0, from about 6.0 to about 7.0, from about 6.0 to about 6.9, from about 6.0 to about 6.8, from about 6.0 to about 6.7, from about 6.0 to about 6.6, from about 6.0 to about 6.5.
• the empty-LNP solution has a pH in a range of from about 4.5 to about 6.25, from about 4.6 to about 6.0, from about 4.8 to about 5.8, from about 5.0 to about 5.75, from about 5.0 to about 5.5.
• the empty-LNP solution comprises about 5 mM acetate buffer, wherein the acetate buffer has a pH of about 5.0.
• the empty-LNP solution comprises an acetate buffer. [00212] In some embodiments, empty-LNP solution further comprises a first organic solvent.
• the first organic solvent is an alcohol
• the empty-LNP solution further comprises a tonicity agent (e.g. a sugar such as sucrose).
• a tonicity agent e.g. a sugar such as sucrose.
• Loaded Lipid Nanoparticles Loaded LNPs
• the present disclosure provides a loaded lipid nanoparticle (loaded LNP) being prepared by a method disclosed herein.
• the loaded LNP further comprises from about 0.1 mol% to about 0.5 mol% PEG lipid, a phospholipid, a structural lipid, or any combination thereof.
• the loaded LNP comprises about 3.0 mol% PEG lipid or less, about 2.75 mol% PEG lipid or less, about 2.5 mol% PEG lipid or less, about 2.25 mol% PEG lipid or less, about 2.0 mol% PEG lipid or less, about 1.75 mol% PEG lipid or less, about 1.5 mol% PEG lipid or less, about 1.25 mol% PEG lipid or less, about 1.0 mol% PEG lipid or less, about 0.9 mol% PEG lipid or less, about 0.8 mol% PEG lipid or less, about 0.7 mol% PEG lipid or less, about 0.6 mol% PEG lipid or less, about 0.5 mol% PEG lipid or less, about 0.4 mol% PEG lipid or less,
• the loaded LNP comprises about 0 mol% to about 3.0 mol% PEG lipid, 0.1 mol% to about 2.5 mol% PEG lipid, about 0.2 mol% to about 2.25 mol% PEG lipid, about 0.25 mol% to about 2.0 mol% PEG lipid, about 0.5 mol% to about 1.75 mol% PEG lipid, about 0.75 mol% to about 1.5 mol% PEG lipid, or about 1.0 mol% to about 1.25 mol% PEG lipid.
• the loaded LNP comprises about 0.050 mol% to about 0.5 mol% PEG lipid.
• the loaded LNP comprises from about 30 mol% to about 60 mol% ionizable lipid; from about 0 mol% to about 30 mol% phospholipid; from about 15 mol% to about 50 mol% structural lipid; and from about 0.1 mol% to about 0.5 mol% PEG lipid.
• the loaded LNP comprises from about 30 mol% to about 60 mol% ionizable lipid; from about 0 mol% to about 30 mol% phospholipid; from about 15 mol% to about 50 mol% structural lipid; and from about 0.1 mol% to about 10 mol% PEG lipid.
• the loaded LNP has an average lipid nanoparticle diameter of about 200 nm or less, about 175 nm or less, about 150 nm or less, about 125 nm or less, about 100 nm or less, about 90 nm or less, about 80 nm or less, about 75 nm or less, about 70 nm or less, about 65 nm or less, about 60 nm or less, about 55 nm or less, about 50 nm or less, about 45 nm or less, about 40 nm or less, about 35 nm or less, about 30 nm or less, about 25 nm or less, or about 20 nm or less.
• the loaded LNP has an average lipid nanoparticle diameter of from about 20 nm to about 150 nm, from about 25 nm to about 125 nm, from about 30 nm to about 110 nm, from about 35 nm to about 100 nm, from about 40 nm to about 90 nm, from about 45 nm to about 80 nm, or from about 50 nm to about 70 nm.
• loaded LNP has an average lipid nanoparticle diameter of from about 25 to about 45 nm.
• the present disclosure provides a loaded-LNP solution being prepared by a method disclosed herein.
• the loaded-LNP solution comprises the loaded LNP.
• the loaded-LNP solution comprises the loaded LNP at a concentration of greater than about 0.01 mg/mL, about 0.05 mg/mL, about 0.06 mg/mL, about 0.07 mg/mL, about 0.08 mg/mL, about 0.09 mg/mL, about 0.1 mg/mL, about 0.15 mg/mL, about 0.2 mg/mL, about 0.3 mg/mL, about 0.4 mg/mL, about 0.5 mg/mL, about 0.6 mg/mL, about 0.7 mg/mL, about 0.8 mg/mL, about 0.9 mg/mL, or about 1.0 mg/mL.
• the loaded-LNP solution comprises the loaded LNP at a concentration of from about 0.01 mg/mL to about 1.0 mg/mL, 0.01 mg/mL to about 0.9 mg/mL, 0.01 mg/mL to about 0.8 mg/mL, 0.01 mg/mL to about 0.7 mg/mL, 0.01 mg/mL to about 0.6 mg/mL, 0.01 mg/mL to about 0.5 mg/mL, 0.01 mg/mL to about 0.4 mg/mL, 0.01 mg/mL to about 0.3 mg/mL, 0.01 mg/mL to about 0.2 mg/mL, 0.01 mg/mL to about 0.1 mg/mL, 0.05 mg/mL to about 1.0 mg/mL, 0.05 mg/mL to about 0.9 mg/mL, 0.05 mg/mL to about 0.8 mg/mL, 0.05 mg/mL to about 0.7 mg/mL, 0.05 mg/mL to about 0.6 mg/mL, 0.05 mg/mL to
• the loadedmM to about LNP solution comprises a buffering agent at a concentration of or greater than about 0.1 mM, 0.5 mM, 1 mM, 2 mM, 4 mM, 6 mM, 8 mM, 10 mM, 15 mM, 20 mM, 25 mM, 30 mM, 35 mM, 40 mM, 45 mM, or 50 mM.
• exemplary suitable salts include, but are not limited to, potassium chloride, magnesium chloride, sodium chloride, and the like.
• the loaded-LNP solution has a pH of from about 4.5 to about 7.0, from about 4.6 to about 7.0, from about 4.8 to about 7.0, from about 5.0 to about 7.0, from about 5.5 to about 7.0, from about 6.0 to about 7.0, from about 6.0 to about 6.9, from about 6.0 to about 6.8, from about 6.0 to about 6.7, from about 6.0 to about 6.6, or from about 6.0 to about 6.5.
• the loaded-LNP solution has a pH in a range of from about 4.5 to about 6.25, from about 4.6 to about 6.0, from about 4.8 to about 5.8, from about 5.0 to about 5.75, or from about 5.0 to about 5.5.
• the loaded-LNP solution comprises about 5 mM acetate buffer, wherein the acetate buffer has a pH of about 5.0.
• the loaded-LNP solution comprises an acetate buffer.
• loaded-LNP solution further comprises a first organic solvent.
• the first organic solvent is an alcohol
• the alcohol is ethanol.
• the loaded-LNP solution further comprises a tonicity agent.
• Lipid Nanoparticle Formulations (LNP Formulations)
• the present disclosure provides lipid nanoparticle formulations (LNP formulations) prepared by a method disclosed herein.
• LNP formulations lipid nanoparticle formulations
• the LNP formulation comprises about 30-60 mol% ionizable lipid; from about 0mol% to about 30 mol% phospholipid; from about 15 mol% to about 50 mol% structural lipid; and from about 0.1mol% to about 0.5 mol% PEG lipid.
• the LNP formulation comprises from about 30 mol% to about 60 mol% ionizable lipid; from about 0 mol% to about 30 mol% phospholipid; about 15 mol% to about 50 mol% structural lipid; and from about 0.1 mol% to about 10 mol% PEG lipid.
• LNP formulation has an average lipid nanoparticle diameter of from about 25 to about 45 nm.
• the pH of the LNP formulation is in a range of from about 5.0 to about 6.0, from about 5.1 to about 5.75, or from about 5.2 to about 5.5.
• the first pH and the second pH are in a range of from about 7.0 to about 8.1, or from about 7.1 to about 7.8, or from about 7.2 to about 7.7, or from about 7.3 to about 7.6, or from about 7.4 to about 7.5.
• the first pH and the second pH are in a range of from about 4.5 to about 6.5, or from about 4.6 to about 6.0, or from about 4.8 to about 5.5.
• the administering is performed less than about 72 hours after the mixing. In some embodiments, the administering is performed less than about 60 hours after the mixing. In some embodiments, the administering is performed less than about 48 hours after the mixing. In some embodiments, the administering is performed less than about 36 hours after the mixing. In some embodiments, the administering is performed less than about 24 hours after the mixing. In some embodiments, the administering is performed less than about 20 hours after the mixing. In some embodiments, the administering is performed less than about 16 hours after the mixing. In some embodiments, the administering is performed less than about 12 hours after the mixing. In some embodiments, the administering is performed less than about 8 hours after the mixing.
• the administering is performed less than about 120 minutes after the mixing. In some embodiments, the administering is performed less than about 100 minutes after the mixing. In some embodiments, the administering is performed less than about 90 minutes after the mixing. In some embodiments, the administering is performed less than about 80 minutes after the mixing. In some embodiments, the administering is performed less than about 70 minutes after the mixing. In some embodiments, the administering is performed less than about 60 minutes after the mixing. In some embodiments, the administering is performed less than about 50 minutes after the mixing. In some embodiments, the administering is performed less than about 40 minutes after the mixing. In some embodiments, the administering is performed less than about 30 minutes after the mixing. In some embodiments, the administering is performed less than about 20 minutes after the mixing. In some embodiments, the administering is performed less than about 15 minutes after the mixing. In some embodiments, the administering is performed less than about 10 minutes after the mixing.
• the pH of the aqueous buffer solution and the pH of the lipid nanoparticle formulation are about the same.
• the LNP formulation comprises from about 1% by volume to about 50% by volume of the organic solvent relative to the total volume of the lipid nanoparticle formulation. In some embodiments, the LNP formulation comprises from about 2% by volume to about 45% by volume of the organic solvent relative to the total volume of the LNP formulation. In some embodiments, the LNP formulation comprises from about 3% by volume to about 40% by volume of the organic solvent relative to the total volume of the LNP formulation. In some embodiments, the LNP formulation comprises from about 4% by volume to about 35% by volume of the organic solvent relative to the total volume of the LNP formulation. In some embodiments, the LNP formulation comprises from about 5% by volume to about 33% by volume of the organic solvent relative to the total volume of the LNP formulation.
• the organic solvent is an alcohol
• the organic solvent comprises a first organic solvent and a second organic solvent.
• the first organic solvent is an alcohol and the second organic solvent is an alcohol.
• the first organic solvent is ethanol and the second organic solvent is benzyl alcohol.
• a wt/wt ratio of the first organic solvent to the second organic solvent is in a range of from about 100: 1 to about 1 : 1, or from about 50: 1 to about 1:1, or from about 20:1 to about 1:1, or from about 10:1 to about 1:1.
• the organic solution further comprises a wetting agent.
• a wetting agent may refer to an agent that increases, decreases or improves the ability of a liquid to maintain contact with a surface, such as a solid surface and/or liquid surface.
• the wetting agent is an organic solvent.
• the wetting agent is dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO).
• a wt/wt ratio of the wetting agent to the organic solvent is in a range of from about 1000: 1 to about 1 : 1, or from about 500: 1 to about 5: 1, or from about
• the aqueous buffer solution is at least one selected from the group consisting of an acetate buffer, citrate buffer, phosphate buffer, and a tris buffer.
• the aqueous buffer solution may be any buffer suitable for maintaining a physiological pH.
• the aqueous buffer solution may be any buffer suitable for maintaining a pH suitable for administering to a patient.
• the patient is a mammalian patient.
• the patient is a human patient.
• the aqueous buffer solution further comprises a tonicity agent.
• a tonicity agent may refer to an agent that increases, decreases, or improves the effective osmotic pressure gradient, as defined by the water potential of two solutions, or a relative concentration of solutes dissolve in solution impacting the direction and extent of diffusion.
• the empty-LNP solution or loaded-LNP solution further comprises a tonicity agent.
• the tonicity agent is a sugar.
• the empty-LNP solution or loaded-LNP solution further comprises from about 0.01 g/mL to about 1.0 g/mL, from about 0.05 g/mL to about 0.5 g/mL, from about 0.1 g/mL to about 0.4 g/mL, from about 0.15 g/mL to about 0.3 g/mL, or from about 0.2 g/mL to about 0.25 g/mL tonicity agent.
• the empty-LNP solution or loaded-LNP solution further comprises from about 0.2 g/mL to about 0.25 g/mL tonicity agent.
• RNA e.g., mRNA
• Suitable ionizable lipids for the methods of the present disclosure are further disclosed herein.
• the empty LNP, empty-LNP solution, loaded LNP, loaded- LNP solution, or LNP formulation further comprises a phospholipid, a PEG lipid, a structural lipid, or any combination thereof. Suitable phospholipids, PEG lipids, and structural lipids for the methods of the present disclosure are further disclosed herein.
• the empty LNP, empty-LNP solution, loaded LNP, loaded- LNP solution, or LNP formulation of the disclosure includes at least one lipid nanoparticle component.
• Lipid nanoparticles may include a lipid component and one or more additional components, such as a therapeutic and/or prophylactic, such as a nucleic acid.
• a LNP may be designed for one or more specific applications or targets.
• the elements of a LNP may be selected based on a particular application or target, and/or based on the efficacy, toxicity, expense, ease of use, availability, or other feature of one or more elements.
• the particular formulation of a LNP may be selected for a particular application or target according to, for example, the efficacy and toxicity of particular combination of elements.
• the efficacy and tolerability of a LNP formulation may be affected by the stability of the formulation.
• the lipid component of the empty LNP, empty-LNP solution, loaded LNP, loaded-LNP solution, or LNP formulation may include, for example, a lipid according to Formula (IL-I), (IL-IA), (IL-IB), (IL-II), (IL-IIa), (IL-IIb), (IL-IIc), (IL-IId), (IL-IIe), (IL-IIf), (IL-IIg), (IL-VI), (IL- VIIa), (IL-VIIIa), (IL-VIIIb), (IL-VIIb-1), (IL-VIIb-2), (IL-VIIb-3), (IL-VIIc), (IL-VIId), (IL-VIIIc), (IL-VIIId), (IL-VIVa), (IL-VIVb), (IL-III), (IL-III), (IL-IIIal), (IL-IIIa2), (IL-IIIa3), (IL- IIIa4), (IL-IIIa5), (IL-IIIa
• the lipid component of the empty LNP, empty-LNP solution, loaded LNP, loaded-LNP solution, or LNP formulation includes a lipid according to Formula (IL-I), (IL-IA), (IL-IB), (IL-II), (IL-IIa), (IL-IIb), (IL-IIc), (IL-IId), (IL-IIe), (IL-IIf), (IL-IIg), (IL-VI), (IL-VIIa), (IL-VIIIa), (IL-VIIIb), (IL-VIIb-1), (IL-VIIb-2), (IL-VIIb-3), (IL-VIIc), (IL-VIId), (IL-VIIIc), (IL-VIIId), (IL-VIVa), (IL-VIVb), (IL-III), (IL-III), (IL-IIIal), (IL- IHa2), (IL-IIIa3), (IL-IIIa4), (IL-IIIa5), (IL-III
• the lipid component of the empty LNP, empty-LNP solution, loaded LNP, loaded-LNP solution, or LNP formulation includes about 35 mol % to about 55 mol % compound of Formula (IL- I), (IL-IA), (IL-IB), (IL-II), (IL-IIa), (IL-IIb), (IL-IIc), (IL-IId), (IL-IIe), (IL-IIf), (IL-IIg), (IL-VI), (IL-VIIa), (IL-VIIIa), (IL-VIIIb), (IL-VIIb-1), (IL-VIIb-2), (IL-VIIb-3), (IL-VIIc), (IL-VIId), (IL-VIIIc), (IL-VIIId), (IL-VIVa), (IL-VIVb), (IL-III), (IL-IIIal), (IL-IIIa2), (IL- IIIa3), (IL-IIIa4), (IL-IIIa5), (IL-IIIa
• Lipid nanoparticles may be designed for one or more specific applications or targets.
• a LNP may be designed to deliver a therapeutic and/or prophylactic such as an RNA to a particular cell, tissue, organ, or system or group thereof in a mammaEs body.
• Physiochemical properties of lipid nanoparticles may be altered in order to increase selectivity for particular bodily targets. For instance, particle sizes may be adjusted based on the fenestration sizes of different organs.
• the therapeutic and/or prophylactic included in a LNP may also be selected based on the desired delivery target or targets.
• a therapeutic and/or prophylactic may be selected for a particular indication, condition, disease, or disorder and/or for delivery to a particular cell, tissue, organ, or system or group thereof (e.g., localized or specific delivery).
• a LNP may include an mRNA encoding a polypeptide of interest capable of being translated within a cell to produce the polypeptide of interest.
• Such a composition may be designed to be specifically delivered to a particular organ.
• a composition may be designed to be specifically delivered to a mammalian liver.
• the amount of a therapeutic and/or prophylactic in a LNP may depend on the size, composition, desired target and/or application, or other properties of the lipid nanoparticle as well as on the properties of the therapeutic and/or prophylactic.
• the amount of an RNA useful in a LNP may depend on the size, sequence, and other characteristics of the RNA.
• the relative amounts of a therapeutic and/or prophylactic and other elements (e.g., lipids) in a LNP may also vary.
• the wt/wt ratio of the lipid component to a therapeutic and/or prophylactic, such as a nucleic acid, in a LNP may be from about 5:1 to about 60:1, such as 5:1, 6:1, 7:1, 8:1, 9:1, 10:1, 11:1, 12:1, 13:1, 14:1, 15:1, 16:1, 17:1, 18:1, 19:1, 20:1, 25:1, 30:1, 35:1, 40:1, 45:1, 50:1, and 60:1.
• the wt/wt ratio of the lipid component to a therapeutic and/or prophylactic may be from about 10:1 to about 40:1. In some embodiments, the wt/wt ratio is about 20:1.
• the amount of a therapeutic and/or prophylactic in a LNP may, for example, be measured using absorption spectroscopy (e.g ., ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy).
• a LNP includes one or more RNAs, and the one or more RNAs, lipids, and amounts thereof may be selected to provide a specific N:P ratio.
• the N:P ratio of the composition refers to the molar ratio of nitrogen atoms in one or more lipids to the number of phosphate groups in an RNA. In general, a lower N:P ratio is preferred.
• the one or more RNA, lipids and amounts thereof may be selected to provide an N:P ratio from about 2:1 to about 30:1, such as 2:1, 3:1, 4:1, 5:1, 6:1, 7:1, 8:1, 9:1, 10:1, 12:1, 14:1, 16:1, 18:1, 20:1, 22:1, 24:1, 26:1, 28:1, or 30:1.
• the N:P ratio may be from about 2:1 to about 8:1.
• the N:P ratio is from about 5:1 to about 8:1.
• the N:P ratio may be about 5.0:1, about 5.5:1, about 5.67:1, about 6.0:1, about 6.5:1, or about 7.0:1. In some embodiments, the N:P ratio may be about 5.67:1.
• the formulation including a LNP may further include a salt, such as a chloride salt.
• the formulation including a LNP may further include a sugar such as a disaccharide.
• the formulation further includes a sugar but not a salt, such as a chloride salt.
• the nitrogen atom may be substituted or unsubstituted (i.e., N or NR wherein R is H or other substituents, as defined).
• nitrogen-containing compounds are also considered, when allowed by valency and structure, to cover both the compound as shown and its N-hydroxy (i.e.. N-OH) and N-alkoxy (i.e., N-OR, wherein R is substituted or unsubstituted Ci-C 6 alkyl, C1-C6 alkenyl, C1-C6 alkynyl, 3-14-membered carbocycle or 3-14- membered heterocycle) derivatives.
• N-OH N-hydroxy
• N-alkoxy i.e., N-OR, wherein R is substituted or unsubstituted Ci-C 6 alkyl, C1-C6 alkenyl, C1-C6 alkynyl, 3-14-membered carbocycle or 3-14- membered heterocycle
• the term “comparable method” refers to a method with comparable parameters or steps, as of the method being compared (e.g., the producing the LNP formulation of the present disclosure).
• the “comparable method” is a method with one or more of steps i), ia), iaa), ib), ii), iia), iib), iic), iid), and iie) of the method being compared.
• delivering a therapeutic and/or prophylactic to a subject may involve administering a LNP including the therapeutic and/or prophylactic to the subject (e.g., by an intravenous, intramuscular, intradermal, or subcutaneous route).
• Administration of a LNP to a mammal or mammalian cell may involve contacting one or more cells with the lipid nanoparticle.
• an “empty nanoparticle” or an “empty lipid nanoparticle” may refer to a nanoparticle that is substantially free of a nucleic acid.
• the term “substantially free of a nucleic acid” means that the nanoparticle contains no significant amount of nucleic acid (e.g., an mRNA).
• an “empty nanoparticle” may refer to a nanoparticle that consists substantially of only lipid components.
• the loaded LNP comprises a therapeutic or prophylactic agent that is at least partially in the interior of the LNP. In some embodiments, the loaded LNP comprises a substantial amount of a therapeutic or prophylactic agent that is associated with the suface of the LNP or conjugated to the exterior of the LNP.
• a “loaded LNP” As used herein, a “loaded LNP”,
• a “loaded LNP”, “loaded nanoparticle” or a “loaded lipid nanoparticle” may refer to a nanoparticle comprising the components of the empty nanoparticle, and a substantial amount of a nucleic acid.
• the loaded LNP comprises a nucleic acid (e.g., an mRNA) that is at least partially in the interior of the LNP.
• the loaded LNP comprises nucleic acid (e.g., an mRNA) that is associated with the suface of the LNP or conjugated to the exterior of the LNP.
• expression of a nucleic acid sequence refers to translation of an mRNA into a polypeptide or protein and/or post-translational modification of a polypeptide or protein.
• in vitro refers to events that occur in an artificial environment, e.g., in a test tube or reaction vessel, in cell culture, in a Petri dish, etc., rather than within an organism (e.g., animal, plant, or microbe).
• Tautomer is one of two or more structural isomers that exist in equilibrium and is readily converted from one isomeric form to another. This conversion results in the formal migration of a hydrogen atom accompanied by a switch of adjacent conjugated double bonds. Tautomers exist as a mixture of a tautomeric set in solution. In solutions where tautomerization is possible, a chemical equilibrium of the tautomers will be reached. The exact ratio of the tautomers depends on several factors, including temperature, solvent and pH. The concept of tautomers that are interconvertible by tautomerization is called tautomerism.
• keto-enol tautomerism a simultaneous shift of electrons and a hydrogen atom occurs.
• Ring-chain tautomerism arises as a result of the aldehyde group (-CHO) in a sugar chain molecule reacting with one of the hydroxy groups (-OH) in the same molecule to give it a cyclic (ring-shaped) form as exhibited by glucose.
• tautomeric pairs are: ketone-enol, amide-nitrile, lactam-lactim, amide- imidic acid tautomerism in heterocyclic rings (e.g., in nucleobases such as guanine, thymine and cytosine), imine-enamine and enamine-enamine.
• nucleobases such as guanine, thymine and cytosine
• imine-enamine and enamine-enamine is shown below.
• a linker may include one or more groups including but not limited to phosphate groups (e.g., phosphates, boranophosphates, thiophosphates, selenophosphates, and phosphonates), alkyl groups, amidates, or glycerols.
• phosphate groups e.g., phosphates, boranophosphates, thiophosphates, selenophosphates, and phosphonates
• alkyl groups e.g., phosphates, boranophosphates, thiophosphates, selenophosphates, and phosphonates
• methods of administration may include intravenous, intramuscular, intradermal, subcutaneous, or other methods of delivering a composition to a subject.
• a method of administration may be selected to target delivery (e.g., to specifically deliver) to a specific region or system of a body.
• N:P ratio is the molar ratio of ionizable (in the physiological pH range) nitrogen atoms in a lipid to phosphate groups in an RNA, e.g., in a LNP including a lipid component and an RNA.
• lipid nanoparticle is a composition comprising one or more lipids.
• Lipid nanoparticles are typically sized on the order of micrometers or smaller and may include a lipid bilayer.
• Lipid nanoparticles encompass lipid nanoparticles (LNPs), liposomes (e.g., lipid vesicles), and lipoplexes.
• LNPs lipid nanoparticles
• liposomes e.g., lipid vesicles
• lipoplexes e.g., lipoplexes.
• a LNP may be a liposome having a lipid bilayer with a diameter of 500 nm or less.
• patient refers to a subject who may seek or be in need of treatment, requires treatment, is receiving treatment, will receive treatment, or a subject who is under care by a trained professional for a particular disease or condition.
• phrases “pharmaceutically acceptable” is used herein to refer to those compounds, materials, composition, and/or dosage forms which are, within the scope of sound medical judgment, suitable for use in contact with the tissues of human beings and animals without excessive toxicity, irritation, allergic response, or other problems or complication, commensurate with a reasonable benefit/risk ratio.
• phrases “pharmaceutically acceptable excipient,” as used herein, refers to any ingredient other than the compounds described herein (for example, a vehicle capable of suspending, complexing, or dissolving the active compound) and having the properties of being substantially nontoxic and non-inflammatory in a patient.
• Excipients may include, for example: anti-adherents, antioxidants, binders, coatings, compression aids, disintegrants, dyes (colors), emollients, emulsifiers, fillers (diluents), film formers or coatings, flavors, fragrances, glidants (flow enhancers), lubricants, preservatives, printing inks, sorbents, suspending or dispersing agents, sweeteners, and waters of hydration.
• anti-adherents antioxidants, binders, coatings, compression aids, disintegrants, dyes (colors), emollients, emulsifiers, fillers (diluents), film formers or coatings, flavors, fragrances, glidants (flow enhancers), lubricants, preservatives, printing inks, sorbents, suspending or dispersing agents, sweeteners, and waters of hydration.
• excipients include, but are not limited to: butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), calcium carbonate, calcium phosphate (dibasic), calcium stearate, croscarmellose, crosslinked polyvinyl pyrrolidone, citric acid, crospovidone, cysteine, ethylcellulose, gelatin, hydroxypropyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, lactose, magnesium stearate, maltitol, mannitol, methionine, methylcellulose, methyl paraben, microcrystalline cellulose, polyethylene glycol, polyvinyl pyrrolidone, povidone, pregelatinized starch, propyl paraben, retinyl palmitate, shellac, silicon dioxide, sodium carboxymethyl cellulose, sodium citrate, sodium starch glycolate, sorbitol, starch (com), stearic acid, sucrose, talc, titanium dioxide, vitamin A, vitamin E (alpha-
• the structural formula of the compound represents a certain isomer for convenience in some cases, but the present disclosure includes all isomers, such as geometrical isomers, optical isomers based on an asymmetrical carbon, stereoisomers, tautomers, and the like, it being understood that not all isomers may have the same level of activity.
• a crystal polymorphism may be present for the compounds represented by the formula. It is noted that any crystal form, crystal form mixture, or anhydride or hydrate thereof is included in the scope of the present disclosure.
• crystal polymorphs means crystal structures in which a compound (or a salt or solvate thereof) can crystallize in different crystal packing arrangements, all of which have the same elemental composition. Different crystal forms usually have different X-ray diffraction patterns, infrared spectral, melting points, density hardness, crystal shape, optical and electrical properties, stability and solubility. Recrystallization solvent, rate of crystallization, storage temperature, and other factors may cause one crystal form to dominate. Crystal polymorphs of the compounds can be prepared by crystallization under different conditions.
• alkali or alkaline earth metal salts include sodium, lithium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, and the like, as well as nontoxic ammonium, quaternary ammonium, and amine cations, including, but not limited to ammonium, tetramethylammonium, tetraethylammonium, methylamine, dimethyl amine, trimethylamine, triethylamine, ethylamine, and the like.
• the pharmaceutically acceptable salts of the present disclosure include the conventional non-toxic salts of the parent compound formed, for example, from non-toxic inorganic or organic acids.
• the pharmaceutically acceptable salts of the present disclosure can be synthesized from the parent compound which contains a basic or acidic moiety by conventional chemical methods.
• an amphiphilic “polymer” is an amphiphilic compound that comprises an oligomer or a polymer.
• an amphiphilic polymer can comprise an oligomer fragment, such as two or more PEG monomer units.
• an amphiphilic polymer described herein can be PS 20.
• polypeptide or “polypeptide of interest” refers to a polymer of amino acid residues typically joined by peptide bonds that can be produced naturally (e.g., isolated or purified) or synthetically.
• a “single unit dose” is a dose of any therapeutic administered in one dose/at one time/single route/single point of contact, i.e., single administration event.
• a “split dose” is the division of a single unit dose or total daily dose into two or more doses.
• total daily dose is an amount given or prescribed in a 24 hour period. It may be administered as a single unit dose.
• the term “subject” refers to any organism to which a composition or formulation in accordance with the disclosure may be administered, e.g., for experimental, diagnostic, prophylactic, and/or therapeutic purposes.
• Typical subjects include animals (e.g., mammals such as mice, rats, rabbits, non-human primates, and humans) and/or plants.
• T x refers to the amount of time lasted for the nucleic acid integrity (e.g., mRNA integrity) of aLNP, LNP solution, lyophilized LNP composition, or LNP formulation to degrade to about X of the initial integrity of the nucleic acid (e.g., mRNA) used for the preparation of the LNP, LNP solution, lyophilized LNP composition, or LNP formulation.
• nucleic acid integrity e.g., mRNA integrity
• T8o% refers to the amount of time lasted for the nucleic acid integrity (e.g., mRNA integrity) of a LNP, LNP solution, lyophilized LNP composition, or LNP formulation to degrade to about 80% of the initial integrity of the nucleic acid (e.g., mRNA) used for the preparation of the LNP, LNP solution, lyophilized LNP composition, or LNP formulation.
• nucleic acid integrity e.g., mRNA integrity
• T1/2 refers to the amount of time lasted for the nucleic acid integrity (e.g., mRNA integrity) of a LNP, LNP solution, lyophilized LNP composition, or LNP formulation to degrade to about 1/2 of the initial integrity of the nucleic acid (e.g., mRNA) used for the preparation of the LNP, LNP solution, lyophilized LNP composition, or LNP formulation.
• nucleic acid integrity e.g., mRNA integrity
• therapeutic agent refers to any agent that, when administered to a subject, has a therapeutic, diagnostic, and/or prophylactic effect and/or elicits a desired biological and/or pharmacological effect.
• Therapeutic agents are also referred to as “actives” or “active agents.” Such agents include, but are not limited to, cytotoxins, radioactive ions, chemotherapeutic agents, small molecule drugs, proteins, and nucleic acids.
• the term “therapeutically effective amount” means an amount of an agent to be delivered (e.g., nucleic acid, drug, composition, therapeutic agent, diagnostic agent, prophylactic agent, etc.) that is sufficient, when administered to a subject suffering from or susceptible to an infection, disease, disorder, and/or condition, to treat, improve symptoms of, diagnose, prevent, and/or delay the onset of the infection, disease, disorder, and/or condition.
• an agent to be delivered e.g., nucleic acid, drug, composition, therapeutic agent, diagnostic agent, prophylactic agent, etc.
• transfection refers to the introduction of a species (e.g., an RNA) into a cell. Transfection may occur, for example, in vitro, ex vivo, or in vivo.
• a species e.g., an RNA
• treating refers to partially or completely alleviating, ameliorating, improving, relieving, delaying onset of, inhibiting progression of, reducing severity of, and/or reducing incidence of one or more symptoms or features of a particular infection, disease, disorder, and/or condition.
• “treating” cancer may refer to inhibiting survival, growth, and/or spread of a tumor. Treatment may be administered to a subject who does not exhibit signs of a disease, disorder, and/or condition and/or to a subject who exhibits only early signs of a disease, disorder, and/or condition for the purpose of decreasing the risk of developing pathology associated with the disease, disorder, and/or condition.
• the “zeta potential” is the electrokinetic potential of a lipid, e.g., in a particle composition.
• the present disclosure provides ionizable lipids.
• the ionizable lipids include a central amine moiety and at least one biodegradable group.
• the ionizable lipid is an amino lipid.
• the lipids described herein may be advantageously used in lipid nanoparticles and lipid nanoparticle formulations for the delivery of therapeutic and/or prophylactics, such as a nucleic acid, to mammalian cells or organs.
• the ionizable lipids of the present disclosure may be one or more of compounds of Formula (IL-1): or their N-oxides, or salts or isomers thereof, wherein:
• R 1 is selected from the group consisting of C5-30 alkyl, C5-20 alkenyl, -R*YR”, -YR”, and -R”M’R’;
• R 2 and R 3 are independently selected from the group consisting of H, Ci-14 alkyl, C2-14 alkenyl, -R*YR”, -YR”, and -R*OR”, or R 2 and R 3 , together with the atom to which they are attached, form a heterocycle or carbocycle;
• R 4 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, a C3-6 carbocycle, -(CH2)nQ, - (CH 2 )nCHQR, -(CH 2 )oC(R 10 )2(CH 2 )n-oQ, -CHQR, -CQ(R) 2 , and unsubstituted Ci-e alkyl, where Q is selected from a carbocycle, heterocycle, -OR, -0(CH2)nN(R)2, -C(0)OR, - OC(0)R, -CX3, -CX2H, -CXH2, -CN, -N(R) 2 , -C(0)N(R) 2 , -N(R)C(0)R, -N(R)S(0) 2 R, - N(R)C(0)N(R) 2 , -N(R)C(S)N(R)2, -N(R)R 8 , -N(R)S(0) 2 R 8 ,
• R 8 is selected from the group consisting of C3-6 carbocycle and heterocycle
• R 9 is selected from the group consisting of H, CN, NO2, Ci-6 alkyl, -OR, -S(0)2R, - S(0) 2 N(R) 2 , C2-6 alkenyl, C3-6 carbocycle and heterocycle;
• R 10 is selected from the group consisting of H, OH, C1-3 alkyl, and C2-3 alkenyl; each R is independently selected from the group consisting of C1-3 alkyl, C2-3 alkenyl, (CH 2 ) q OR*, and H, and each q is independently selected from 1, 2, and 3; each R’ is independently selected from the group consisting of C1-18 alkyl, C2-18 alkenyl, -R*YR”, -YR”, and H; each R” is independently selected from the group consisting of C3-15 alkyl and C3-15 alkenyl; each R* is independently selected from the group consisting of Ci-12 alkyl and C2-12 alkenyl; each Y is independently a C3-6 carbocycle; each X is independently selected from the group consisting of F, Cl, Br, and I; and m is selected from 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, and 13; and wherein when R 4 is -(CH2)nQ, -(CH2)nCHQR, -
• Q is not 5, 6, or 7-membered heterocycloalkyl when n is 1 or 2.
• the ionizable lipids of the present disclosure may be one or more of compounds of Formula (IL-X): or a salt or isomer thereof, wherein or a salt or isomer thereof, wherein R 1 is selected from the group consisting of C5-30 alkyl, C5-20 alkenyl, -R*YR”, -YR”, and -R”M’R’;
• R 2 and R 3 are independently selected from the group consisting of H, Ci-14 alkyl, C2-14 alkenyl, -R*YR”, -YR”, and -R*OR”, or R 2 and R 3 , together with the atom to which they are attached, form a heterocycle or carbocycle;
• R 4 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, a C3-6 carbocycle, -(CH2)nQ, - (CH 2 )nCHQR, -(CH 2 )oC(R 10 )2(CH 2 )n-oQ,
• R x is selected from the group consisting of Ci-6 alkyl, C2-6 alkenyl, -(CH2)vOH, and - (CH 2 )VN(R) 2 , wherein v is selected from 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6; each R 5 is independently selected from the group consisting of OH, C1-3 alkyl, C2-3 alkenyl, and H; each R 6 is independently selected from the group consisting of OH, C1-3 alkyl, C2-3 alkenyl, and H;
• M and M’ are independently selected from -C(0)0-, -OC(O)-, -0C(0)-M”-C(0)0-, - C(0)N(R , -N(R’)C(0)-, -C(O)-, -C(S)-, -C(S)S-, -SC(S)-, -CH(OH)-, -P(0)(0R’)0-, - S(0) 2 -, -S-S-, an aryl group, and a heteroaryl group, in which M” is a bond, Ci-13 alkyl or C2- 13 alkenyl;
• R 7 is selected from the group consisting of C1-3 alkyl, C2-3 alkenyl, and H;
• R 8 is selected from the group consisting of C3-6 carbocycle and heterocycle
• R 9 is selected from the group consisting of H, CN, NO2, Ci-6 alkyl, -OR, -S(0)2R, - S(0) 2 N(R) 2 , C2-6 alkenyl, C3-6 carbocycle and heterocycle;
• R 10 is selected from the group consisting of H, OH, C1-3 alkyl, and C2-3 alkenyl; each R is independently selected from the group consisting of C1-3 alkyl, C2-3 alkenyl, (CH 2 ) q OR*, and H, and each q is independently selected from 1, 2, and 3; each R’ is independently selected from the group consisting of C1-18 alkyl, C 2 -ie alkenyl, -R*YR”, -YR”, and H; each R” is independently selected from the group consisting of C3-15 alkyl and C3-15 alkenyl; each R* is independently selected from the group consisting of Ci-i 2 alkyl and C 2 -i 2 alkenyl; each Y is independently a C3-6 carbocycle; each X is independently selected from the group consisting of F, Cl, Br, and I; and m is selected from 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, and 13.
• M and M’ are independently selected from -C(0)0-, -OC(O)-, -0C(0)-M”-C(0)0-, -C(0)N(R , -P(0)(0R’)0-, -S-S-, an aryl group, and a heteroaryl group,; and R 2 and R 3 are independently selected from the group consisting of H, Ci-14 alkyl, and C 2 -i4 alkenyl.
• m is 5, 7, or 9.
• Q is OH, -NHC(S)N(R) 2 , or -NHC(0)N(R) 2 .
• Q is -N(R)C(0)R, or - N(R)S(0) 2 R.
• a subset of compounds of Formula (I) includes those of Formula (IL-IB): or its N-oxide, or a salt or isomer thereof, in which all variables are as defined herein.
• m is selected from 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9;
• m is 5, 7, or 9.
• Q is OH, -NHC(S)N(R) 2 , or -NHC(0)N(R) 2 .
• Q is - N(R)C(0)R, or -N(R)S(0) 2 R.
• the ionizable lipids of the present disclosure may be one or more of compounds of Formula (IL-VI): or a salt or isomer thereof, wherein
• R 1 is selected from the group consisting of C5-30 alkyl, Cs-20 alkenyl, -R*YR”, -YR”, and -R”M’R’;
• R 2 and R 3 are independently selected from the group consisting of H, Ci-14 alkyl, C2-14 alkenyl, -R*YR”, -YR”, and -R*OR”, or R 2 and R 3 , together with the atom to which they are attached, form a heterocycle or carbocycle;
• each R 5 is independently selected from the group consisting of OH, C1-3 alkyl, C2-3 alkenyl, and H;
• each R 6 is independently selected from the group consisting of OH, C1-3 alkyl, C2-3 alkenyl, and H;
• M and M’ are independently selected from -C(0)0-, -OC(O)-, -0C(0)-M”-C(0)0-, -C(0)N(R’)-, -N(R’)C(0)-, -C(O)-, -C(S)-, -C(S)S-, -SC(S)-, -CH(OH)-, -P(0)(0R’)0-, -S(0 )2-, -S-S-, an aryl group, and a heteroaryl group, in which M” is a bond, Ci-13 alkyl or C2-13 alkenyl;
• R 7 is selected from the group consisting of C1-3 alkyl, C2-3 alkenyl, and H; each R is independently selected from the group consisting of H, C1-3 alkyl, and C2-3 alkenyl;
• R N is H, or Ci-3 alkyl; each R’ is independently selected from the group consisting of C1-18 alkyl, C2-18 alkenyl, -R*YR”, -YR”, and H; each R” is independently selected from the group consisting of C3-15 alkyl and C3-15 alkenyl; each R* is independently selected from the group consisting of Ci-12 alkyl and C2-12 alkenyl; each Y is independently a C3-6 carbocycle; each X is independently selected from the group consisting of F, Cl, Br, and I;
• X a and X b are each independently O or S;
• R 10 is selected from the group consisting of H, halo, -OH, R, -N(R)2, -CN, -N3, -C(0)0H, -C(0)0R, -0C(0)R, -OR, -SR, -S(0)R, -S(0)0R, -S(0) 2 0R, -NO2,
• -NH(CH2)siOR, -N((CH 2 ) S IOR) 2 a carbocycle, a heterocycle, aryl and heteroaryl; m is selected from 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, and 13; n is selected from 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10; r is 0 or 1; t 1 is selected from 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5; p 1 is selected from 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5; q 1 is selected from 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5; and s 1 is selected from 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5.
• a subset of compounds of Formula (IL-VI) includes those of Formula (IL-VI-a): or its N-oxide, or a salt or isomer thereof, wherein
• R la and R lb are independently selected from the group consisting of Ci-14 alkyl and C2-14 alkenyl;
• R 2 and R 3 are independently selected from the group consisting of Ci-14 alkyl, C2-14 alkenyl, -R*YR”, -YR”, and -R*OR”, or R 2 and R 3 , together with the atom to which they are attached, form a heterocycle or carbocycle.
• a subset of compounds of Formula (IL-VI) includes those of Formula (IL-VII): or its N-oxide, or a salt or isomer thereof, wherein 1 is selected from 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5;
• Mi is a bond or M’
• R 2 and R 3 are independently selected from the group consisting of H, Ci-14 alkyl, and C2-14 alkenyl.
• a subset of compounds of Formula (IL-VI) includes those of Formula or its N-oxide, or a salt or isomer thereof, wherein 1 is selected from 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5;
• Mi is a bond or M’
• R a and R b are independently selected from the group consisting of Ci-14 alkyl and C2- 14 alkenyl;
• R 2 and R 3 are independently selected from the group consisting of Ci-14 alkyl, and C2- 14 alkenyl.
• the compounds of any one of formula (IL-I), (IL-IA), (IL-VI), (IL-VI-a), (IL-VII) or (IL-VIII) include one or more of the following features when applicable.
• Mi is M’.
• M and M’ are independently -C(0)0- or -OC(O)-.
• R 4 is not hydrogen
• n is 2.
• R x is -(CH2)vOH and, v is 1, 2 or 3.
• R x is methanoyl.
• R x is ethanoyl.
• R x is propanoyl.
• the compounds of Formula (IL-I) are of Formula (IL-IIb): or their N-oxides, or salts or isomers thereof, wherein R.4 is as described herein.
• R 2 and R 3 are each independently selected from the group consisting of Ci-14 alkyl and C2-14 alkenyl;
• R*” a is selected from the group consisting of Ci-15 alkyl and C2-15 alkenyl; and s is 2 or 3.
• the ionizable lipids of the present disclosure may be one or more of compounds of formula (IL-III): or salts or isomers thereof, wherein, t is 1 or 2;
• Ai and A2 are each independently selected from CH or N;
• Z is CH2 or absent wherein when Z is CH2, the dashed lines (1) and (2) each represent a single bond; and when Z is absent, the dashed lines (1) and (2) are both absent;
• Ri, R2, R3, R4, and R5 are independently selected from the group consisting of C5-20 alkyl, C5-20 alkenyl, -R”MR’, -R*YR”, -YR”, and -R*OR”;
• the ionizable lipids are selected from Compound 1-156 described in PCT Publication No. WO 2018/232120.
• a lipid may have a positive or partial positive charge at physiological pH.
• Such lipids may be referred to as cationic or ionizable (amino)lipids.
• Lipids may also be zwitterionic, i.e., neutral molecules having both a positive and a negative charge.
• the ionizable lipid is selected from the group consisting of 3 -(didodecy lamino)-N 1 ,N 1 ,4-tridodecyl- 1 -piperazineethanamine (KL 10), N 1 - [2- (didodecylamino)ethyl]-Nl,N4,N4-tridodecyl-l,4-piperazinediethanamine (KL22), 14,25- ditridecy 1- 15,18,21 ,24-tetraaza-octatriacontane (KL25), 1 ,2-dilinoley loxy-N,N- dimethylaminopropane (DLin-DMA), 2,2-dilinoleyl-4-dimethylaminomethyl-[l,3]-dioxolane (DLin-K-DMA), heptatriaconta-6,9,28,31-tetraen-19
• PEG lipid refers to polyethylene glycol (PEG)- modified lipids.
• PEG lipids include PEG-modified phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidic acid, PEG-ceramide conjugates (e.g., PEG- CerC14 or PEG-CerC20), PEG-modified dialkylamines and PEG-modified 1,2- diacyloxypropan-3-amines.
• PEGylated lipids are also referred to as PEGylated lipids.
• a PEG lipid can be PEG-c-DOMG, PEG-DMG, PEG-DLPE, PEG-DMPE, PEG-DPPC, or a PEG-DSPE lipid.
• the PEG lipid includes, but are not limited to, 1,2- dimyristoyl-sn-glycerol methoxypoly ethylene glycol (PEG-DMG), 1,2-distearoyl-sn-glycero- 3-phosphoethanolamine-N-[amino(polyethylene glycol)] (PEG-DSPE), PEG-disteryl glycerol (PEG-DSG), PEG-dipalmetoleyl, PEG-dioleyl, PEG-distearyl, PEG-diacylglycamide (PEG- DAG), PEG-dipalmitoyl phosphatidylethanolamine (PEG-DPPE), or PEG-1, 2- dimyristyloxl
• the lipid moiety of the PEG lipids includes those having lengths of from about Ci4to about C22, In some embodiments, the lipid moiety of the PEG lipids includes those having lengths of from about CM to about Ci6. In some embodiments, a PEG moiety, for example an mPEG-NEh, has a size of about 1000, 2000, 5000, 10,000, 15,000 or 20,000 daltons. In one embodiment, the PEG lipid is PEG2k-DMG.
• the lipid nanoparticles described herein can comprise a PEG lipid which is a non-diffusible PEG.
• PEG lipid which is a non-diffusible PEG.
• non-diffusible PEGs include PEG-DSG and PEG-DSPE.
• R 3 is -OR 0 ;
• Ring B is optionally substituted carbocyclyl, optionally substituted heterocyclyl, optionally substituted aryl, or optionally substituted heteroaryl; and p is 1 or 2.
• R° is hydrogen, optionally substituted alkyl or an oxygen protecting group; r is an integer between 1 and 100, inclusive;
• the compound of Formula (PL-II) is of Formula (PL-II- OH): or a salt thereof, wherein: r is an integer between 1 and 100;
• R 5 is optionally substituted C 10-40 alkyl, optionally substituted C 10-40 alkenyl, or optionally substituted Cio-40 alkynyl; and optionally one or more methylene groups of R 5 are replaced with optionally substituted carbocyclylene, optionally substituted heterocyclylene, optionally substituted arylene, optionally substituted heteroarylene, N(R n ), O, S, C(O), -
• r is an integer between 10 to 80, between 20 to 70, between 30 to 60, or between 40 to 50.
• r is 45.
• R 5 is Cn alkyl.
• the compound of Formula (PL-II) is: or a salt thereof.
• the lipid composition of the pharmaceutical compositions described herein does not comprise a PEG lipid.
• the PEG lipid is a compound of Formula (PL-III): or a salt or isomer thereof, wherein s is an integer between 1 and 100.
• the PEG lipid is a compound of the following formula: or a salt or isomer thereof.
• structural lipid refers to sterols and also to lipids containing sterol moieties.
• Structural lipids can be selected from the group including but not limited to, cholesterol, fecosterol, sitosterol, ergosterol, campesterol, stigmasterol, brassicasterol, tomatidine, tomatine, ursolic acid, alpha-tocopherol, hopanoids, phytosterols, steroids, and mixtures thereof.
• the structural lipid is a mixture of two or more components each independently selected from cholesterol, fecosterol, sitosterol, ergosterol, campesterol, stigmasterol, brassicasterol, tomatidine, tomatine, ursolic acid, alpha-tocopherol, hopanoids, phytosterols, and steroids.
• the structural lipid is a sterol.
• the structural lipid is a mixture of two or more sterols.
• “sterols” are a subgroup of steroids consisting of steroid alcohols.
• the structural lipid is a steroid.
• the structural lipid is cholesterol.
• the structural lipid is an analog of cholesterol.
• the structural lipid is alpha-tocopherol.
• the structural lipids may be one or more structural lipids described in U.S. Application No. 62/520,530.
• the encapsulation agent is a compound of Formula (EA-I): or salts or isomers thereof, wherein
• R204 is selected from the group consisting of H, C1-C20 alkyl, C2-C20 alkenyl, C(O)(OCi-C20 alkyl), C(0)(OC 2 -C 2 o alkenyl), C(0)(NHCi-C 2 o alkyl), and C(0)(NHC 2 -C 2 o alkenyl); nl is selected from 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10.
• R201 and R202 are each independently selected from the group consisting of H and CH3.
• nl is selected from 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10; nl is selected from 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6; nl is selected from 2, 3, and 4.
• nl is 3.
• the encapsulation agent is a compound of Formula (EA-II): or salts or isomers thereof, wherein X101 is a bond, NH, or O;
• R101 and R102 are each independently selected from the group consisting of H, C1-C6 alkyl, and C2-C6 alkenyl;
• R103 and RKM are each independently selected from the group consisting of C1-C20 alkyl and C2-C20 alkenyl; and nl is selected from 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10.
• X101 is a bond.
• X101 is NH.
• X101 is O.
• R101 and R102 are each independently selected from the group consisting of H and CH3.
• R103 is selected from the group consisting of C1-C20 alkyl, Cs- Ci8 alkyl, and C12-C16 alkyl.
• nl is 3.
• Exemplary encapsulation agents include, but are not limited to, ethyl lauroyl arginate, ethyl myristoyl arginate, ethyl palmitoyl arginate, ethyl cholesterol-arginate, ethyl oleic arginate, ethyl capric arginate, and ethyl carprylic arginate.
• the encapsulation agent is ethyl lauroyl arginate, salt or isomer thereof.
• the encapsulation agent is at least one compound selected from the group consisting of: or salts and isomers thereof, such as, for example free bases, TFA salts, and/or HC1 salts.
• Phospholipids may assemble into one or more lipid bilayers.
• phospholipids comprise a phospholipid moiety and one or more fatty acid moieties.
• a phospholipid moiety can be selected, for example, from the non-limiting group consisting of phosphatidyl choline, phosphatidyl ethanolamine, phosphatidyl glycerol, phosphatidyl serine, phosphatidic acid, 2-lysophosphatidyl choline, and a sphingomyelin.
• a fatty acid moiety can be selected, for example, from the non-limiting group consisting of lauric acid, myristic acid, myristoleic acid, palmitic acid, palmitoleic acid, stearic acid, oleic acid, linoleic acid, alpha-linolenic acid, erucic acid, phytanoic acid, arachidic acid, arachidonic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid, behenic acid, docosapentaenoic acid, and docosahexaenoic acid.
• Particular phospholipids can facilitate fusion to a membrane.
• a cationic phospholipid can interact with one or more negatively charged phospholipids of a membrane (e.g., a cellular or intracellular membrane). Fusion of a phospholipid to a membrane can allow one or more elements (e.g., a therapeutic agent) of a lipid-containing composition (e.g., LNPs) to pass through the membrane permitting, e.g., delivery of the one or more elements to a target tissue.
• a cationic phospholipid can interact with one or more negatively charged phospholipids of a membrane (e.g., a cellular or intracellular membrane). Fusion of a phospholipid to a membrane can allow one or more elements (e.g., a therapeutic agent) of a lipid-containing composition (e.g., LNPs) to pass through the membrane permitting, e.g., delivery of the one or more elements to a target tissue.
• elements e.g., a therapeutic agent
• Non-natural phospholipid species including natural species with modifications and substitutions including branching, oxidation, cyclization, and alkynes are also contemplated.
• a phospholipid can be functionalized with or cross-linked to one or more alkynes (e.g., an alkenyl group in which one or more double bonds is replaced with a triple bond). Under appropriate reaction conditions, an alkyne group can undergo a copper- catalyzed cycloaddition upon exposure to an azide.
• Such reactions can be useful in functionalizing a lipid bilayer of a nanoparticle composition to facilitate membrane permeation or cellular recognition or in conjugating a nanoparticle composition to a useful component such as a targeting or imaging moiety (e.g., a dye).
• a targeting or imaging moiety e.g., a dye
• Phospholipids include, but are not limited to, glycerophospholipids such as phosphatidylcholines, phosphatidylethanolamines, phosphatidylserines, phosphatidylinositols, phosphatidy glycerols, and phosphatidic acids. Phospholipids also include phosphosphingolipid, such as sphingomyelin.
• a phospholipid useful or potentially useful in the present invention is an analog or variant of DSPC.
• a phospholipid useful or potentially useful in the present invention is a compound of Formula (PL-I): or a salt thereof, wherein: each R 1 is independently optionally substituted alkyl; or optionally two R 1 are joined together with the intervening atoms to form optionally substituted monocyclic carbocyclyl or optionally substituted monocyclic heterocyclyl; or optionally three R 1 are joined together with the intervening atoms to form optionally substituted bicyclic carbocyclyl or optionally substitute bicyclic heterocyclyl; n is 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, or 10; m is 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, or 10; each instance of L 2 is independently a bond or optionally substituted Ci-6 alkylene, wherein one methylene unit of the optionally substituted Ci-6 alkylene is optionally replaced with -O-, -N(R)
• the phospholipids may be one or more of the phospholipids described in U.S. Application No. 62/520,530.
• the compound of Formula (PL-I) is one of the following formulae: or a salt thereof, wherein: each t is independently 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, or 10; each u is independently 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, or 10; and each v is independently 1, 2, or 3.
• a compound of Formula (PL-I) is of Formula (PL-I-a): or a salt thereof.
• a phospholipid useful or potentially useful in the present invention comprises a cyclic moiety in place of the glyceride moiety.
• a phospholipid useful in the present invention is DSPC, or analog thereof, with a cyclic moiety in place of the glyceride moiety.
• the compound of Formula (PL-I) is of Formula (PL-I-b): or a salt thereof. ii) Phospholipid Tail Modifications
• a phospholipid useful or potentially useful in the present invention comprises a modified tail.
• a phospholipid useful or potentially useful in the present invention is DSPC, or analog thereof, with a modified tail.
• a “modified tail” may be a tail with shorter or longer aliphatic chains, aliphatic chains with branching introduced, aliphatic chains with substituents introduced, aliphatic chains wherein one or more methylenes are replaced by cyclic or heteroatom groups, or any combination thereof.
• a phospholipid useful or potentially useful in the present invention comprises a modified phosphocholine moiety, wherein the alkyl chain linking the quaternary amine to the phosphoryl group is not ethylene (e.g., n is not 2). Therefore, in some embodiments, a phospholipid useful or potentially useful in the present invention is a compound of Formula (PL-I), wherein n is 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, or 10. In some embodiments, a compound of Formula (PL-I) is of one of the following formulae: or a salt thereof.
• an alternative lipid is used in place of a phospholipid of the present disclosure.
• alternative lipids include the following:
• a LNP that includes one or more lipids described herein may further include one or more adjuvants, e.g., Glucopyranosyl Lipid Adjuvant (GLA), CpG oligodeoxynucleotides (e.g., Class A or B), poly(I:C), aluminum hydroxide, and Pam3CSK4.
• GLA Glucopyranosyl Lipid Adjuvant
• CpG oligodeoxynucleotides e.g., Class A or B
• poly(I:C) poly(I:C)
• aluminum hydroxide e.g., aluminum hydroxide
• Pam3CSK4 Glucopyranosyl Lipid Adjuvant
• Lipid nanoparticles may include one or more therapeutic and/or prophylactics.
• the disclosure features methods of delivering a therapeutic and/or prophylactic to a mammalian cell or organ, producing a polypeptide of interest in a mammalian cell, and treating a disease or disorder in a mammal in need thereof comprising administering to a mammal and/or contacting a mammalian cell with a lipid nanoparticle (e.g., an empty LNP or a loaded LNP) including a therapeutic and/or prophylactic.
• a lipid nanoparticle e.g., an empty LNP or a loaded LNP
• a therapeutic and/or prophylactic is a vaccine, a compound (e.g., a polynucleotide or nucleic acid molecule that encodes a protein or polypeptide or peptide or a protein or polypeptide or protein) that elicits an immune response, and/or another therapeutic and/or prophylactic.
• Vaccines include compounds and preparations that are capable of providing immunity against one or more conditions related to infectious diseases and can include mRNAs encoding infectious disease derived antigens and/or epitopes.
• Vaccines also include compounds and preparations that direct an immune response against cancer cells and can include mRNAs encoding tumor cell derived antigens, epitopes, and/or neoepitopes.
• a vaccine and/or a compound capable of eliciting an immune response is administered intramuscularly via a composition of the disclosure.
• a therapeutic and/or prophylactic is a protein, for example a protein needed to augment or replace a naturally-occurring protein of interest.
• proteins or polypeptides may be naturally occurring, or may be modified using methods known in the art, e.g., to increase half life.
• Exemplary proteins are intracellular, transmembrane, or secreted.
• the therapeutic agent is an agent that enhances (i.e., increases, stimulates, upregulates) protein expression.
• agents that can be used for enhancing protein expression include RNAs, mRNAs, dsRNAs, CRISPR/Cas9 technology, ssDNAs and DNAs (e.g., expression vectors).
• the agent that upregulates protein expression may upregulate expression of a naturally occurring or non-naturally occurring protein (e.g., a chimeric protein that has been modified to improve half life, or one that comprises desirable amino acid changes).
• Exemplary proteins include intracellular, transmembrane, or secreted proteins, peptides, or polypeptides.
• the therapeutic agent is a DNA therapeutic agent.
• the DNA molecule can be a double-stranded DNA, a single-stranded DNA (ssDNA), or a molecule that is a partially double-stranded DNA, i.e., has a portion that is double-stranded and a portion that is single-stranded.
• the DNA molecule is triple-stranded or is partially triple-stranded, i.e., has a portion that is triple stranded and a portion that is double stranded.
• the DNA molecule can be a circular DNA molecule or a linear DNA molecule.
• a DNA therapeutic agent can be a DNA molecule that is capable of transferring a gene into a cell, e.g., that encodes and can express a transcript.
• the DNA molecule is a synthetic molecule, e.g., a synthetic DNA molecule produced in vitro.
• the DNA molecule is a recombinant molecule.
• Non-limiting exemplary DNA therapeutic agents include plasmid expression vectors and viral expression vectors.
• the DNA therapeutic agents described herein, e.g., DNA vectors can include a variety of different features.
• the DNA therapeutic agents described herein, e.g., DNA vectors can include a non-coding DNA sequence.
• a DNA sequence can include at least one regulatory element for a gene, e.g., a promoter, enhancer, termination element, polyadenylation signal element, splicing signal element, and the like.
• the non-coding DNA sequence is an intron.
• the non coding DNA sequence is a transposon.
• a DNA sequence described herein can have a non-coding DNA sequence that is operatively linked to a gene that is transcriptionally active.
• a DNA sequence described herein can have a non-coding DNA sequence that is not linked to a gene, i.e., the non-coding DNA does not regulate a gene on the DNA sequence.
• the one or more therapeutic and/or prophylactic agents is a nucleic acid.
• the one or more therapeutic and/or prophylactic agents is selected from the group consisting of a ribonucleic acid (RNA) and a deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA).
• RNA ribonucleic acid
• DNA deoxyribonucleic acid
• the DNA is selected from the group consisting of a double-stranded DNA, a single-stranded DNA (ssDNA), a partially double-stranded DNA, a triple stranded DNA, and a partially triple-stranded DNA.
• the DNA is selected from the group consisting of a circular DNA, a linear DNA, and mixtures thereof.
• the one or more therapeutic and/or prophylactic agents is selected from the group consisting of a plasmid expression vector, a viral expression vector, and mixtures thereof.
• the RNA when the therapeutic and/or prophylactic agents is a RNA, the RNA is selected from the group consisting of a single-stranded RNA, a double-stranded RNA (dsRNA), a partially double-stranded RNA, and mixtures thereof.
• the RNA is selected from the group consisting of a circular RNA, a linear RNA, and mixtures thereof.
• the RNA when the therapeutic and/or prophylactic agents is a RNA, the RNA is selected from the group consisting of a short interfering RNA (siRNA), an asymmetrical interfering RNA (aiRNA), a RNA interference (RNAi) molecule, a microRNA (miRNA), an antagomir, an antisense RNA, a ribozyme, a Dicer-substrate RNA (dsRNA), a small hairpin RNA (shRNA), a messenger RNA (mRNA), locked nucleic acids (LNAs) and CRISPR/Cas9 technology, and mixtures thereof.
• siRNA short interfering RNA
• aiRNA asymmetrical interfering RNA
• RNAi RNA interference
• miRNA microRNA
• antagomir an antisense RNA
• dsRNA Dicer-substrate RNA
• shRNA small hairpin RNA
• mRNA messenger RNA
• LNAs locked nucle
• the RNA when the therapeutic and/or prophylactic agents is a RNA, the RNA is selected from the group consisting of a small interfering RNA (siRNA), an asymmetrical interfering RNA (aiRNA), a microRNA (miRNA), a Dicer-substrate RNA (dsRNA), a small hairpin RNA (shRNA), a messenger RNA (mRNA), and mixtures thereof.
• siRNA small interfering RNA
• aiRNA asymmetrical interfering RNA
• miRNA microRNA
• dsRNA Dicer-substrate RNA
• shRNA small hairpin RNA
• mRNA messenger RNA
• the one or more therapeutic and/or prophylactic agents is an mRNA. In some embodiments, the one or more therapeutic and/or prophylactic agents is a modified mRNA (mmRNA).
• mmRNA modified mRNA
• the one or more therapeutic and/or prophylactic agents is an mRNA that incorporates a micro-RNA binding site (miR binding site).
• an mRNA includes one or more of a stem loop, a chain terminating nucleoside, a polyA sequence, a polyadenylation signal, and/or a 5’ cap structure.
• An mRNA may be a naturally or non-naturally occurring mRNA.
• An mRNA may include one or more modified nucleobases, nucleosides, or nucleotides, as described below, in which case it may be referred to as a “modified mRNA” or “mmRNA.”
• nucleoside is defined as a compound containing a sugar molecule (e.g., a pentose or ribose) or derivative thereof in combination with an organic base (e.g., a purine or pyrimidine) or a derivative thereof (also referred to herein as “nucleobase”).
• nucleotide is defined as a nucleoside including a phosphate group.
• An mRNA may include a 5' untranslated region (5'-UTR), a 3' untranslated region (3'-UTR), and/or a coding region (e.g., an open reading frame).
• An mRNA may include any suitable number of base pairs, including tens (e.g., 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90 or 100), hundreds (e.g., 200, 300, 400, 500, 600, 700, 800, or 900) or thousands (e.g., 1000, 2000, 3000, 4000, 5000, 6000, 7000, 8000, 9000, 10,000) of base pairs.
• nucleobases, nucleosides, or nucleotides may be an analog of a canonical species, substituted, modified, or otherwise non-naturally occurring.
• all of a particular nucleobase type may be modified.
• all uracils or uridines are modified.
• the mRNA can be referred to as “fully modified”, e.g., for uracil or uridine.
• an mRNA as described herein may include a 5' cap structure, a chain terminating nucleotide, optionally a Kozak sequence (also known as a Kozak consensus sequence), a stem loop, a polyA sequence, and/or a polyadenylation signal.
• a 5' cap structure or cap species is a compound including two nucleoside moieties joined by a linker and may be selected from a naturally occurring cap, a non-naturally occurring cap or cap analog, or an anti-reverse cap analog (ARCA).
• a cap species may include one or more modified nucleosides and/or linker moieties.
• a natural mRNA cap may include a guanine nucleotide and a guanine (G) nucleotide methylated at the 7 position joined by a triphosphate linkage at their 5' positions, e.g., m7G(5')ppp(5')G, commonly written as m7GpppG.
• G guanine
• a cap species may also be an anti -reverse cap analog.
• a non-limiting list of possible cap species includes m7GpppG, m7Gpppm7G, m73'dGpppG, m27,03'GpppG, m27,03'GppppG, m27,02'GppppG, m7Gpppm7G, m73'dGpppG, m27,03'GpppG, m27,03'GppppG, and m27,02'GppppG.
• An mRNA may instead or additionally include a chain terminating nucleoside.
• a chain terminating nucleoside may include those nucleosides deoxygenated at the 2’ and/or 3' positions of their sugar group.
• Such species may include 3' deoxy adenosine (cordycepin), 3' deoxyuridine, 3' deoxy cytosine, 3' deoxy guanosine, 3' deoxythymine, and 2', 3' dideoxynucleosides, such as 2', 3' dideoxyadenosine, 2', 3' dideoxyuridine, 2', 3' dideoxycytosine, 2', 3' dideoxyguanosine, and 2', 3' dideoxythymine.
• incorporation of a chain terminating nucleotide into an mRNA for example at the 3'- terminus, may result in stabilization of the mRNA.
• An mRNA may instead or additionally include a stem loop, such as a histone stem loop.
• a stem loop may include 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, or more nucleotide base pairs.
• a stem loop may include 4, 5, 6, 7, or 8 nucleotide base pairs.
• a stem loop may be located in any region of an mRNA.
• a stem loop may be located in, before, or after an untranslated region (a 5' untranslated region or a 3' untranslated region), a coding region, or a polyA sequence or tail.
• a stem loop may affect one or more function(s) of an mRNA, such as initiation of translation, translation efficiency, and/or transcriptional termination.
• An mRNA may instead or additionally include a polyA sequence and/or polyadenylation signal.
• a polyA sequence may be comprised entirely or mostly of adenine nucleotides or analogs or derivatives thereof.
• a poly A sequence may also comprise stabilizing nucleotides or analogs.
• a poly A sequence can include deoxythymidine, e.g., inverted (or reverse linkage) deoxythymidine (dT), as a stabilizing nucleotide or analog. Detials on using inverted dT and other stabilizing poly A sequence modifications can be found, for example, in WO2017/049275 A2, the content of which is incoported herein by reference.
• a polyA sequence may be a tail located adjacent to a 3' untranslated region of an mRNA.
• a polyA sequence may affect the nuclear export, translation, and/or stability of an mRNA.
• An mRNA may instead or additionally include a microRNA binding site.
• MicroRNA binding sites (or miR binding sites) can be used to regulate mRNA expression in various tissues or cell types.
• miR binding sites are engineered into 3’ UTR sequences of an mRNA to regulate, e.g., enhance degradation of mRNA in cells or tissues expressing the cognate miR.
• Such regulation is useful to regulate or control “off- target” expression ir mRNAs, i. e.. expression in undesired cells or tissues in vivo.
• Detials on using mir binding sites can be found, for example, in WO 2017/062513 A2, the content of which is incoported herein by reference.
• an mRNA of the disclosure includes a combination of one or more of the aforementioned modified nucleobases (e.g., a combination of 2, 3 or 4 of the aforementioned modified nucleobases.)
• the modified nucleobase is Nl-methylpseudouridine (hi ⁇ y) and the mRNA of the disclosure is fully modified with Nl- methylpseudouridine (hi ⁇ y).
• Nl-methylpseudouridine (hi ⁇ y) represents from 75-100% of the uracils in the mRNA.
• Nl- methylpseudouridine (mh[/) represents 100% of the uracils in the mRNA.
• an mRNA of the disclosure is uniformly modified (i.e., fully modified, modified through-out the entire sequence) for a particular modification.
• an mRNA can be uniformly modified with Nl-methylpseudouri dine (m 1 y) or 5- methyl-cytidine (m5C), meaning that all uridines or all cytosine nucleosides in the mRNA sequence are replaced with Nl-methylpseudouri dine (ih ⁇ y) or 5-methyl-cytidine (m5C).
• mRNAs of the disclosure can be uniformly modified for any type of nucleoside residue present in the sequence by replacement with a modified residue such as those set forth above.
• an mRNA of the disclosure may be modified in a coding region (e.g., an open reading frame encoding a polypeptide).
• an mRNA may be modified in regions besides a coding region.
• a 5'-UTR and/or a 3'-UTR are provided, wherein either or both may independently contain one or more different nucleoside modifications.
• nucleoside modifications may also be present in the coding region.
• the mmRNAs of the disclosure can include a combination of modifications to the sugar, the nucleobase, and/or the intemucleoside linkage. These combinations can include any one or more modifications described herein.
• the combination: 25 % 5-Aminoallyl-CTP + 75 % CTP/ 25 % 5-Methoxy-UTP + 75 % UTP refers to a polynucleotide where 25% of the cytosine triphosphates are 5-Aminoallyl- CTP while 75% of the cytosines are CTP; whereas 25% of the uracils are 5-methoxy UTP while 75% of the uracils are UTP.
• the naturally occurring ATP, UTP, GTP and/or CTP is used at 100% of the sites of those nucleotides found in the polynucleotide. In this example all of the GTP and ATP nucleotides are left unmodified.
• the present disclosure includes polynucleotides having at least 80%, at least 85%, at least 90%, at least 95%, at least 98%, or at least 99% sequence identity to any of the polynucleotide sequences described herein.
• mRNAs of the present disclosure may be produced by means available in the art, including but not limited to in vitro transcription (IVT) and synthetic methods. Enzymatic (IVT), solid-phase, liquid-phase, combined synthetic methods, small region synthesis, and ligation methods may be utilized. In some embodiments, mRNAs are made using IVT enzymatic synthesis methods. Accordingly, the present disclosure also includes polynucleotides, e.g., DNA, constructs and vectors that may be used to in vitro transcribe an mRNA described herein.
• Non-natural modified nucleobases may be introduced into polynucleotides, e.g., mRNA, during synthesis or post-synthesis.
• modifications may be on intemucleoside linkages, purine or pyrimidine bases, or sugar.
• the modification may be introduced at the terminal of a polynucleotide chain or anywhere else in the polynucleotide chain; with chemical synthesis or with a polymerase enzyme.
• Either enzymatic or chemical ligation methods may be used to conjugate polynucleotides or their regions with different functional moieties, such as targeting or delivery agents, fluorescent labels, liquids, nanoparticles, etc. Therapeutic Agents for Reducing Protein Expression
• the therapeutic agent is a therapeutic agent that reduces (i.e., decreases, inhibits, downregulates) protein expression.
• therapeutic agents that can be used for reducing protein expression include mRNAs that incorporate a micro-RNA binding site(s) (miR binding site), microRNAs (miRNAs), antagomirs, small (short) interfering RNAs (siRNAs) (including shortmers and dicer- substrate RNAs), RNA interference (RNAi) molecules, antisense RNAs, ribozymes, small hairpin RNAs (shRNAs), locked nucleic acids (LNAs) and CRISPR/Cas9 technology.
• miR binding site micro-RNA binding site
• miRNAs microRNAs
• antagomirs small (short) interfering RNAs (siRNAs) (including shortmers and dicer- substrate RNAs), RNA interference (RNAi) molecules, antisense RNAs, ribozymes, small hairpin RNAs (s
• Sensor sequences include, for example, microRNA (miRNA) binding sites, transcription factor binding sites, structured mRNA sequences and/or motifs, artificial binding sites engineered to act as pseudo-receptors for endogenous nucleic acid binding molecules, and combinations thereof.
• miRNA microRNA
• transcription factor binding sites transcription factor binding sites
• structured mRNA sequences and/or motifs artificial binding sites engineered to act as pseudo-receptors for endogenous nucleic acid binding molecules
• a polyribonucleotide e.g., a ribonucleic acid (RNA), e.g., a messenger RNA (mRNA)
• RNA ribonucleic acid
• mRNA messenger RNA
• ORF open reading frame
• the sensor sequence is a miRNA binding site.
• a miRNA is a 19-25 nucleotide long noncoding RNA that binds to a polyribonucleotide and down-regulates gene expression either by reducing stability or by inhibiting translation of the polyribonucleotide.
• a miRNA sequence comprises a “seed” region, i.e., a sequence in the region of positions 2-8 of the mature miRNA.
• a miRNA seed can comprise positions 2-8 or 2-7 of the mature miRNA.
• a miRNA seed can comprise 7 nucleotides (e.g., nucleotides 2-8 of the mature miRNA), wherein the seed-complementary site in the corresponding miRNA binding site is flanked by an adenosine (A) opposed to miRNA position 1.
• A adenosine
• a polyribonucleotide e.g., a ribonucleic acid (RNA), e.g., a messenger RNA (mRNA)
• RNA ribonucleic acid
• mRNA messenger RNA
• microRNA binding site refers to a sequence within a polyribonucleotide, e.g., within a DNA or within an RNA transcript, including in the 5'UTR and/or 3'UTR, that has sufficient complementarity to all or a region of a miRNA to interact with, associate with or bind to the miRNA.
• a polyribonucleotide of the disclosure comprising an ORF encoding a polypeptide further comprises a miRNA binding site.
• a miRNA binding site having sufficient complementarity to a miRNA refers to a degree of complementarity sufficient to facilitate miRNA-mediated regulation of a polyribonucleotide, e.g., miRNA-mediated translational repression or degradation of the polyribonucleotide.
• a miRNA binding site having sufficient complementarity to the miRNA refers to a degree of complementarity sufficient to facilitate miRNA-mediated degradation of the polyribonucleotide, e.g., miRNA-guided RNA- induced silencing complex (RlSC)-mediated cleavage of mRNA.
• RlSC miRNA-guided RNA- induced silencing complex
• a miRNA binding site includes a sequence that has complementarity (e.g., partial or complete complementarity) with an miRNA seed sequence. In some embodiments, the miRNA binding site includes a sequence that has complete complementarity with a miRNA seed sequence. In some embodiments, a miRNA binding site includes a sequence that has complementarity (e.g., partial or complete complementarity) with an miRNA sequence. In some embodiments, the miRNA binding site includes a sequence that has complete complementarity with a miRNA sequence. In some embodiments, a miRNA binding site has complete complementarity with a miRNA sequence but for 1, 2, or 3 nucleotide substitutions, terminal additions, and/or truncations.
• the miRNA binding site is the same length as the corresponding miRNA. In some embodiments, the miRNA binding site is one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven or twelve nucleotide(s) shorter than the corresponding miRNA at the 5' terminus, the 3' terminus, or both. In still other embodiments, the microRNA binding site is two nucleotides shorter than the corresponding microRNA at the 5' terminus, the 3' terminus, or both. The miRNA binding sites that are shorter than the corresponding miRNAs are still capable of degrading the mRNA incorporating one or more of the miRNA binding sites or preventing the mRNA from translation.
• the miRNA binding site binds to the corresponding mature miRNA that is part of an active RISC containing Dicer. In another embodiment, binding of the miRNA binding site to the corresponding miRNA in RISC degrades the mRNA containing the miRNA binding site or prevents the mRNA from being translated. In some embodiments, the miRNA binding site has sufficient complementarity to miRNA so that a RISC complex comprising the miRNA cleaves the polyribonucleotide comprising the miRNA binding site. In some embodiments, the miRNA binding site has imperfect complementarity so that a RISC complex comprising the miRNA induces instability in the polyribonucleotide comprising the miRNA binding site. In another embodiment, the miRNA binding site has imperfect complementarity so that a RISC complex comprising the miRNA represses transcription of the polyribonucleotide comprising the miRNA binding site.
• the polyribonucleotide By engineering one or more miRNA binding sites into a polyribonucleotide of the disclosure, the polyribonucleotide can be targeted for degradation or reduced translation, provided the miRNA in question is available. This can reduce off-target effects upon delivery of the polyribonucleotide.
• a polyribonucleotide of the disclosure if a polyribonucleotide of the disclosure is not intended to be delivered to a tissue or cell but ends up there, then a miRNA abundant in the tissue or cell can inhibit the expression of the gene of interest if one or multiple binding sites of the miRNA are engineered into the 5'UTR and/or 3'UTR of the polyribonucleotide.
• miRNA binding sites can be removed from polyribonucleotide sequences in which they naturally occur in order to increase protein expression in specific tissues.
• a binding site for a specific miRNA can be removed from a polyribonucleotide to improve protein expression in tissues or cells containing the miRNA.
• a polyribonucleotide of the disclosure can include at least one miRNA-binding site in the 5'UTR and/or 3'UTR in order to direct cytotoxic or cytoprotective mRNA therapeutics to specific cells such as, but not limited to, normal and/or cancerous cells.
• a polyribonucleotide of the disclosure can include two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, or more miRNA-binding sites in the 5'-UTR and/or 3'- UTR in order to direct cytotoxic or cytoprotective mRNA therapeutics to specific cells such as, but not limited to, normal and/or cancerous cells.
• miRNAs and miRNA binding sites can correspond to any known sequence, including non-limiting examples described in U.S. Publication Nos. 2014/0200261, 2005/0261218, and 2005/0059005, each of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
• Introducing a miR-142 binding site into the 5'UTR and/or 3'UTR of a polyribonucleotide of the disclosure can selectively repress gene expression in antigen presenting cells through miR-142 mediated degradation, limiting antigen presentation in antigen presenting cells (e.g., dendritic cells) and thereby preventing antigen-mediated immune response after the delivery of the polyribonucleotide.
• the polyribonucleotide is then stably expressed in target tissues or cells without triggering cytotoxic elimination.
• binding sites for miRNAs that are known to be expressed in immune cells can be engineered into a polyribonucleotide of the disclosure to suppress the expression of the polyribonucleotide in antigen presenting cells through miRNA mediated RNA degradation, subduing the antigen- mediated immune response. Expression of the polyribonucleotide is maintained in non- immune cells where the immune cell specific miRNAs are not expressed.
• any miR-122 binding site can be removed and a miR-142 (and/or mirR-146) binding site can be engineered into the 5'UTR and/or 3'UTR of a polyribonucleotide of the disclosure.
• a polyribonucleotide of the disclosure can include a further negative regulatory element in the 5'UTR and/or 3'UTR, either alone or in combination with miR-142 and/or miR-146 binding sites.
• the further negative regulatory element is a Constitutive Decay Element (CDE).
• Immune cell specific miRNAs include, but are not limited to, hsa-let-7a-2-3p, hsa- let-7a-3p, hsa-7a-5p, hsa-let-7c, hsa-let-7e-3p, hsa-let-7e-5p, hsa-let-7g-3p, hsa-let-7g-5p, hsa-let-7i-3p, hsa-let-7i-5p, miR-10a-3p, miR-10a-5p, miR-1184, hsa-let-7f-l--3p, hsa-let-7f- 2— 5p, hsa-let-7f-5p, miR-125b-l-3p, miR-125b-2-3p, miR-125b-5p, miR-1279, miR-130a- 3p, miR-130a-5p, miR-132-3p, miR-132-5p, miR-142-3p,
• novel miRNAs can be identified in immune cell through micro-array hybridization and microtome analysis (e.g., JimaDD et al, Blood, 2010, 116:ell8-el27; Vaz C et al., BMC Genomics, 2010, 11,288, the content of each of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.)
• miRNAs that are known to be expressed in the liver include, but are not limited to, miR-107, miR-122-3p, miR-122-5p, miR-1228-3p, miR-1228-5p, miR-1249, miR-129-5p, miR-1303, miR-151a-3p, miR-151a-5p, miR-152, miR-194-3p, miR-194-5p, miR-199a-3p, miR-199a-5p, miR-199b-3p, miR-199b-5p, miR-296-5p, miR-557, miR-581, miR-939-3p, and miR-939-5p.
• liver specific miRNA binding sites from any liver specific miRNA can be introduced to or removed from a polyribonucleotide of the disclosure to regulate expression of the polyribonucleotide in the liver.
• Liver specific miRNA binding sites can be engineered alone or further in combination with immune cell (e.g., APC) miRNA binding sites in a polyribonucleotide of the disclosure.
• miRNAs that are known to be expressed in the lung include, but are not limited to, let-7a-2-3p, let-7a-3p, let-7a-5p, miR-126-3p, miR-126-5p, miR-127-3p, miR-127-5p, miR- 130a-3p, miR-130a-5p, miR-130b-3p, miR-130b-5p, miR-133a, miR-133b, miR-134, miR- 18a-3p, miR-18a-5p, miR-18b-3p, miR-18b-5p, miR-24-l-5p, miR-24-2-5p, miR-24-3p, miR-296-3p, miR-296-5p, miR-32-3p, miR-337-3p, miR-337-5p, miR-381-3p, and miR-381- 5p.
• MiRNA binding sites from any heart specific microRNA can be introduced to or removed from a polyribonucleotide of the disclosure to regulate expression of the polyribonucleotide in the heart.
• Heart specific miRNA binding sites can be engineered alone or further in combination with immune cell (e.g., APC) miRNA binding sites in a polyribonucleotide of the disclosure.
• miRNAs that are known to be expressed in the nervous system include, but are not limited to, miR-124-5p, miR-125a-3p, miR-125a-5p, miR-125b-l-3p, miR-125b-2-3p, miR- 125b-5p,miR-1271-3p, miR-1271-5p, miR-128, miR-132-5p, miR-135a-3p, miR-135a-5p, miR-135b-3p, miR-135b-5p, miR-137, miR-139-5p, miR-139-3p, miR-149-3p, miR-149-5p, miR-153, miR-181c-3p, miR-181c-5p, miR-183-3p, miR-183-5p, miR-190a, miR-190b, miR-212-3p, miR-212-5p, miR-219-l-3p, miR-219-2-3p, miR-23a-3p, miR-
• MiRNAs enriched in the nervous system further include those specifically expressed in neurons, including, but not limited to, miR-132-3p, miR-132-3p, miR-148b-3p, miR-148b-5p, miR-151a-3p, miR-151a-5p, miR-212-3p, miR- 212-5p, miR-320b, miR-320e, miR-323a-3p, miR-323a-5p, miR-324-5p, miR-325, miR-326, miR-328, miR-922 and those specifically expressed in glial cells, including, but not limited to, miR-1250, miR-219-l-3p, miR-219-2-3p, miR-219-5p, miR-23a-3p, miR-23a-5p, miR- 3065-3p, miR-3065-5p, miR-30e-3p, miR-30e-5p, miR-32-5p, miR-338-5p, and miR-657.
• MiRNA binding sites from any CNS specific miRNA can be introduced to or removed from a polyribonucleotide of the disclosure to regulate expression of the polyribonucleotide in the nervous system.
• Nervous system specific miRNA binding sites can be engineered alone or further in combination with immune cell (e.g., APC) miRNA binding sites in a polyribonucleotide of the disclosure.
• miRNAs that are known to be expressed in the pancreas include, but are not limited to, miR-105-3p, miR-105-5p, miR-184, miR-195-3p, miR-195-5p, miR-196a-3p, miR-196a-5p, miR-214-3p, miR-214-5p, miR-216a-3p, miR-216a-5p, miR-30a-3p, miR-33a- 3p, miR-33a-5p, miR-375, miR-7-l-3p, miR-7-2-3p, miR-493-3p, miR-493-5p, and miR- 944.
• MiRNA binding sites from any pancreas specific miRNA can be introduced to or removed from a polyribonucleotide of the disclosure to regulate expression of the polyribonucleotide in the pancreas.
• Pancreas specific miRNA binding sites can be engineered alone or further in combination with immune cell (e.g., APC) miRNA binding sites in a polyribonucleotide of the disclosure.
• miRNAs that are known to be expressed in the kidney include, but are not limited to, miR-122-3p, miR-145-5p, miR-17-5p, miR-192-3p, miR-192-5p, miR-194-3p, miR-194- 5p, miR-20a-3p, miR-20a-5p, miR-204-3p, miR-204-5p, miR-210, miR-216a-3p, miR-216a- 5p, miR-296-3p, miR-30a-3p, miR-30a-5p, miR-30b-3p, miR-30b-5p, miR-30c-l-3p, miR- 30c-2-3p, miR30c-5p, miR-324-3p, miR-335-3p, miR-335-5p, miR-363-3p, miR-363-5p, and miR-562.
• miRNAs that are known to be expressed in the muscle include, but are not limited to, let-7g-3p, let-7g-5p, miR-1, miR-1286, miR-133a, miR-133b, miR-140-3p, miR-143-3p, miR-143-5p, miR-145-3p, miR-145-5p, miR-188-3p, miR-188-5p, miR-206, miR-208a, miR- 208b, miR-25-3p, and miR-25-5p.
• MiRNA binding sites from any muscle specific miRNA can be introduced to or removed from a polyribonucleotide of the disclosure to regulate expression of the polyribonucleotide in the muscle.
• Muscle specific miRNA binding sites can be engineered alone or further in combination with immune cell (e.g., APC) miRNA binding sites in a polyribonucleotide of the disclosure.
• miRNAs are also differentially expressed in different types of cells, such as, but not limited to, endothelial cells, epithelial cells, and adipocytes.
• miRNAs that are known to be expressed in endothelial cells include, but are not limited to, let-7b-3p, let-7b-5p, miR-100-3p, miR-100-5p, miR-101-3p, miR-101-5p, miR- 126-3p, miR-126-5p, miR-1236-3p, miR-1236-5p, miR-130a-3p, miR-130a-5p, miR-17-5p, miR-17-3p, miR-18a-3p, miR-18a-5p, miR-19a-3p, miR-19a-5p, miR-19b-l-5p, miR-19b-2- 5p, miR-19b-3p, miR-20a-3p, miR-20a-5p, miR-217, miR-210, miR-21-3p, miR-21-5p, miR- 221-3p, miR-221-5p, miR-222-3p, miR-222-5p, miR-23a-3p, miR-23a-5
• MiRNA binding sites from any endothelial cell specific miRNA can be introduced to or removed from a polyribonucleotide of the disclosure to regulate expression of the polyribonucleotide in the endothelial cells.
• miRNAs that are known to be expressed in epithelial cells include, but are not limited to, let-7b-3p, let-7b-5p, miR-1246, miR-200a-3p, miR-200a-5p, miR-200b-3p, miR- 200b-5p, miR-200c-3p, miR-200c-5p, miR-338-3p, miR-429, miR-451a, miR-451b, miR- 494, miR-802 and miR-34a, miR-34b-5p, miR-34c-5p, miR-449a, miR-449b-3p, miR-449b- 5p specific in respiratory ciliated epithelial cells, let-7 family, miR-133a, miR-133b, miR-126 specific in lung epithelial cells, miR-382-3p, miR-382-5p specific in renal epithelial cells, and miR-762 specific in comeal epithelial cells.
• a large group of miRNAs are enriched in embryonic stem cells, controlling stem cell self-renewal as well as the development and/or differentiation of various cell lineages, such as neural cells, cardiac, hematopoietic cells, skin cells, osteogenic cells and muscle cells (e.g., Kuppusamy KT et al., Curr. Mol Med, 2013, 13(5), 757-764; Vidigal JA and Ventura A, Semin Cancer Biol.
• MiRNAs abundant in embryonic stem cells include, but are not limited to, let-7a-2- 3p, let-a-3p, let-7a-5p, let7d-3p, let-7d-5p, miR-103a-2-3p, miR-103a-5p, miR-106b-3p, miR-106b-5p, miR-1246, miR-1275, miR-138-l-3p, miR-138-2-3p, miR-138-5p, miR-154- 3p, miR-154-5p, miR-200c-3p, miR-200c-5p, miR-290, miR-301a-3p, miR-301a-5p, miR- 302a-3p, miR-302a-5p, miR-302b-3p, miR-302b-5p, miR-302c-3p, miR-302c-5p, miR-302d- 3p, miR-302d-5p, miR-302e, miR-367-3p, miR-367-5p, mi
• miRNAs are differentially expressed in cancer cells (W02008/154098, US2013/0059015, US2013/0042333, WO2011/157294); cancer stem cells (US2012/0053224); pancreatic cancers and diseases (US2009/0131348, US2011/0171646, US2010/0286232, US8389210); asthma and inflammation (US8415096); prostate cancer (US2013/0053264); hepatocellular carcinoma (WO2012/151212, US2012/0329672, W02008/054828, US8252538); lung cancer cells (WO2011/076143, WO2013/033640, W02009/070653, US2010/0323357); cutaneous T cell lymphoma (W02013/011378); colorectal cancer
• miRNA binding sites for miRNAs that are over expressed in certain cancer and/or tumor cells can be removed from the 3'UTR of a polyribonucleotide of the disclosure, restoring the expression suppressed by the over expressed miRNAs in cancer cells, thus ameliorating the corresponsive biological function, for instance, transcription stimulation and/or repression, cell cycle arrest, apoptosis and cell death. Normal cells and tissues, wherein miRNAs expression is not up-regulated, will remain unaffected.
• MiRNA can also regulate complex biological processes such as angiogenesis (e.g., miR- 132) (Anand and Cheresh Curr Opin Hematol 2011 18:171-176).
• the nucleic acid is suitable for a genome editing technique.
• RNA vaccines have superior properties in that they produce much larger antibody titers and produce responses earlier than alternative anti-cancer therapies including cancer vaccines. While not wishing to be bound by theory, it is believed that the RNA vaccines, as mRNA polynucleotides, are better designed to produce the appropriate protein conformation upon translation as the RNA vaccines co-opt natural cellular machinery. Unlike traditional vaccines which are manufactured ex vivo and may trigger unwanted cellular responses, the RNA vaccines are presented to the cellular system in a more native fashion.
• the invention in some aspects is a vaccine of a mRNA having an open reading frame encoding a cancer antigen and a mRNA having an open reading frame encoding an immune checkpoint modulator.
• the immune checkpoint modulator is an inhibitory checkpoint polypeptide.
• the inhibitory checkpoint polypeptide is an antibody or fragment thereof that specifically binds to a molecule selected from the group consisting of PD-1, TIM-3, VISTA, A2AR, B7-H3, B7-H4, BTLA, CTLA-4, IDO, KIR and LAG3.
• the inhibitory checkpoint polypeptide is an anti-CTLA4 or anti-PDl antibody in some embodiments.
• the vaccine includes a lipid nanoparticle.
• a vaccine of a mRNA having an open reading frame encoding a cancer antigen is administered to a subject.
• the checkpoint inhibitor is administered 4 weeks later.
• the invention is a personalized cancer vaccine of a mRNA having an open reading frame encoding at least 2 cancer antigens, wherein the at least 2 cancer antigens are patient specific cancer antigens, and a lipid nanoparticle carrier.
• the lipid nanoparticle has a mean diameter of 50-200 nm.
• each cancer antigen comprises a 25-35 amino acids and includes a centrally located SNP mutation; e) at least 30% of the cancer antigens have a highest affinity for class I MHC molecules from the subject; f) at least 30% of the cancer antigens have a highest affinity for class II MHC molecules from the subject; g) at least 50% of the cancer antigens have a predicted binding affinity of IC >500nM for HLA-A, HLA-B and/or DRB 1; h) the mRNA encodes 20 cancer antigens; i) 50% of the cancer antigens have a binding affinity for class I MHC and 50% of the
• the vaccine is a personalized cancer vaccine and wherein the cancer antigen is a subject specific cancer antigen.
• the subject specific cancer antigen may be representative of an exome of a tumor sample of the subject, or of a transcriptome of a tumor sample of the subject.
• the subject specific cancer antigen may be representative of an exosome of the subject.
• the open reading frame further encodes one or more traditional cancer antigens.
• the traditional cancer antigen is a non- mutated antigen.
• the traditional cancer antigen is a mutated antigen.
• the mRNA vaccine further comprises an mRNA having an open reading frame encoding one or more traditional cancer antigens.
• a single mRNA encodes the cancer antigens. In other embodiments a plurality of mRNA encode the cancer antigens.
• Each cancer antigen is 10-50 amino acids in length in some embodiments. In other embodiments each cancer antigen is 15- 20 amino acids in length. In other embodiments the cancer antigen is 20-50, 25-100, 100-200, 200-300, 300-400, 400-500, 500-1,000, or 1,000-10,000 amino acids in length.
• RNA ribonucleic acid
• a cancer vaccine that includes at least one ribonucleic acid (RNA) polynucleotide having an open reading frame encoding at least one cancer polypeptide, at least one 5' terminal cap and at least one chemical modification, formulated within a lipid nanoparticle.
• RNA ribonucleic acid
• a 5' terminal cap is 7mG(5')ppp(5')NlmpNp.
• At least one chemical modification is selected from pseudouridine, Nl-methylpseudouridine, Nl-ethylpseudouridine, 2-thiouridine, 4'- thiouridine, 5-methylcytosine, 2-thio-l -methyl- 1 -deaza-pseudouridine, 2-thio-l-methyl- pseudouridine, 2-thio-5-aza-uridine , 2-thio-dihydropseudouridine, 2-thio-dihydrouridine, 2- thio- pseudouridine, 4-methoxy-2-thio-pseudouridine, 4-methoxy-pseudouridine, 4-thio-l- methyl- pseudouridine, 4-thio-pseudouridine, 5-aza-uridine, dihydropseudouridine, 5- methyluridine, 5-methoxyuridine and 2' -O-methyl uridine.
• the extent of incorporation of chemically modified nucleaseudouridine is selected from
• a cationic lipid is selected from 2,2-dilinoleyl-4-dimethylaminoethyl- [l,3]-dioxolane (DLin-KC2-DMA), dilinoleyl-methyl-4-dimethylaminobutyrate (DLin-MC3- DMA), and di((Z)-non-2-en-l-yl) 9- ((4-(dimethylamino)butanoyl)oxy)heptadecanedioate (L319).
• DLin-KC2-DMA 2,2-dilinoleyl-4-dimethylaminoethyl- [l,3]-dioxolane
• DLin-MC3- DMA dilinoleyl-methyl-4-dimethylaminobutyrate
• L319 di((Z)-non-2-en-l-yl) 9- ((4-(dimethylamino)butanoyl)oxy
• the lipid nanoparticle formulation includes an immune potentiator (e.g., TLR agonist) to enhance immunogenicity of the vaccine (formulation).
• an immune potentiator e.g., TLR agonist
• 100% of the uracil in the open reading frame have a chemical modification.
• a chemical modification is in the 5-position of the uracil.
• a chemical modification is aNl-methyl pseudouridine.
• a mRNA encoding an APC reprograming molecule is included in the vaccine or coadministered with the vaccine.
• the APC reprograming molecule may be a CIITA, a chaperone protein such as CLIP, HLA-DO, HLA-DM, a costimulatory molecule such as CD40, CD80, CD86, a CIITA fragment such as amino acids 26-137 of CIITA or a protein having 80% sequence identity to CIITA.
• a method of eliciting an immune response in a subject by identifying at least 2 cancer antigens from a sample of a subject, wherein the at least 2 cancer antigens include mutations selected from the group consisting of frame-shift mutations and recombinations, and administering a mRNA vaccine having an open reading frame encoding the at least 2 cancer antigens to the subject is provided.
• the cancer antigens are identified from an exosome of the subject.
• 2-100 antigens are identified from the exosome.
• the mRNA vaccine has an open reading frame encoding the 2-100 antigens.
• a single mRNA or a plurality of mRNA may encode the antigens.
• the antigens are cancer antigens.
• the cancer antigens may have mutations selected from point mutations, frame-shift mutations and recombinations.
• the method may further involve confirming that the cancer antigens are subject specific by exome analysis.
• the method may further involve confirming that the cancer antigens are subject specific by transcriptome analysis.
• the method also involves at least one month after the administration of the mRNA vaccine, identifying at least 2 cancer antigens from a sample of the subject to produce a second set of cancer antigens, and administering to the subject a mRNA vaccine having an open reading frame encoding the second set of cancer antigens to the subject.
• the invention comprises a method of eliciting an immune response in a subject by identifying at least 2 cancer antigens from a sample of a subject to produce a first set of cancer antigens, administering to the subject a mRNA vaccine having an open reading frame encoding the first set of cancer antigens to the subject, at least one month after the administration of the mRNA vaccine, identifying at least 2 cancer antigens from a sample of a subject to produce a second set of cancer antigens, and administering to the subject a mRNA vaccine having an open reading frame encoding the second set of cancer antigens to the subject.
• a single mRNA has an open reading frame encoding the cancer antigens.
• a plurality of mRNA encode the antigens.
• the second set of cancer antigens includes 2-100 antigens.
• the cancer antigens have mutations selected from point mutations, frame-shift mutations and recombinations.
• the anti-PD- 1 antibody is BMS-936558 (nivolumab). In other embodiments the anti-CTLA-4 antibody is ipilimumab.
• the T-cell therapeutic agent in other embodiments is OX40L. In yet other embodiments the cancer therapeutic agent is a vaccine comprising a population based tumor specific antigen.
• the cancer therapeutic agent is a vaccine comprising an mRNA having an open reading frame encoding one or more traditional cancer antigens.
• the mRNA having an open reading frame encoding the at least 2 cancer antigens is administered to the subject simultaneously with the cancer therapeutic agent.
• the mRNA having an open reading frame encoding the at least 2 cancer antigens is administered to the subject before administration of the cancer therapeutic agent.
• the mRNA having an open reading frame encoding the at least 2 cancer antigens is administered to the subject after administration of the cancer therapeutic agent.
• a method comprising mixing a mRNA having an open reading frame encoding a cancer antigen with a lipid nanoparticle formulation to produce a mRNA cancer vaccine, and administering the mRNA cancer vaccine to a subject within 24 hours of mixing is provided in other aspects of the invention.
• the mRNA cancer vaccine is administered to the subject within 12 hours of mixing.
• the mRNA cancer vaccine is administered to the subject within 1 hour of mixing.
• the mRNA cancer vaccine encodes 2-100 cancer antigens or 10-100 cancer antigens in some embodiments.
• the vaccine is a personalized cancer vaccine and wherein the cancer antigen is a subject specific cancer antigen.
• a single mRNA encodes the cancer antigens. In other embodiments a plurality of mRNA encode the cancer antigens. Each mRNA encodes 5-10 cancer antigens or a single cancer antigen in other embodiments. In yet other embodiments each cancer antigen is 10-50 amino acids in length or 15-20 amino acids in length.
• cancer vaccines in the manufacture of a medicament for use in a method of inducing an antigen specific immune response in a subject, the method comprising administering the cancer vaccine to the subject in an amount effective to produce an antigen specific immune response.
• a method of treating cancer in a subject in need thereof by identifying at least 2 cancer antigens from an exosome isolated from the subject; producing, based on the identified antigens, a mRNA vaccine having an open reading frame encoding the antigens; and administering the mRNA vaccine to the subject, wherein the mRNA vaccine induces a tumor- specific immune response in the subject, thereby treating cancer in the subject is provided in other aspects.
• the invention in other aspects is a RNA vaccine preparable according to a method involving identifying at least 2 cancer antigens from an exosome isolated from a subject; producing, based on the identified antigens, a mRNA vaccine having an open reading frame encoding the antigens.
• a method of eliciting an immune response in a subject against a cancer antigen involves administering to the subject a RNA vaccine comprising at least one RNA polynucleotide having an open reading frame encoding at least one antigenic polypeptide or an immunogenic fragment thereof, thereby inducing in the subject an immune response specific to the antigenic polypeptide or an immunogenic fragment thereof, wherein the anti-antigenic polypeptide antibody titer in the subject is increased following vaccination relative to anti-antigenic polypeptide antibody titer in a subject vaccinated with a prophylactically effective dose of a traditional vaccine against the cancer.
• An "anti-antigenic polypeptide antibody” is a serum antibody the binds specifically to the antigenic polypeptide.
• a prophylactically effective dose is a therapeutically effective dose that prevents advancement of cancer at a clinically acceptable level.
• the therapeutically effective dose is a dose listed in a package insert for the vaccine.
• a traditional vaccine refers to a vaccine other than the mRNA vaccines of the invention.
• a traditional vaccine includes but is not limited to live microorganism vaccines, killed microorganism vaccines, subunit vaccines, protein antigen vaccines, DNA vaccines, etc.
• a traditional vaccine is a vaccine that has achieved regulatory approval and/or is registered by a national drug regulatory body, for example the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the United States or the European Medicines Agency (EM A.)
• the anti-antigenic polypeptide antibody titer in the subject is increased 1 log to 10 log following vaccination relative to anti-antigenic polypeptide antibody titer in a subject vaccinated with a prophylactically effective dose of a traditional vaccine against the cancer.
• the anti-antigenic polypeptide antibody titer in the subject is increased 2 log following vaccination relative to anti-antigenic polypeptide antibody titer in a subject vaccinated with a prophylactically effective dose of a traditional vaccine against the cancer.
• the anti-antigenic polypeptide antibody titer in the subject is increased 3 log following vaccination relative to anti-antigenic polypeptide antibody titer in a subject vaccinated with a prophylactically effective dose of a traditional vaccine against the cancer.
• the anti-antigenic polypeptide antibody titer in the subject is increased 5 log following vaccination relative to anti-antigenic polypeptide antibody titer in a subject vaccinated with a prophylactically effective dose of a traditional vaccine against the or cancer.
• a method of eliciting an immune response in a subject against a cancer antigen involves administering to the subject a RNA vaccine comprising at least one RNA polynucleotide having an open reading frame encoding at least one antigenic polypeptide or an immunogenic fragment thereof, thereby inducing in the subject an immune response specific to antigenic polypeptide or an immunogenic fragment thereof, wherein the immune response in the subject is equivalent to an immune response in a subject vaccinated with a traditional vaccine against the cancer antigen at 2 times to 100 times the dosage level relative to the RNA vaccine.
• the immune response in the subject is equivalent to an immune response in a subject vaccinated with a traditional vaccine at twice the dosage level relative to the RNA vaccine.
• the immune response in the subject is equivalent to an immune response in a subject vaccinated with a traditional vaccine at 5 times the dosage level relative to the RNA vaccine. In some embodiments the immune response in the subject is equivalent to an immune response in a subject vaccinated with a traditional vaccine at 10 times the dosage level relative to the RNA vaccine.
• the immune response in the subject is equivalent to an immune response in a subject vaccinated with a traditional vaccine at 50 times the dosage level relative to the RNA vaccine.
• the immune response in the subject is equivalent to an immune response in a subject vaccinated with a traditional vaccine at 10 times to 1000 times the dosage level relative to the RNA vaccine.
• the immune response in the subject is equivalent to an immune response in a subject vaccinated with a traditional vaccine at 100 times to 1000 times the dosage level relative to the RNA vaccine.
• the immune response is assessed by determining antibody titer in the subject.
• the invention comprises a method of eliciting an immune response in a subject against a by administering to the subject a RNA vaccine comprising at least one RNA polynucleotide having an open reading frame encoding at least one cancer antigenic polypeptide or an immunogenic fragment thereof, thereby inducing in the subject an immune response specific to the antigenic polypeptide or an immunogenic fragment thereof, wherein the immune response in the subject is induced 2 days to 10 weeks earlier relative to an immune response induced in a subject vaccinated with a prophylactically effective dose of a traditional vaccine against the cancer antigen.
• the immune response in the subject is induced in a subject vaccinated with a prophylactically effective dose of a traditional vaccine at 2 times to 100 times the dosage level relative to the RNA vaccine.
• the immune response in the subject is induced 2 days earlier relative to an immune response induced in a subject vaccinated with a prophylactically effective dose of a traditional vaccine.
• the immune response in the subject is induced 5 weeks earlier relative to an immune response induced in a subject vaccinated with a prophylactically effective dose of a traditional vaccine.
• the immune response in the subject is induced 10 weeks earlier relative to an immune response induced in a subject vaccinated with a prophylactically effective dose of a traditional vaccine.
• the mRNA vaccine is administered to the subject within one month of isolating the sample from the subject.
• the invention comprises a method of identifying a set of neoepitopes for use in a personalized mRNA cancer vaccine having one or more polynucleotides that encode the set of neoepitopes by a. identifying a patient specific mutanome by analyzing a patient transcriptome and a patient exome, b.
• the set of neoepitopes for use in a personalized mRNA cancer vaccine from the subset based on the highest weighted value, wherein the set of neoepitopes comprise 15-40 neoepitopes.
• the invention is a composition for or method of vaccinating a subject comprising administering to the subject a nucleic acid vaccine comprising one or more RNA polynucleotides having an open reading frame encoding a first antigenic polypeptide wherein a dosage of between 10 ug/kg and 400 ug/kg of the nucleic acid vaccine is administered to the subject.
• the dosage of the RNA polynucleotide is 1-5 ug, 5-10 ug, 10-15 ug, 15-20 ug, 10-25 ug, 20-25 ug, 20-50 ug, 30-50 ug, 40-50 ug, 40-60 ug, 60-80 ug, 60-100 ug, 50-100 ug, 80-120 ug, 40-120 ug, 40-150 ug, 50-150 ug, 50-200 ug, 80-200 ug, 100-200 ug, 120-250 ug, 150-250 ug, 180-280 ug, 200-300 ug, 50-300 ug, 80-300 ug, 100- 300 ug, 40-300 ug, 50-350 ug, 100-350 ug, 200-350 ug, 300-350 ug, 320-400 ug, 40-380 ug, 40-100 ug, 100-400
• the nucleic acid vaccine is administered to the subject by intradermal or intramuscular injection. In some embodiments, the nucleic acid vaccine is administered to the subject on day zero. In some embodiments, a second dose of the nucleic acid vaccine is administered to the subject on day twenty one.
• a dosage of 25 micrograms of the RNA polynucleotide is included in the nucleic acid vaccine administered to the subject. In some embodiments, a dosage of 100 micrograms of the RNA polynucleotide is included in the nucleic acid vaccine administered to the subject. In some embodiments, a dosage of 50 micrograms of the RNA polynucleotide is included in the nucleic acid vaccine administered to the subject. In some embodiments, a dosage of 75 micrograms of the RNA polynucleotide is included in the nucleic acid vaccine administered to the subject.
• a dosage of 150 micrograms of the RNA polynucleotide is included in the nucleic acid vaccine administered to the subject. In some embodiments, a dosage of 400 micrograms of the RNA polynucleotide is included in the nucleic acid vaccine administered to the subject. In some embodiments, a dosage of 200 micrograms of the RNA polynucleotide is included in the nucleic acid vaccine administered to the subject. In some embodiments, the RNA polynucleotide accumulates at a 100 fold higher level in the local lymph node in comparison with the distal lymph node. In other embodiments the nucleic acid vaccine is chemically modified and in other embodiments the nucleic acid vaccine is not chemically modified.
• nucleic acid vaccine comprising one or more RNA polynucleotides having an open reading frame encoding a first antigenic polypeptide or a concatemeric polypeptide, wherein the RNA polynucleotide does not include a stabilization element, and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier or excipient, wherein an adjuvant is not included in the vaccine.
• the stabilization element is a histone stem- loop.
• the stabilization element is a nucleic acid sequence having increased GC content relative to wild type sequence.
• nucleic acid vaccines comprising one or more RNA polynucleotides having an open reading frame encoding a first antigenic polypeptide, wherein the RNA polynucleotide is present in the formulation for in vivo administration to a host, which confers an antibody titer superior to the criterion for seroprotection for the first antigen for an acceptable percentage of human subjects.
• the antibody titer produced by the mRNA vaccines of the invention is a neutralizing antibody titer. In some embodiments the neutralizing antibody titer is greater than a protein vaccine.
• the neutralizing antibody titer produced by the mRNA vaccines of the invention is greater than an adjuvanted protein vaccine.
• the neutralizing antibody titer produced by the mRNA vaccines of the invention is 1,000- 10,000, 1,200- 10,000, 1,400- 10,000, 1,500- 10,000, 1,000- 5,000, 1,000- 4,000, 1,800- 10,000, 2000- 10,000, 2,000- 5,000, 2,000- 3,000, 2,000- 4,000, 3,000- 5,000, 3,000- 4,000, or 2,000- 2,500.
• a neutralization titer is typially expressed as the highest serum dilution required to achieve a 50% reduction in the number of plaques.
• vaccines of the invention produce prophylactically- and/or therapeutically- efficacious levels, concentrations and/or titers of antigen- specific antibodies in the blood or serum of a vaccinated subject.
• antibody titer refers to the amount of antigen-specific antibody produces in s subject, e.g., a human subject.
• antibody titer is expressed as the inverse of the greatest dilution (in a serial dilution) that still gives a positive result.
• antibody titer is determined or measured by enzyme- linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).
• antibody titer is determined or measured by neutralization assay, e.g., by microneutralization assay. In certain aspects, antibody titer measurement is expressed as a ratio, such as 1:40, 1: 100, etc.
• an efficacious vaccine produces an antibody titer of greater than 1 :40, greater that 1 : 100, greater than 1 :400, greater than 1 :
• antigen- specific antibodies are measured in units of pg/ml or are measured in units of IU/L (International Units per liter) or mlU/ml (milli International Units per ml).
• an efficacious vaccine produces >0.5 pg/ml, >0.1 pg/ml, >0.2 pg/ml, >0.35 pg/ml, >0.5 pg/ml, >1 pg/ml, >2 pg/ml, >5 pg/ml or >10 pg/ml.
• an efficacious vaccine produces >10 mlU/ml, >20 mlU/ml, >50 mlU/ml, >100 mlU/ml, >200 mlU/ml, >500 mlU/ml or > 1000 mlU/ml.
• the antibody level or concentration is produced or reached by 10 days following vaccination, by 20 days following vaccination, by 30 days following vaccination, by 40 days following vaccination, or by 50 or more days following vaccination.
• the level or concentration is produced or reached following a single dose of vaccine administered to the subject.
• antibody level or concentration is determined or measured by neutralization assay, e.g., by microneutrabzation assay.
• nucleic acid vaccines comprising one or more RNA polynucleotides having an open reading frame encoding a first antigenic polypeptide or a concatemeric polypeptide, wherein the RNA polynucleotide is present in a formulation for in vivo administration to a host for eliciting a longer lasting high antibody titer than an antibody titer elicited by an mRNA vaccine having a stabilizing element or formulated with an adjuvant and encoding the first antigenic polypeptide.
• nucleic acid vaccines comprising one or more RNA polynucleotides having an open reading frame comprising at least one chemical modification or optionally no nucleotide modification, the open reading frame encoding a first antigenic polypeptide or a concatemeric polypeptide, wherein the vaccine has at least 10 fold less RNA polynucleotide than is required for an unmodified mRNA vaccine to produce an equivalent antibody titer.
• the RNA polynucleotide is present in a dosage of 25- 100 micrograms.
• the administering step comprises contacting a muscle tissue of the subject with a device suitable for injection of the composition. In some embodiments, the administering step comprises contacting a muscle tissue of the subject with a device suitable for injection of the composition in combination with electroporation.
• nucleic acid vaccines comprising an LNP formulated RNA polynucleotide having an open reading frame comprising no nucleotide modifications (unmodified), the open reading frame encoding a first antigenic polypeptide or a [00655] concatemeric polypeptide, wherein the vaccine has at least 10 fold less RNA polynucleotide than is required for an unmodified mRNA vaccine not formulated in a LNP to produce an equivalent antibody titer.
• the RNA polynucleotide is present in a dosage of 25-100 micrograms.
• the invention encompasses a method of treating a young subject age 17 years or younger comprising administering to the subject a nucleic acid vaccine comprising one or more RNA polynucleotides having an open reading frame encoding an antigenic polypeptide or a concatemeric polypeptide in an effective amount to vaccinate the subject.
• the invention encompasses a method of treating an adult subject comprising administering to the subject a nucleic acid vaccine comprising one or more RNA polynucleotides having an open reading frame encoding an antigenic polypeptide or a concatemeric polypeptide in an effective amount to vaccinate the subject.
• the combined dosage is 75 micrograms of the RNA polynucleotide in the nucleic acid vaccine administered to the subject. In some embodiments, the combined dosage is 150 micrograms of the RNA polynucleotide in the nucleic acid vaccine administered to the subject. In some embodiments, the combined dosage is 400 micrograms of the RNA polynucleotide in the nucleic acid vaccine administered to the subject. In some embodiments, the sub therapeutic dosage of each individual nucleic acid encoding an antigen is 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11,
• a LNP may include one or more components in addition to those described in the preceding sections.
• a LNP e.g., an empty LNP or a loaded LNP of the disclosure
• Lipid nanoparticles may also include one or more permeability enhancer molecules, carbohydrates, polymers, surface altering agents, or other components.
• a permeability enhancer molecule may be a molecule described by U.S. patent application publication No. 2005/0222064, for example.
• Carbohydrates may include simple sugars (e.g., glucose) and polysaccharides (e.g., glycogen and derivatives and analogs thereof).
• a polymer may be included in and/or used to encapsulate or partially encapsulate a LNP.
• a polymer may be biodegradable and/or biocompatible.
• a polymer may be selected from, but is not limited to, polyamines, polyethers, polyamides, polyesters, poly carbamates, polyureas, polycarbonates, polystyrenes, polyimides, polysulfones, polyurethanes, polyacetylenes, polyethylenes, polyethyleneimines, polyisocyanates, polyacrylates, polymethacrylates, polyacrylonitriles, and polyarylates.
• a polymer may include poly(caprolactone) (PCL), ethylene vinyl acetate polymer (EVA), poly (lactic acid) (PLA), poly(L-lactic acid) (PLLA), poly(gly colic acid) (PGA), poly(lactic acid-co- gly colic acid) (PLGA), poly(L-lactic acid-co-gly colic acid) (PLLGA), poly(D,L-lactide) (PDLA), poly(L-lactide) (PLLA), poly(D,L-lactide-co-caprolactone), poly(D,L-lactide-co- caprolactone-co-glycobde), poly(D,L-lactide-co-PEO-co-D,L-lactide), poly(D,L-lactide-co- PPO-co-D,L-lactide), polyalkyl cyanoacrylate, polyurethane, poly-L-lysine (PLL), hydroxypropyl methacryl
• a LNP may also comprise one or more functionalized lipids.
• a lipid may be functionalized with an alkyne group that, when exposed to an azide under appropriate reaction conditions, may undergo a cycloaddition reaction.
• a lipid bilayer may be functionalized in this fashion with one or more groups useful in facilitating membrane permeation, cellular recognition, or imaging.
• the surface of a LNP e.g., an empty LNP or a loaded LNP of the disclosure
• the lipid nanoparticle may include one or more pharmaceutically acceptable excipients or accessory ingredients such as, but not limited to, one or more solvents, dispersion media, diluents, dispersion aids, suspension aids, granulating aids, disintegrants, fillers, glidants, liquid vehicles, binders, surface active agents, isotonic agents, thickening or emulsifying agents, buffering agents, lubricating agents, oils, preservatives, and other species. Excipients such as waxes, butters, coloring agents, coating agents, flavorings, and perfuming agents may also be included. Pharmaceutically acceptable excipients are well known in the art (see for example Remington’s The Science and Practice of Pharmacy, 21 st Edition, A. R. Gennaro; Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins, Baltimore, MD, 2006).
• diluents may include, but are not limited to, calcium carbonate, sodium carbonate, calcium phosphate, dicalcium phosphate, calcium sulfate, calcium hydrogen phosphate, sodium phosphate lactose, sucrose, cellulose, microcrystalline cellulose, kaolin, mannitol, sorbitol, inositol, sodium chloride, dry starch, cornstarch, powdered sugar, and/or combinations thereof.
• Granulating and dispersing agents may be selected from the non-limiting list consisting of potato starch, com starch, tapioca starch, sodium starch glycolate, clays, alginic acid, guar gum, citrus pulp, agar, bentonite, cellulose and wood products, natural sponge, cation-exchange resins, calcium carbonate, silicates, sodium carbonate, cross-linked poly(vinyl-pyrrolidone) (crospovidone), sodium carboxymethyl starch (sodium starch glycolate), carboxymethyl cellulose, cross-linked sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (croscarmellose), methylcellulose, pregelatinized starch (starch 1500), microcrystalline starch, water insoluble starch, calcium carboxymethyl cellulose, magnesium aluminum silicate (VEEGUM®), sodium lauryl sulfate, quaternary ammonium compounds, and/or combinations thereof.
• crospovidone cross-linked poly(vinyl-pyrrolidone)
• crospovidone sodium
• Surface active agents and/or emulsifiers may include, but are not limited to, natural emulsifiers (e.g., acacia, agar, alginic acid, sodium alginate, tragacanth, chondrux, cholesterol, xanthan, pectin, gelatin, egg yolk, casein, wool fat, cholesterol, wax, and lecithin), colloidal clays (e.g., bentonite [aluminum silicate] and VEEGUM® [magnesium aluminum silicate]), long chain amino acid derivatives, high molecular weight alcohols (e.g., stearyl alcohol, cetyl alcohol, oleyl alcohol, triacetin monostearate, ethylene glycol distearate, glyceryl monostearate, and propylene glycol monostearate, polyvinyl alcohol), carbomers (e.g., carboxy polymethylene, poly aery lie acid, acrylic acid polymer, and carboxy vinyl poly
• a binding agent may be starch (e.g., cornstarch and starch paste); gelatin; sugars (e.g., sucrose, glucose, dextrose, dextrin, molasses, lactose, lactitol, mannitol); natural and synthetic gums (e.g., acacia, sodium alginate, extract of Irish moss, panwar gum, ghatti gum, mucilage of isapol husks, carboxymethylcellulose, methylcellulose, ethylcellulose, hydroxy ethylcellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, microcrystalline cellulose, cellulose acetate, poly(vinyl-pyrrolidone), magnesium aluminum silicate (VEEGUM®), and larch arabogalactan); alginates; polyethylene oxide; polyethylene glycol; inorganic calcium salts; silicic acid; poly methacrylates; waxes; water; alcohol; and combinations thereof, or
• chelating agents include ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), citric acid monohydrate, disodium edetate, dipotassium edetate, edetic acid, fumaric acid, malic acid, phosphoric acid, sodium edetate, tartaric acid, and/or trisodium edetate.
• EDTA ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid
• citric acid monohydrate disodium edetate
• dipotassium edetate dipotassium edetate
• edetic acid fumaric acid, malic acid, phosphoric acid, sodium edetate, tartaric acid, and/or trisodium edetate.
• antimicrobial preservatives include, but are not limited to, benzalkonium chloride, benzethonium chloride, benzyl alcohol, bronopol, cetrimide, cetylpyridinium chloride, chlorhexidine, chlorobutanol, chlorocresol, chloroxylenol, cresol, ethyl alcohol, glycerin, hexetidine, imidurea, phenol, phenoxyethanol, phenylethyl alcohol, phenylmercuric nitrate, propylene glycol, and/or thimerosal.
• antifungal preservatives include, but are not limited to, butyl paraben, methyl paraben, ethyl paraben, propyl paraben, benzoic acid, hydroxybenzoic acid, potassium benzoate, potassium sorbate, sodium benzoate, sodium propionate, and/or sorbic acid.
• alcohol preservatives include, but are not limited to, ethanol, polyethylene glycol, benzyl alcohol, phenol, phenolic compounds, bisphenol, chlorobutanol, hydroxybenzoate, and/or phenylethyl alcohol.
• acidic preservatives include, but are not limited to, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, beta-carotene, citric acid, acetic acid, dehydroascorbic acid, ascorbic acid, sorbic acid, and/or phytic acid.
• preservatives include, but are not limited to, tocopherol, tocopherol acetate, deteroxime mesylate, cetrimide, butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), butylated hydroxy toluene (BEIT), ethylenediamine, sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), sodium lauryl ether sulfate (SLES), sodium bisulfite, sodium metabisulfite, potassium sulfite, potassium metabisulfite, GLYDANT PLUS®, PHENONIP®, methylparaben, GERMALL® 115, GERMABEN®II,
• buffering agents include, but are not limited to, citrate buffer solutions, acetate buffer solutions, phosphate buffer solutions, ammonium chloride, calcium carbonate, calcium chloride, calcium citrate, calcium glubionate, calcium gluceptate, calcium gluconate, d-gluconic acid, calcium glycerophosphate, calcium lactate, calcium lactobionate, propanoic acid, calcium levulinate, pentanoic acid, dibasic calcium phosphate, phosphoric acid, tribasic calcium phosphate, calcium hydroxide phosphate, potassium acetate, potassium chloride, potassium gluconate, potassium mixtures, dibasic potassium phosphate, monobasic potassium phosphate, potassium phosphate mixtures, sodium acetate, sodium bicarbonate, sodium chloride, sodium citrate, sodium lactate, dibasic sodium phosphate, monobasic sodium phosphate, sodium phosphate mixtures, tromethamine, amino-sulfonate buffers (e.g.,
• Lubricating agents may selected from the non-limiting group consisting of magnesium stearate, calcium stearate, stearic acid, silica, talc, malt, glyceryl behenate, hydrogenated vegetable oils, polyethylene glycol, sodium benzoate, sodium acetate, sodium chloride, leucine, magnesium lauryl sulfate, sodium lauryl sulfate, and combinations thereof.
• excipients and accessory ingredients may be used in any pharmaceutical composition, except insofar as any conventional excipient or accessory ingredient may be incompatible with one or more components of a LNP in the formulation of the disclosure.
• An excipient or accessory ingredient may be incompatible with a component of a LNP of the formulation if its combination with the component or LNP may result in any undesirable biological effect or otherwise deleterious effect.
• the pharmaceutical composition comprising one or more lipid nanoparticles is a solution or solid (e.g., via lyophilization) that is refrigerated for storage and/or shipment at, for example, about -20 °C, -30 °C, -40 °C, -50 °C, -60 °C, -70 °C, or -80 °C.
• Lipid nanoparticles and/or pharmaceutical compositions including one or more lipid nanoparticles may be administered to any patient or subject, including those patients or subjects that may benefit from a therapeutic effect provided by the delivery of a therapeutic and/or prophylactic to one or more particular cells, tissues, organs, or systems or groups thereof, such as the renal system.
• lipid nanoparticles and pharmaceutical compositions including lipid nanoparticles are principally directed to compositions which are suitable for administration to humans, it will be understood by the skilled artisan that such compositions are generally suitable for administration to any other mammal.
• compositions may be prepared in a variety of forms suitable for a variety of routes and methods of administration.
• pharmaceutical compositions may be prepared in liquid dosage forms (e.g., emulsions, microemulsions, nanoemulsions, solutions, suspensions, syrups, and elixirs), injectable forms, solid dosage forms (e.g., capsules, tablets, pills, powders, and granules), dosage forms for topical and/or transdermal administration (e.g., ointments, pastes, creams, lotions, gels, powders, solutions, sprays, inhalants, and patches), suspensions, powders, and other forms.
• liquid dosage forms e.g., emulsions, microemulsions, nanoemulsions, solutions, suspensions, syrups, and elixirs
• injectable forms e.g., solid dosage forms (e.g., capsules, tablets, pills, powders, and granules)
• Injectable preparations for example, sterile injectable aqueous or oleaginous suspensions may be formulated according to the known art using suitable dispersing agents, wetting agents, and/or suspending agents.
• Sterile injectable preparations may be sterile injectable solutions, suspensions, and/or emulsions in nontoxic parenterally acceptable diluents and/or solvents, for example, as a solution in 1,3-butanediol.
• the acceptable vehicles and solvents that may be employed are water, Ringer's solution, U.S.P., and isotonic sodium chloride solution.
• Sterile, fixed oils are conventionally employed as a solvent or suspending medium.
• any bland fixed oil can be employed including synthetic mono- or diglycerides.
• Fatty acids such as oleic acid can be used in the preparation of injectables.
• Injectable formulations can be sterilized, for example, by filtration through a bacterial-retaining filter, and/or by incorporating sterilizing agents in the form of sterile solid compositions which can be dissolved or dispersed in sterile water or other sterile injectable medium prior to use.
• compositions for rectal or vaginal administration are typically suppositories which can be prepared by mixing compositions with suitable non-irritating excipients such as cocoa butter, polyethylene glycol or a suppository wax which are solid at ambient temperature but liquid at body temperature and therefore melt in the rectum or vaginal cavity and release the active ingredient.
• suitable non-irritating excipients such as cocoa butter, polyethylene glycol or a suppository wax which are solid at ambient temperature but liquid at body temperature and therefore melt in the rectum or vaginal cavity and release the active ingredient.
• Solid compositions of a similar type may be employed as fillers in soft and hard- filled gelatin capsules using such excipients as lactose or milk sugar as well as high molecular weight polyethylene glycols and the like.
• Solid dosage forms of tablets, dragees, capsules, pills, and granules can be prepared with coatings and shells such as enteric coatings and other coatings well known in the pharmaceutical formulating art. They may optionally comprise opacifying agents and can be of a composition that they release the active ingredient(s) only. In some embodiments, the solid compositions may optionally comprise opacifying agents and can be of a composition that they release the active ingredient(s) in a certain part of the intestinal tract, optionally, in a delayed manner.
• embedding compositions which can be used include polymeric substances and waxes.
• Solid compositions of a similar type may be employed as fillers in soft and hard-filled gelatin capsules using such excipients as lactose or milk sugar as well as high molecular weight polyethylene glycols and the like.
• Dosage forms for topical and/or transdermal administration of a composition may include ointments, pastes, creams, lotions, gels, powders, solutions, sprays, inhalants, and/or patches.
• an active ingredient is admixed under sterile conditions with a pharmaceutically acceptable excipient and/or any needed preservatives and/or buffers as may be required.
• the present disclosure contemplates the use of transdermal patches, which often have the added advantage of providing controlled delivery of a compound to the body.
• dosage forms may be prepared, for example, by dissolving and/or dispensing the compound in the proper medium.
• rate may be controlled by either providing a rate controlling membrane and/or by dispersing the compound in a polymer matrix and/or gel.
• Ballistic powder/particle delivery devices which use compressed gas to accelerate vaccine in powder form through the outer layers of the skin to the dermis are suitable.
• conventional syringes may be used in the classical mantoux method of intradermal administration.
• a pharmaceutical composition may be prepared, packaged, and/or sold in a formulation suitable for pulmonary administration via the buccal cavity.
• a formulation may comprise dry particles which comprise the active ingredient.
• Such compositions are conveniently in the form of dry powders for administration using a device comprising a dry powder reservoir to which a stream of propellant may be directed to disperse the powder and/or using a self-propelling solvent/powder dispensing container such as a device comprising the active ingredient dissolved and/or suspended in a low-boiling propellant in a sealed container.
• Dry powder compositions may include a solid fine powder diluent such as sugar and are conveniently provided in a unit dose form.
• Low boiling propellants generally include liquid propellants having a boiling point of below 65 °F at atmospheric pressure. Generally the propellant may constitute 50% to 99.9% (wt/wt) of the composition, and active ingredient may constitute 0.1% to 20% (wt/wt) of the composition.
• a propellant may further comprise additional ingredients such as a liquid non-ionic and/or solid anionic surfactant and/or a solid diluent (which may have a particle size of the same order as particles comprising the active ingredient).
• compositions formulated for pulmonary delivery may provide an active ingredient in the form of droplets of a solution and/or suspension.
• Such formulations may be prepared, packaged, and/or sold as aqueous and/or dilute alcoholic solutions and/or suspensions, optionally sterile, comprising active ingredient, and may conveniently be administered using any nebulization and/or atomization device.
• Such formulations may further comprise one or more additional ingredients including, but not limited to, a flavoring agent such as saccharin sodium, a volatile oil, a buffering agent, a surface active agent, and/or a preservative such as methylhydroxybenzoate.
• Droplets provided by this route of administration may have an average diameter in the range from about 1 nm to about 200 nm.
• Formulations suitable for nasal administration may, for example, comprise from about as litle as 0.1% (wt/wt) and as much as 100% (wt/wt) of active ingredient, and may comprise one or more of the additional ingredients described herein.
• a pharmaceutical composition may be prepared, packaged, and/or sold in a formulation suitable for buccal administration.
• Such formulations may, for example, be in the form of tablets and/or lozenges made using conventional methods, and may, for example, 0.1% to 20% (wt/wt) active ingredient, the balance comprising an orally dissolvable and/or degradable composition and, optionally, one or more of the additional ingredients described herein.
• a pharmaceutical composition may be prepared, packaged, and/or sold in a formulation suitable for ophthalmic administration.
• Such formulations may, for example, be in the form of eye drops including, for example, a 0.1/1.0% (wt/wt) solution and/or suspension of the active ingredient in an aqueous or oily liquid excipient.
• Such drops may further comprise buffering agents, salts, and/or one or more other of any additional ingredients described herein.
• Other ophthalmically-administrable formulations which are useful include those which comprise the active ingredient in microcrystalline form and/or in a liposomal preparation. Ear drops and/or eye drops are contemplated as being within the scope of this present disclosure.
• the step of contacting a mammalian cell with a LNP including an mRNA encoding a polypeptide of interest may be performed in vivo, ex vivo, in culture, or in vitro.
• the amount of lipid nanoparticle contacted with a cell, and/or the amount of mRNA therein, may depend on the type of cell or tissue being contacted, the means of administration, the physiochemical characteristics of the lipid nanoparticle and the mRNA (e.g., size, charge, and chemical composition) therein, and other factors.
• an effective amount of the lipid nanoparticle will allow for efficient polypeptide production in the cell. Metrics for efficiency may include polypeptide translation (indicated by polypeptide expression), level of mRNA degradation, and immune response indicators.
• an mRNA included in a LNP may encode a recombinant polypeptide that may replace one or more polypeptides that may be substantially absent in a cell contacted with the lipid nanoparticle.
• the one or more substantially absent polypeptides may be lacking due to a genetic mutation of the encoding gene or a regulatory pathway thereof.
• a recombinant polypeptide produced by translation of the mRNA may antagonize the activity of an endogenous protein present in, on the surface of, or secreted from the cell.
• An antagonistic recombinant polypeptide may be desirable to combat deleterious effects caused by activities of the endogenous protein, such as altered activities or localization caused by mutation.
• the present disclosure provides methods of delivering a therapeutic and/or prophylactic, such as a nucleic acid, to a mammalian cell or organ.
• Delivery of a therapeutic and/or prophylactic to a cell involves administering a formulation of the disclosure that comprises a LNP including the therapeutic and/or prophylactic, such as a nucleic acid, to a subject, where administration of the composition involves contacting the cell with the composition.
• a protein, cytotoxic agent, radioactive ion, chemotherapeutic agent, or nucleic acid such as an RNA, e.g., mRNA
• RNA e.g., mRNA
• a translatable mRNA upon contacting a cell with the lipid nanoparticle, a translatable mRNA may be translated in the cell to produce a polypeptide of interest.
• mRNAs that are substantially not translatable may also be delivered to cells.
• Substantially non-translatable mRNAs may be useful as vaccines and/or may sequester translational components of a cell to reduce expression of other species in the cell.
• a LNP may target a particular type or class of cells (e.g. , cells of a particular organ or system thereof).
• a LNP including a therapeutic and/or prophylactic of interest may be specifically delivered to a mammalian liver, kidney, spleen, femur, or lung. Specific delivery to a particular class of cells, an organ, or a system or group thereof implies that a higher proportion of lipid nanoparticles including a therapeutic and/or prophylactic are delivered to the destination (e.g., tissue) of interest relative to other destinations, e.g., upon administration of a LNP to a mammal.
• tissue of the targeted destination e.g., tissue of interest, such as a liver
• another destination e.g., the spleen
• the tissue of interest is selected from the group consisting of a liver, kidney, a lung, a spleen, a femur, vascular endothelium in vessels (e.g., intra-coronary or intra-femoral) or kidney, and tumor tissue (e.g., via intratumoral injection).
• an mRNA that encodes a protein-binding partner (e.g., an antibody or functional fragment thereof, a scaffold protein, or a peptide) or a receptor on a cell surface may be included in a LNP.
• An mRNA may additionally or instead be used to direct the synthesis and extracellular localization of lipids, carbohydrates, or other biological moieties.
• other therapeutics and/or prophylactics or elements (e.g., lipids or ligands) of a LNP may be selected based on their affinity for particular receptors (e.g., low density lipoprotein receptors) such that a LNP may more readily interact with a target cell population including the receptors.
• ligands may include, but are not limited to, members of a specific binding pair, antibodies, monoclonal antibodies, Fv fragments, single chain Fv (scFv) fragments, Fab’ fragments, F(ab’)2 fragments, single domain antibodies, camelized antibodies and fragments thereof, humanized antibodies and fragments thereof, and multivalent versions thereof; multivalent binding reagents including mono- or bi-specific antibodies such as disulfide stabilized Fv fragments, scFv tandems, diabodies, tribodies, or tetrabodies; and aptamers, receptors, and fusion proteins.
• a ligand may be a surface-bound antibody, which can permit tuning of cell targeting specificity. This is especially useful since highly specific antibodies can be raised against an epitope of interest for the desired targeting site.
• multiple antibodies are expressed on the surface of a cell, and each antibody can have a different specificity for a desired target. Such approaches can increase the avidity and specificity of targeting interactions.
• a ligand can be selected, e.g., by a person skilled in the biological arts, based on the desired localization or function of the cell.
• a LNP may target hepatocytes.
• Apolipoproteins such as apolipoprotein E (apoE) have been shown to associate with neutral or near neutral lipid- containing lipid nanoparticles in the body, and are known to associate with receptors such as low-density lipoprotein receptors (LDLRs) found on the surface of hepatocytes.
• LDLRs low-density lipoprotein receptors
• a LNP including a lipid component with a neutral or near neutral charge that is administered to a subject may acquire apoE in a subject’s body and may subsequently deliver a therapeutic and/or prophylactic (e.g., an RNA) to hepatocytes including LDLRs in a targeted manner.
• a therapeutic and/or prophylactic e.g., an RNA
• the present disclosure provides a method of treating or preventing a disease or disorder, the method comprising administering to a subject in need thereof an empty LNP described herein.
• the present disclosure provides a method of treating or preventing a disease or disorder, the method comprising administering to a subject in need thereof an empty -LNP solution described herein.
• the present disclosure provides a method of treating or preventing a disease or disorder, the method comprising administering to a subject in need thereof a loaded LNP described herein.
• the present disclosure provides a method of treating or preventing a disease or disorder, the method comprising administering to a subject in need thereof a LNP formulation described herein.
• the present disclosure provides an empty LNP disclosed herein for use in treating or preventing a disease or disorder in a subject.
• the present disclosure provides an empty -LNP solution disclosed herein for use in treating or preventing a disease or disorder in a subject.
• the present disclosure provides a loaded LNP disclosed herein for use in treating or preventing a disease or disorder in a subject.
• the present disclosure provides a LNP formulation disclosed herein for use in treating or preventing a disease or disorder in a subject.
• the present disclosure provides a method of administering an empty LNP disclosed herein to a subject.
• the present disclosure provides a method of administering an empty-LNP solution disclosed herein to a subject.
• the present disclosure provides a method of administering a loaded-LNP solution disclosed herein to a subject.
• the present disclosure provides a method of administering a LNP formulation disclosed herein to a subject.
• Lipid nanoparticles may be useful for treating a disease, disorder, or condition.
• such compositions may be useful in treating a disease, disorder, or condition characterized by missing or aberrant protein or polypeptide activity.
• a formulation of the disclosure that comprises a LNP including an mRNA encoding a missing or aberrant polypeptide may be administered or delivered to a cell. Subsequent translation of the mRNA may produce the polypeptide, thereby reducing or eliminating an issue caused by the absence of or aberrant activity caused by the polypeptide. Because translation may occur rapidly, the methods and compositions may be useful in the treatment of acute diseases, disorders, or conditions such as sepsis, stroke, and myocardial infarction.
• a therapeutic and/or prophylactic included in a LNP may also be capable of altering the rate of transcription of a given species, thereby affecting gene expression.
• the disclosure provides methods involving administering lipid nanoparticles including one or more therapeutic and/or prophylactic agents, such as a nucleic acid, and pharmaceutical compositions including the same.
• therapeutic and prophylactic can be used interchangeably herein with respect to features and embodiments of the present disclosure.
• Therapeutic compositions, or imaging, diagnostic, or prophylactic compositions thereof may be administered to a subject using any reasonable amount and any route of administration effective for preventing, treating, diagnosing, or imaging a disease, disorder, and/or condition and/or any other purpose.
• the specific amount administered to a given subject may vary depending on the species, age, and general condition of the subject; the purpose of the administration; the particular composition; the mode of administration; and the like.
• compositions in accordance with the present disclosure may be formulated in dosage unit form for ease of administration and uniformity of dosage. It will be understood, however, that the total daily usage of a composition of the present disclosure will be decided by an attending physician within the scope of sound medical judgment.
• the specific therapeutically effective, prophylactically effective, or otherwise appropriate dose level (e.g., for imaging) for any particular patient will depend upon a variety of factors including the severity and identify of a disorder being treated, if any; the one or more therapeutics and/or prophylactics employed; the specific composition employed; the age, body weight, general health, sex, and diet of the patient; the time of administration, route of administration, and rate of excretion of the specific pharmaceutical composition employed; the duration of the treatment; drugs used in combination or coincidental with the specific pharmaceutical composition employed; and like factors well known in the medical arts.
• compositions in accordance with the present disclosure may be administered at dosage levels sufficient to deliver from about 0.0001 mg/kg to about 10 mg/kg, from about 0.001 mg/kg to about 10 mg/kg, from about 0.005 mg/kg to about 10 mg/kg, from about 0.01 mg/kg to about 10 mg/kg, from about 0.05 mg/kg to about 10 mg/kg, from about 0.1 mg/kg to about 10 mg/kg, from about 1 mg/kg to about 10 mg/kg, from about 2 mg/kg to about 10 mg/kg, from about 5 mg/kg to about 10 mg/kg, from about 0.0001 mg/kg to about 5 mg/kg, from about 0.001 mg/kg to about 5 mg/kg, from about 0.005 mg/kg to about 5 mg/kg, from about 0.01 mg/kg to about 5 mg/kg, from about 0.05 mg/kg to about 5 mg/kg, from about 0.1 mg/kg to about 5 mg/kg, from about 1 mg/kg to about 5 mg/kg, from
• Lipid nanoparticles including one or more therapeutics and/or prophylactics, such as a nucleic acid may be used in combination with one or more other therapeutic, prophylactic, diagnostic, or imaging agents.
• therapeutics and/or prophylactics such as a nucleic acid
• therapeutically, prophylactically, diagnostically, or imaging active agents utilized in combination may be administered together in a single composition or administered separately in different compositions.
• agents utilized in combination will be utilized at levels that do not exceed the levels at which they are utilized individually.
• the levels utilized in combination may be lower than those utilized individually.

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• 2021
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