CPI and Medicines Discovery Catapult launch project to unlock faster, lower-risk development of next-generation RNA medicines

Emerging RNA technologies, such as self-amplifying RNA (saRNA), offer significant promise for patients and the healthcare system. These highly potent, low-dose modalities could reduce material use and enable more efficient and sustainable RNA medicines manufacturing. 

However, progress in this area is often constrained by a lack of fit-for-purpose analytical and biological assays. Many existing methods were developed for conventional mRNA and do not provide the sensitivity, robustness or biological relevance needed to reliably assess newer RNA modalities. 

As a result, developers face increased technical and regulatory risk, slower optimisation cycles and greater uncertainty when progressing candidate therapies from early development toward clinical evaluation. 

The collaboration between CPI and MDC, a life sciences service dedicated to turning drug discovery into commercial breakthroughs, aims to change that. By developing and validating robust, standardised assay approaches tailored specifically to the delivery of next-generation RNA payloads, the project will enable more accurate measurement of potency, transfection efficiency and biological activity. The data will provide developers with clearer insights earlier in development, helping them progress new RNA medicines to patients faster. 

The project brings together CPI and MDC’s complementary expertise, building on the platform of technologies and assays established collaboratively through the Intracellular Drug Delivery Centre. Together, the partners will create tools that are transferable across development stages and suitable for use within the UK’s translational infrastructure, supporting innovators from early research through to scale-up and manufacture. 

Juliana Haggerty, Head of the Intracellular Drug Delivery Centre at CPI, said:

“Next-generation RNA modalities have enormous potential, but their translation depends on having the right measurement tools in place. Without robust, biologically relevant assays, promising candidates can stall or fail unnecessarily. This project is about giving developers the confidence, data and clarity they need to progress RNA medicines faster and with lower risk, and we’re pleased to be working with Medicines Discovery Catapult to deliver that capability.”

Sarah Brockbank, Strategy Leader, Complex Medicines at Medicines Discovery Catapult, said:

“Self-amplifying RNA represents a new class of RNA medicine that offers benefits compared with conventional RNA, but innovation in this area is fast outpacing the tools we have available to evaluate its delivery and performance. We look forward to partnering with CPI to develop the tools researchers need to advance new RNA medicines through preclinical studies with greater confidence so that they can reach patients faster.”

The project is funded by Innovate UK and will ensure that the resulting assay capabilities are accessible to SMEs, academic groups and industry partners across the UK. By embedding these capabilities within the UK’s translational infrastructure, and aligning approaches with regulatory expectations, the collaboration will strengthen the ecosystem’s ability to evaluate and advance emerging RNA technologies, helping to reduce development timelines, lower risk and accelerate patient access to next-generation RNA medicines.