Reducing Material Costs in mRNA In Vitro Transcription Without Compromising Quality
DataHow collaborated with CureVac using hybrid modeling to identify optimal process conditions, transferred insights across mRNA sequences, and boosting efficiency while reducing raw material use.
Challenge
mRNA manufacturing offers a faster, fully synthetic path from design to product, eliminating the need for cell-based systems and facilitating process development. While platform process formats robustly deliver high yields of good quality mRNA, many compounds are used in excess. Cost of goods and in particular materials account for ~90% of the cost to manufacture mRNA at scale.
The challenge was to determine whether IVT conditions could be fine-tuned for different mRNA sequences to reduce excess and material costs, while maintaining yield and product quality.
Objectives
OBJ. 1: Assess hybrid modeling capability: Determine whether DataHow’s hybrid modeling approach can capture how compound concentrations and process conditions influence product quality and yield.
OBJ. 2: Evaluate knowledge transfer potential: Test if insights from one mRNA process can be transferred to another sequence using model-based transfer learning and a limited number of experimental runs.
OBJ. 3: Increase process efficiency: Use model-driven optimization to identify process conditions that maintain CQA specifications and maximize yield, while significantly reducing material costs.
Should you wish to further explore the case with the DataHow team, please contact us directly.
