Takara Bio PrimeCap T7 RNA Polymerase (low dsRNA)

Takara Bio has launched PrimeCap T7 RNA Polymerase (low dsRNA), a mutant T7 RNA polymerase suitable for mRNA therapeutic research and development.

There are currently two main challenges that need to be overcome in the process of in vitro mRNA synthesis. Firstly, the generation of highly immunogenic double stranded RNA during mRNA synthesis constitutes a major safety concern and, unless it can be reduced, represents a barrier to the use of mRNA therapies. Secondly, for in vitro transcribed mRNA to be translated into functional proteins, it must possess a cap structure at the 5′ end. While the use of synthetic cap analogs is a safe and effective way of adding this cap structure to synthetic mRNAs, their addition can represent up to 80% of the total cost of raw materials in the IVT reaction.

The polymerase is designed to remove both the technical and financial barriers to the successful production of mRNA therapeutics, having been genetically engineered to maintain high-performance RNA synthesis activity while reducing dsRNA production to less than 10%. Further genetic modifications have resulted in a fourfold reduction of cap analog concentration in the IVT reaction while maintaining a capping efficiency above 95%.

The product is currently available in research grade, with Takara Bio planning to release a GMP version soon.