RNA-based medicines for unmet medical needs

The COVID19 pandemic has highlighted that we need better antiviral therapies, especially for respiratory viral diseases. We have developed inhalation therapies consisting of siRNA nanoparticles which inhibit the viral genome of coronaviruses. The advantage over vaccination is the therapeutic index for virus variants and new coronaviruses. Other so far undruggable targets are transcription factors which are often drivers of tumorigenesis. Accordingly, examples for pulmonary delivery of therapeutic RNA in asthma, targeting GATA-3, and in lung cancer, targeting mutated KRAS, will be discussed.

Learning objectives:
*siRNA nanoparticles for inhalation delivery
*Application to un- druggable targets like transcription factors

Moderator:
Mathew Cherian, ExCo Member, Industrial Pharmacy Section, Consultant-USA

Co-moderator:
Kaushik Desai, Associate ExCo Member, Industrial Pharmacy Section, Secretary General International Pharmaceutical Excipients’ Council of India-India

Panelist:
Olivia Merkel, Professor of Drug Delivery Ludwig Maxmillian University (LMU) Munich, Germany