05 September 2024

Automated mRNA Extraction from Lipid Nanoparticles Using the SOTAX TPW

Lipid nanoparticle (LNP) formulations, critical for delivering mRNA in vaccines and therapeutics, require precise purity analyses to ensure product quality.

However, the manual extraction process for isolating mRNA is labor-intensive, time-consuming, and prone to RNAse contamination, making it a bottleneck for high-throughput labs.

Presented at this years ACS meeting in Denver, Colorado, researchers at Merck successfully adapted the SOTAX TPW, traditionally used for small molecule applications, for automated mRNA extraction from LNPs. This automated approach not only mirrors the manual procedure but significantly improves process efficiency and mRNA recovery.

The study demonstrated that the TPW system achieved comparable results to manual extraction methods, with key advantages:
 

• Improved Recovery: The automated method consistently delivered >98% mRNA recovery compared to ~81% via manual extraction.
• Scalability: A single analyst using the TPW can process 30 to 120 samples daily—equivalent to the work of 2-3 analysts using manual methods.
• Reduced Risk: Automation effectively mitigates RNAse contamination risks, preserving mRNA integrity.

The TPW system automates every step of the process, including solvent addition, vortexing, and centrifugation, without the need for any hardware modifications. This solution offers a robust, high-throughput option for labs needing to perform purity analyses on LNP-mRNA formulations while ensuring consistency and reducing manual errors.

Interested in learning how this automated solution can enhance your workflow?
Contact our team of experts to explore how the SOTAX TPW can be integrated into your lab.