Introducing our collaboration partner for LNPs
Steinbeis-Innovationszentrum Zellkulturtechnik (SIZ)
RNA-based therapeutics hold immense potential to transform modern medicine due to their high safety profile, versatility, and rapid manufacturability. However, naked or conventionally complexed mRNA is inherently unstable, requires high doses, exhibits poor cellular uptake, and shows limited endosomal escape. As a result, efficient drug delivery systems are essential for successful in vitro, pre-clinical, and clinical applications. Among non-viral approaches, lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) have emerged as the most advanced and clinically validated platform for nucleic acid delivery, enabling effective protection, transport, and intracellular release of mRNA.
Against this backdrop, we started a collaboration with the Steinbeis-Innovationszentrum Zellkulturtechnik (SIZ) at Technische Hochschule Mannheim, led by Manfred Frey, CEO and Founder of the Center.
The SIZ project focuses on the development of novel, improved lipid nanoparticle formulations for mRNA delivery, with the goal of enhancing transfection efficiency in cell types that are typically difficult to transfect using conventional methods. Such advancements are critical for expanding the applicability of mRNA therapeutics across a broader range of cell models and disease indications.
The ZetaView® platform will play a central role in this work. It will be used for precise particle concentration and size analysis of the SIZ-LNP formulations, enabling comprehensive characterization in both scatter mode and fluorescence mode. This dual-mode analysis is of particular importance for correlating LNP physicochemical properties with functional performance, such as specific transfection activity. Accordingly, ZetaView® is employed by SIZ as an essential component of quality control throughout the formulation development process.
This collaboration is a strong example of how cutting-edge lipid and LNP formulation research can be seamlessly combined with advanced nanoparticle analytics to accelerate innovation in RNA therapeutics.
Contact Information
Dr. Manfred Frey
manfred.frey@stw.de
