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Analysis and Health

mRNA trial shows promise for these therapies to revolutionise medicine

People with a rare condition experienced fewer or no complications after receiving an experimental mRNA therapy, with the technology having the potential to treat a range of disorders

By Michael Le Page

26 May 2023

An illustration of messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA)
Kateryna Kon/Science Photo Library/Getty Images

Sixteen people have benefited from an experimental mRNA therapy that replaces a faulty enzyme behind a rare inherited condition, the biotech company Moderna announced on 19 May. This is great news for those with this condition, but its significance extends further: if this kind of mRNA therapy proves to be safe and effective, it could help treat a huge range of conditions and might even revolutionise medicine.

The people in the trial, aged 1 year and up, have a condition called propionic …

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