The RNA Accelerator is the core facility within the UNSW RNA Institute and the NSW RNA Production Research Network (NSW-RPRN).
It is the Institute’s nucleus, designed to expedite the discovery, manufacture and translation of RNA-based therapeutics and other products.
The Accelerator supplies high-quality RNA and nanoparticle formulations under ISO-9001 conditions for pre-clinical studies.
The UNSW RNA Accelerator facility consist of four main units for the production of:
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mRNA (by in vitro enzymatic transcription)
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synthetic RNA (including siRNA, aptamers and guide RNA)
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DNA plasmids (a precursor for mRNA production)
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a lipid nanoparticle formulation suite.
Each of these units have scale-up capabilities and are equipped with state-of-the-art instruments for the production/synthesis, purification and quality control (analysis) of all materials.
The facility is ISO 9001 Certified for the ‘Pilot-scale manufacture and design and development of new processes for RNA-based therapeutics and other products for pre-clinical studies.'
The manufacturing arm of the UNSW RNA Institute, the RNA Accelerator, gives clients access to RNA-based therapeutics and key intermediates at a quality and scale suitable for pre-clinical studies. The RNA Accelerator is supported by the NSW RNA Production and Research Network, which aims to make capabilities available state-wide to academic partners as well as industry.
The RNA Accelerator offers capabilities across the development and production pipeline for RNA-based therapeutics including:
- Plasmid DNA production, purification and characterisation
- mRNA production, purification and characterisation
- Synthetic RNA and DNA production, purification and characterisation (including siRNA, gRNA and oligoDNA)
- Lipid NP formulations, purification and analysis
RNA Accelerator production scales range from small research projects up to the following approximate limits:
- pDNA up to 10 L scale (20 – 50 mg per batch)
- mRNA up to 10 L scale (>1 g purified mRNA)
- Synthetic RNA and DNA (sRNA, including siRNA and up to guide RNA ≈ 80-100 nt) up to 1 g sRNA
- Lipid NP formulations up to 20 mL
