Moderna Therapeutics is powering up its immuno-oncology ambitions by tapping into the expertise of Harvard Medical School (HMS) researchers. The preclinical research collaboration, announced in September, includes setting up the Alliance for RNA Therapies for the Modulation of the Immune System (ARTiMIS), with $1.2 million in funding from the company. As part of the initiative, HMS-affiliated researchers will gain access to Moderna’s synthetic mRNA (modRNA) and nanotechnology platform, in exchange for sharing insights into basic immunological processes with the ultimate aim of developing new agents to treat or prevent disease. A broader research collaboration set up with $2.45 million funding from Moderna will be led by Ulrich von Andrian. Von Andrian, a professor and director of HMS’s Center for Immune Imaging, serves on Moderna’s Scientific Advisory Board. His previous work has included studying the migration of immune cells in animals, and the new project will use Moderna’s technology to manipulate immune cell migration between blood and tissues. He will also serve as program director for ARTiMIS.

Moderna was founded on the idea that messenger RNA can be reengineered to direct cells in the body to produce proteins with therapeutic effects. Such mRNA medicines and vaccines to treat infectious diseases and cancer have advanced into human trials, including phase 1 testing of a chikungunya antibody and personalized cancer vaccines, but these are still at the early stages of development. Moderna has 11 vaccines in human trials, and competitor BioNTech, based in Mainz, Germany, has 6 mRNA cancer vaccines of its own in clinical development. BioNTech had raised $150 million in an IPO by October 10. Moderna closed its own massive IPO a year ago.

mRNA vaccines hold particular promise when designed for local administration, and as agents for treating hepatic diseases because mRNA is taken up in the liver. Systemic delivery, however, remains a significant challenge. The company gave some details of its next-generation immune nanoparticle program at a Science Day event in May. In a presentation to investors, the company announced unpublished preclinical data showing it could deliver mRNA to 10–20% of T cells, natural killer cells, B cells and myeloid cells in vivo in animals and ex vivo in human blood.