The RNA Accelerator is the core facility within the UNSW RNA Institute and the NSW RNA Production and 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 RNA Accelerator supplies high-quality RNA and nanoparticle formulations under ISO-9001 conditions for pre-clinical studies. We support all RNA industry and academia who need pre-clinical RNA production by providing all the support for developing RNA technology in delivery vehicles, RNA interactions and analytics, sensing, and manufacturing.
The RNA Accelerator facility consists 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 RNA Accelerator 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
