Trends in new analytical tools for RNA characterization

Sitting with Pharmaceutical Technology® at AAPS PharmSci 360, Bala Addepalli, PhD, Director of the New Modalities R&D Portfolio at Waters Corporation, discussed some important trends in the development of new analytical tools for RNA characterization. Addepalli pointed to DNA sequencing technologies, which have also boosted RNA sequencing.

“These technologies are called next-generation sequencing; The problem with next-generation sequencing is that it is an indirect sequencing method,” said Addepalli. “This means that RNA is converted to DNA, so… you would lose some information during this conversion process. We need to do direct RNA sequencing, (and) that’s what people realized when looking at these RNA drugs and therapeutics.”

“There are a lot of ambiguities in sequence interpretation and data accuracy, so that’s where… new tools and software can come into play,” Addepalli also said. “Having… enzymes that would improve sequence coverage and… a simple sample preparation method could help reveal all the information. That’s where the trends are focused, on analytical characterization (and on) how to simplify the process of RNA characterization through direct methods. (These are) the main trends that are happening right now.”

Addepalli also highlighted some key points in his presentation at AAPS PharmSci 360, which is about Oligo Mapping of Large RNA Therapeutics by Novel Enzyme Specificities: “I will talk about… enzymes, (their) properties and their applications in characterizing large therapeutic drugs of RNA, (as) single guide RNA that is used in genome editing, and mRNA (messenger RNA) as part of LNPs (lipid nanoparticles) that are used for vaccinations, or cancer therapies, or protein replacements,” he said.

Click above for the full interview.

Participants can visit Waters Corp. in booth #2438 at AAPS PharmSci 360, taking place October 20-23, 2024 in Salt Lake City, UT.

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About the speaker

Bala Addepalli, PhD, Director, New R&D Modalities Portfolio, Waters Corporation

Bala Addepalli, [email protected], is currently serving as director of the Evaluations and Application Science Team within the New Modalities (Cell and Gene Therapy product analysis) portfolio at Waters Corporation. His interests include developing simpler yet efficient approaches for cell and gene therapy products such as analysis of messenger RNA (mRNA), lipid nanoparticles (LNP) and adeno-associated virus (AAV) via liquid chromatography coupled to light scattering and mass spectrometry. detection techniques.Prior to joining Waters, Addepalli developed novel enzymes and analytical methods for characterizing cellular RNA and modified oligonucleotides using mass spectrometry at the University of Cincinnati. Prior to that, he worked on RNA processing events including mRNA polyadenylation at the University of Kentucky, and viral RNA characterization through mRNA translation for his postgraduate studies at the Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, India. Bala has authored more than 60 publications in peer-reviewed scientific journals and has given oral presentations at scientific meetings.