There are ongoing attempts to improve the storage stability of mRNA vaccines by converting them to solid forms using various drying methods. Lyophilization is one such method and has the potential to stabilize mRNA, but there are few reports that describe the interactions of lyophilized mRNA with excipients (e.g., sugars, salts, and lipids) in the solid state. However, these methods require reconstitution and samples cannot be analyzed directly in solid state form.
This application note describes how the PerkinElmer Spectrum Two™ FTIR Spectrometer with attenuated total reflectance accessory (ATR-FTIR) is used to probe the interactions of RNA with various excipients in lyophilized solid samples, suggesting utility of the method in developing stable solid mRNA formulations.