Dr. Dong Shen, MD, PhD

CEO at RNAimmune, Inc.

Speaker

Dr. Dong Shen, MD, PhD Founder and CEO, RNAimmune, Inc. Dr. Dong Shen is the Founder and CEO of RNAimmune, Inc., a clinical-stage biotechnology company specializing in mRNA vaccine and therapeutic development. He earned his MD from Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine and his PhD from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, where he studied under Dr. Bert Vogelstein. Renowned as an expert in AI-driven mRNA technology, Dr. Shen has made substantial contributions to RNA-based therapeutics. Under his leadership, RNAimmune, based in Germantown, Maryland, has become a leader in the biotech sector, developing mRNA solutions for infectious diseases, cancer, and other critical health issues. With 34 global patent applications, the company’s innovations include advanced lipid nanoparticles, a replicon platform, novel delivery systems, and circular RNA technology. RNAimmune’s proprietary lipid nanoparticles have shown superior preclinical performance compared to current industry standards. RNAimmune has received significant recognition, including selection for a national nucleic acid drug project by China’s Ministry of Science and Technology, and has been highlighted at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meetings. In 2023, RNAimmune presented pioneering work on its KRAS mRNA cancer vaccine. The company’s pipeline includes vaccines for infectious diseases such as Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), COVID-19, influenza, and herpes simplex virus (HSV), as well as cancer vaccines targeting RAS and NY-ESO-1. Notably, RNAimmune’s RSV vaccine, RV-1770, became the first FDA-approved RSV vaccine in China and Asia in December 2023, addressing a significant public health need. Before founding RNAimmune, Dr. Shen held senior roles at AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson, contributing to cancer vaccine and drug development. He has earned accolades such as the Johnson & Johnson Innovation Award (2017) and Leadership Award (2018) and has published extensively in leading journals, with over 23,000 citations. As of October 2024, Dr. Shen continues to lead RNAimmune, advancing the frontiers of mRNA technology and vaccine innovation.