Day 1Wednesday, October 15, 2025 - UTC+08:00

Singapore has built a robust and integrated RNA innovation ecosystem spanning fundamental research, biomanufacturing and translational capabilities. Anchored by strong international partnerships and driven by homegrown initiatives, this ecosystem enables Singapore to play a pivotal role in advancing regional and global collaborations. This talk will explore Singapore's contributions towards vaccine development, pandemic preparedness and RNA-based therapeutics, with a focus on how scientific expertise and infrastructure have accelerated innovations in this field. The session will also discuss how Singapore continues to position itself as a catalyst for next-generation RNA solutions, through working with partners across Asia and beyond to share the future of RNA science and its applications.

• Nearly 30 nucleic acid-based therapeutics have been approved for treatment of various diseases in the last 27 years. These include antisense oligonucleotides, splice-switching oligonucleotides, RNA interference-based short interfering RNAs (siRNAs), mRNA vaccines, CpG adjuvants, and RNA aptamers. The diseases treated by nucleic acid-based drugs are both rare and prevalent.
• Chemical modification of DNA and RNA is key to making drugs out of oligonucleotides. Chemical modifications provide oligonucleotides with high target affinity, metabolic stability, favorable pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties, and high therapeutic index.
• Breakthroughs in lipid nanoparticle formulation (LNPs) and trivalent N-acetyl-galactosamine (GalNAc) conjugation of chemically modified oligonucleotides enable efficient delivery of these therapeutics to liver. Using these strategies, six approved RNAi therapeutics for seven indications have emerged from Alnylam.
• Bis-siRNA for targeting two different diseases and Reversirs for modulating silencing activity were also pioneered at Alnylam.
• Additional ligands and delivery platforms are being developed to enable delivery to extrahepatic tissues. A lipid-conjugated siRNA for central nervous system and antibody-conjugated siRNAs for muscle delivery have entered clinical studies.
• Analysis of the structural and chemical biology of the therapeutic agent is critical to ensure effective uptake into cells of the targeted tissue, relevant endogenous enzyme recognition, therapeutic efficacy, metabolic stability, and safety.
• Remaining challenges and available opportunities for young scientists in the exciting field of nucleic acid-based medicines will be summarized in this presentation.

• Exploring regional advancements in RNA technologies, including mRNA, siRNA, and circular RNA, and their potential to address unmet medical needs in Asia-Pacific.
• Fostering cross-border collaboration between biotech companies, academic institutions, and regulatory bodies to accelerate R&D and clinical translation.
• Navigating regional challenges and opportunities, from regulatory harmonization to talent development, in scaling RNA-based therapies across diverse healthcare ecosystems

Recent progress has brought RNA medicines to clinical application, but still in a relatively limited number of settings. This talk will examine challenges in our understanding of RNA biology that impede the development of new RNA medicines, and what it might take to broaden their future scope and impact in human diseases.

• Key innovation: a completely closed, single use microfluidic cartridge with integrated QC
• RiboPerfect: development of a RNA polymerase for a perfected process and record dsRNA reduction

• Adaptive RNA Programs: Resistant tumors rewire coding and noncoding RNA programs to regulate translation and stability, enabling therapeutic persistence and immune evasion. These adaptive circuits can be therapeutically harnessed or modulated to control tumor persistence.
• Programmable RNA Therapeutics: By integrating multi-omic data and AI-guided modeling, stress-responsive translation circuits can be designed as programmable RNA therapeutics that dynamically respond to tumor adaptation, control protein output, and reduce the emergence of new resistance mechanisms.

• Arcturus Therapeutics’ STARR® self-amplifying mRNA platform (sa-mRNA) enables potent, long-lasting immune responses with lower mRNA doses than conventional mRNA
• The development and regulatory milestones of Kostaive, the world’s first approved sa-mRNA COVID-19 vaccine
• The advantages and opportunities of sa-mRNA platform for next generation vaccines against infectious diseases