Technology / inventionBranchesDecember 2020

mRNA vaccines

This page delivers no verdict; it presents claims and evidence with their sources. No theory in science is absolute. Method

For everyone

mRNA vaccines give the body a genetic message containing the recipe for a virus protein; cells produce the protein and the immune system prepares against it. Karikó and Weissman's 2005 finding allowed mRNA to be used without triggering unwanted immune reactions. COVID-19 vaccines developed this way were authorised in December 2020. The work received the 2023 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.

For specialists

Replacing uridine with pseudouridine (and later N1-methylpseudouridine) made mRNA stimulate innate immune sensors such as TLR7/8 less and be translated more efficiently. The mRNA is delivered in lipid nanoparticles. Phase 3 trials initially reported about 95% efficacy against symptomatic COVID-19. Myocarditis was identified as a rare side effect, especially in young men after the second dose.

Claims

Nucleoside-modified mRNA can be used for vaccines and therapy with reduced innate immune activation.^[1]

Evidence

Supporting

Clinical study

In a randomised trial of more than 43,000 participants, two doses of BNT162b2 showed 95% efficacy against symptomatic COVID-19.^[2]

Challenging

Statistics / meta-analysis

Surveillance data from Israel found an increase in rare cases of myocarditis, especially in males aged 16–29 after the second dose.^[3]

Connections

Sources

ArticleKarikó, K.; Buckstein, M.; Ni, H.; Weissman, D. (2005). Suppression of RNA recognition by Toll-like receptors: the impact of nucleoside modification and the evolutionary origin of RNA. Immunity 23(2), 165–175DOI 10.1016/j.immuni.2005.06.008 archive
ArticlePolack, F. P. et al. (2020). Safety and efficacy of the BNT162b2 mRNA Covid-19 vaccine. New England Journal of Medicine 383, 2603–2615DOI 10.1056/NEJMoa2034577 archive
ArticleMevorach, D. et al. (2021). Myocarditis after BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine against Covid-19 in Israel. New England Journal of Medicine 385, 2140–2149DOI 10.1056/NEJMoa2109730 archive

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Cite this page

APA

Athena contributors. (2026). mRNA vaccines. Athena: The tree of human knowledge. Retrieved November 1, 2026, from https://latifkedi.github.io/athena/en/d/mrna-asi/

BibTeX

@misc{athena_mrna_asi,
  title        = {mRNA vaccines},
  author       = {{Athena contributors}},
  year         = {2026},
  howpublished = {\url{https://latifkedi.github.io/athena/en/d/mrna-asi/}},
  note         = {Athena: The tree of human knowledge. Accessed: 2026-11-01}
}

Added: September 27, 2026 · Last changed: September 28, 2026 · Page history

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