Circular RNA compositions and methods

US11603396B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignees

• Orna Therapeutics, Inc. · US
• Massachusetts Institute of Technology · US

Inventors

• Robert Alexander Wesselhoeft · Boston, US
• Daniel Griffith Anderson · Framingham, US
• Shinichiro Fuse · Cambridge, US
• Brian Goodman · Brookline, US
• Allen T. Horhota · Cambridge, US
• Raffaella Squilloni · Cambridge, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Dec 10, 2021
• Grant date: Mar 14, 2023
• Expiry date: Dec 10, 2041

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y02A50/30
• WIPO field: Pharmaceuticals
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

Circular RNA and transfer vehicles, along with related compositions and methods are described herein. In some embodiments, the inventive circular RNA comprises group I intron fragments, spacers, an IRES, duplex forming regions, and an expression sequence. In some embodiments, the expression sequence encodes a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR). In some embodiments, circular RNA of the invention has improved expression, functional stability, immunogenicity, ease of manufacturing, and/or half-life when compared to linear RNA. In some embodiments, inventive methods and constructs result in improved circularization efficiency, splicing efficiency, and/or purity when compared to existing RNA circularization approaches.