Isotopes for RNA delivery

BLISS is a Dutch-German public-private partnership between UMC Utrecht and Silantes GmbH that investigates how isotope modification of lipid nanoparticle components affects RNA delivery into cells. By combining the unique materials expertise of Silantes with the delivery biology capabilities of UMC Utrecht, the project aims to generate new mechanistic understanding of how LNP composition influences intracellular delivery performance.

RNA-based medicines, including vaccines and gene therapies, represent one of the most promising classes of modern therapeutics. Yet their effectiveness depends critically on lipid nanoparticles as delivery vehicles to transport fragile RNA molecules safely into cells. Although LNPs have enabled the first approved mRNA vaccines and several gene silencing drugs, their efficiency across different cell types remains variable and incompletely understood. Improving this efficiency requires better insight into the molecular processes that govern how LNPs release their cargo inside cells.

BLISS addresses this challenge by combining controlled isotope-modified lipid materials with quantitative cellular assays to study how subtle changes in lipid composition influence intracellular delivery. The project is organised into three work packages covering materials synthesis and quality control by Silantes GmbH, formulation and physicochemical characterisation by UMC Utrecht, and mechanistic cellular evaluation across multiple cell types by UMC Utrecht.

The project will deliver qualified lipid materials, characterised LNP formulations, and mechanistic datasets that advance understanding of the RNA delivery process. These outputs will provide the scientific foundation for follow-on research and translational programmes under Eurostars, Horizon Europe, or EIC Pathfinder.