Lipid nanoparticles -- little balls of fat that encase messenger RNA (mRNA) -- are part of what make novel vaccines, like those for COVID-19 from Moderna and Pfizer, so succesful. In a new article from Science, author Elie Dolgin explores how this technology could expand to create even better vaccines for a greater number of diseases and even use as a therapeutic treatment.

The profits being made by pharmaceutical companies, however, has led to increased litigation around the technology. Resident expert in biotechnology intellectual property, Professor Jacob Sherkow, added his expertise to the article, suggesting that innovation will continue because the profits at stake are much greater than the cost of any litigation.

Read the full article from Science.