Circular RNA stands out in genetic medicine due to its closed-loop structure, which offers superior resistance to enzymatic degradation compared to linear alternatives. Yet, scaling production has historically faltered as RNA length increases, creating a bottleneck for complex protein therapeutics. Published in Nucleic Acids Research, the study details how Rznomics researchers optimized target site selection and engineered the P1 construct to stabilize the self-circularization process.

The team introduced a polyA10 sequence alongside an antisense component, boosting circularization efficiency by nearly seven-fold over their previous design. In head-to-head testing with Factor VIII RNA, the method outperformed the industry-standard Permuted Intron–Exon approach by two-fold. This advancement allows for the reliable manufacturing of larger RNA payloads, potentially expanding the reach of future mRNA-based vaccines and CAR-T therapies. Dr. Kyung Hyun Lee, the study's lead author, noted that establishing this robust production foundation is vital for unlocking new therapeutic applications. CEO Seong-Wook Lee confirmed the company intends to integrate this platform into its broader oncology and gene editing pipeline moving forward.