A Potent Branched-Tail Lipid Nanoparticle Enables Multiplexed mRNA Delivery and Gene Editing In Vivo

The clinical translation of messengerRNA (mRNA) drugs has been slowed by a shortage of delivery vehicles that potently and safely shuttle mRNA into target cells. Here, we describe the properties of a particularly potent branched-tail lipid nanoparticle that delivers mRNA to >80% of three major liver cell types. We characterize mRNA delivery spatially, temporally, and as a function of injection type. Following intravenous delivery, our lipid nanoparticle induced greater protein expression than two benchmark lipids, C12-200 and DLin-MC3-DMA, at an mRNA dose of 0.5 mg/kg. Lipid nanoparticles were sufficiently potent to codeliver three distinct mRNAs (firefly luciferase, mCherry, and erythropoietin) and, separately, Cas9 mRNA and single guide RNA (sgRNA) for proof-of-concept nonviral gene editing in mice. Furthermore, our branched-tail lipid nanoparticle was neither immunogenic nor toxic to the liver. Together, these results demonstrate the unique potential of this lipid material to improve the management of diseases rooted in liver dysfunction.