mRNA licensing agreements rise 800% in value as confidence grows beyond vaccines

Messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA)-based innovator pharmaceuticals saw a staggering 800 per cent increase in licensing agreement deal values from 2019 to 2024YTD, driven by the remarkable success of mRNA vaccines during the COVID-19 pandemic. With growing confidence in this transformative technology, key companies are investing heavily in its potential to address unmet medical needs, indicating that mRNA will remain a critical focus for pharmaceutical innovation and development, says GlobalData.

Ophelia Chan, Business Fundamentals Senior Analyst at GlobalData, comments, “The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the key advantages of mRNA technology in vaccine development, including rapid production, precise immune targeting, and streamlined manufacturing- factors that drove the success of mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccines.”

Since the FDA approved Pfizer’s Comirnaty in August 2021, the first mRNA vaccine to achieve global market entry, rising licensing agreement values have reflected growing confidence in mRNA technology’s broader potential beyond vaccines, marking a pivotal shift in its applications across the pharmaceutical landscape.

According to GlobalData’s Drugs Database, the global sales of innovator mRNA-based drugs are expected to grow from $22 billion in 2023 to $26.2 billion in 2030.

Chan adds, “Licensing agreement deal values for mRNA-based pharmaceuticals have doubled since 2023, reaching $3.8 billion, as major players like GSK and Bristol Myers Squibb invest in mRNA therapeutics to address unmet medical needs.”

GSK and CureVac restructured their 2020 collaboration into a new licensing agreement worth up to $1.57 billion in July 2024. This deal focuses on the development, manufacturing, and commercialisation of mRNA vaccine candidates for influenza and COVID-19, spanning from preclinical to Phase II trials.

Bristol Myers Squibb formed a multi-year, $1.87 billion strategic collaboration with Repertoire Immune Medicines in April 2024 to develop mRNA-based tolerising vaccines for up to three autoimmune diseases, including type 1 diabetes and multiple sclerosis, along with other vaccine candidates.

The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recently allocated $176 million to Moderna for the development of mRNA-based vaccines targeting multiple strains of pandemic influenza. This investment highlights HHS’s focus on pandemic preparedness, reinforcing the versatility and potential of mRNA platforms.

Chan concludes, “The increase in licensing agreement values for mRNA pharmaceuticals indicates that this will continue to be a key area for innovation and investment. With advancements in mRNA technology and delivery systems, drugmakers have significant opportunities to expand their portfolios, paving the way for breakthroughs in treating various diseases.”