Can Smarter Nanoparticles Unlock RNA’s Next Wave?

The partners aim to improve LNP stability and targeting as demand rises for scalable, next-generation RNA platforms

24 Feb 2026

A fresh partnership is taking shape in the fast-moving world of RNA therapeutics. Evonik and Ethris have joined forces to develop a next-generation lipid nanoparticle delivery platform, a technology widely seen as critical to the future of mRNA vaccines and genetic medicines.

The collaboration arrives at a pivotal moment for the sector. As more RNA-based therapies move through clinical pipelines, companies are under pressure to solve persistent challenges around stability, targeted delivery, and large-scale manufacturing.

Lipid nanoparticles, or LNPs, serve as protective shells that ferry fragile strands of genetic material into human cells. They proved indispensable during the rollout of COVID-19 vaccines, yet they also exposed weaknesses, including demanding cold storage and limited precision in tissue targeting.

Ethris will bring its proprietary SNaP LNP platform to the table, designed to improve temperature stability and enable more localized delivery. The company has pointed in particular to potential respiratory applications, an area of growing scientific interest.

Evonik, for its part, contributes formulation development expertise and global manufacturing infrastructure. The company says the alliance is meant to expand its nucleic acid delivery portfolio and support commercial-scale production as pharmaceutical demand accelerates.

Analysts suggest that better thermal stability could ease supply chain burdens and widen geographic access to RNA medicines. Separate market forecasts predict sustained double-digit growth in the RNA therapeutics market over the coming decade, fueled by expanding clinical programs and continued investment.

Even so, technical ambition must meet clinical proof. Any gains in stability, targeting, or manufacturability will have to be validated through rigorous trials to satisfy regulators and compete with established LNP systems already backed by major drugmakers.

For industry watchers, the move signals a broader shift in strategy. Delivery technologies are no longer treated as background components but as defining assets that can shape market leadership. If Evonik and Ethris succeed, their work could quietly influence how RNA medicines are stored, shipped, and administered, nudging the field closer to therapies that are not only powerful but also practical.