Inside a laboratory in Orleans, researchers are pushing the boundaries of messenger RNA (mRNA) technology — widely known for its role in Covid-19 vaccines — in hopes of developing a breakthrough therapy for one of the most lethal cancers.

mRNA, which carries genetic instructions from DNA to produce specific proteins, can be used to stimulate the body’s immune system to attack tumours, said Dimitri Szymczak, project manager at INSERM’s ART lab. While mRNA has been known since the 1960s, it gained global recognition during the pandemic, leading to a Nobel Prize in 2023 for the technology’s rapid impact on vaccine development.

Much of today’s mRNA research centres on cancer vaccines, but the potential uses extend far beyond oncology, explained ART lab director Chantal Pichon. She said the technology could boost immune responses, correct malfunctioning cells, target genetic or rare diseases, and even treat allergies. Globally, more than 200 mRNA clinical trials are under way, with major activity in the United States, China and Japan — though France remains home to some of the strongest fundamental research groups, she added.

In Orleans, scientists are producing various forms of mRNA and testing them on cells to ensure they are safe and effective. Traditional production in test tubes is costly and often dominated by US patents, prompting some researchers to experiment with creating mRNA in yeast, which could cut costs by up to fiftyfold. These yeast-derived RNAs must then be purified and verified to meet pharmaceutical standards.

Another team is focused on pancreatic cancer, a disease with a persistently grim outlook: survival rates have only risen from 5 percent in 2000 to 10 percent today, said ART gastroenterologist Birane Beye. The limited progress suggests that current treatments, including chemotherapy and immunotherapy, remain inadequate.

To change that, researchers are testing a combined therapy using an mRNA vaccine and ultrasound. The approach aims to train immune cells to target the aggressive cancer. High-powered ultrasound creates vibrations that form gas bubbles inside the tissue. When these bubbles burst, they disrupt the cancer’s dense protective barrier — likened by Beye to a bunker — allowing the mRNA vaccine to reach the tumour more effectively.

Early studies show that ultrasound can safely be applied to the pancreas and can enhance the performance of existing treatments. The next phase of research will explore whether adding mRNA can further improve survival for pancreatic cancer patients.

The effort comes as Thursday marks World Pancreatic Cancer Day, a global initiative to raise awareness of the disease’s severe impact.