What inherent physical characteristic of the mRNA platform dictated ultra-low temperature distribution requirements?
The physical instability of mRNA molecules requiring encapsulation within Lipid Nanoparticles (LNPs)
The messenger RNA (mRNA) development platform, despite its revolutionary speed, imposed severe constraints on the distribution platform because the mRNA molecules themselves are inherently unstable when outside a cellular environment. To ensure safe and viable delivery through the circulatory system, these molecules must be encapsulated within protective structures known as Lipid Nanoparticles (LNPs). The specific physical sensitivity of these LNPs to thermal degradation meant they required specialized, ultra-low temperature storage conditions, specifically around minus $80^ ext{C}$ for Pfizer's formulation, thereby fundamentally engineering the demands placed upon the global cold-chain logistics infrastructure.
