Table 1 Overview of mRNA Vaccine Candidates, Clinical Trial Stages, and Advantages, for Targeted Pathogens

Ebola fever

Pre-clinical

Demonstrates the ability to induce durable antibody responses and T-cell immunity against key Ebola glycoproteins in animal models, with potential for rapid deployment during outbreaks. mRNA vaccines against EBOV elicited robust expression of IFN-γ and IL-2 by CD8+ and CD4+ T-cells

[115, 135]

Lassa fever

Pre-clinical

Induces robust neutralizing antibody responses targeting the Lassa virus glycoprotein and elicits cross-reactive immunity across multiple strains in preclinical studies

[116, 117]

HIV

I

Successfully elicits broadly neutralizing antibodies and CD8+ T-cell responses targeting conserved regions of the virus, with early results showing promise for overcoming strain variability

[118, 119]

Chikungunya

I

Safe and well-tolerated; induces high titers of neutralizing antibodies that correlate with protection and show durability up to 12 months post-vaccination in early trials

[120,121,122]

Zika

II

Nucleoside-modified mRNA-LNP demonstrates rapid and robust induction of neutralizing antibodies that protect against Zika virus challenge in animal models and provide cross-protection with related flaviviruses in humans

[123,124,125,126]

Influenza A & B

II

Achieves strain-specific antibody responses and significant cross-reactivity across different influenza strains; offers the potential for universal flu vaccine development

[75, 84, 127, 128]

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)

III

83.7% effective in a late-stage trial at preventing at least two symptoms of the cold-like disease caused by the virus in adults aged 60 years and over

[129, 130]

SARS-CoV-2

IV

Highly effective (up to 95% efficacy in preventing symptomatic COVID-19); robust cellular and humoral responses, with significant protection against severe disease and hospitalizations

[85, 131,132,133,134]