The mRNA vaccine revolution transformed medicine — but it came with limitations. Vaccines need ultra-cold storage, immune responses can wane, and production requires complex infrastructure. Now, a fundamentally different approach is entering testing: vaccines built from folded DNA.
The platform is called DoriVac, and it works by precisely folding DNA strands into three-dimensional nanostructures — a technique borrowed from the field of DNA origami. These structures act as scaffolds that present antigens (the molecular targets that train the immune system) in a controlled, geometric arrangement that closely mimics how viruses actually look.
DNA Origami: The Science
DNA origami is a method of folding long strands of DNA into specific two- or three-dimensional shapes by using shorter "staple strands" that hold sections together. The result is a nanoscale structure of almost any shape — a box, a barrel, a sphere — with extraordinary precision.
DoriVac loads these structures with antigen molecules, displaying them on the scaffold's surface in a repeating, ordered pattern. The immune system's B cells — which produce antibodies — respond strongly to this kind of regular, repetitive pattern. It's how viruses are built, and the immune system has evolved to recognise it as a serious threat worth mounting a strong response to.
Early Results: Stronger, Longer-Lasting Immunity
Early animal studies suggest that DoriVac produces stronger and more durable antibody responses than equivalent mRNA vaccines. The ordered antigen presentation appears to trigger a more robust and long-lasting immune response — potentially addressing one of mRNA vaccines' most discussed limitations: waning immunity over time.
The platform also has practical advantages:
- No lipid nanoparticles — DoriVac doesn't require the lipid nanoparticle delivery system that mRNA vaccines need, simplifying production and potentially reducing side effects
- More stable storage — DNA is inherently more stable than mRNA, potentially enabling simpler refrigeration requirements
- Modularity — antigens can be swapped in and out of the scaffold, allowing rapid redesign for new variants or pathogens
Next Steps
DoriVac is now entering clinical testing. Researchers are initially targeting respiratory viruses — COVID-19 variants and influenza — where the waning immunity problem has been most visible. If the strong responses seen in animal studies translate to humans, the platform could offer a new generation of vaccines with longer protection windows.
Beyond respiratory viruses, researchers are exploring DoriVac for HIV, cancer vaccines, and other conditions where durable immune responses are critical.
"mRNA vaccines were a revolution," the researchers noted. "But they were not the final answer. DoriVac is a fundamentally different approach — and the early data gives us real reasons for optimism."
Sources: ScienceDaily · MIT / Wyss Institute (March 2026)
