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When the COVID-19 pandemic erupted in early 2020, messenger RNAs (mRNAs) designed to produce therapeutic proteins were moving towards clinical trials. Companies in the field — including Moderna, BioNTech, CureVac, Arcturus and Translate Bio—all pivoted to vaccines. Now that the success of the Moderna and BioNTech/Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines has validated the mRNA technology platform, they’re doubling down on the goal of converting human cells into protein factories to treat disease. “The wind is at our backs now, and we must use that newfound momentum to change the outcome for other diseases, too,” says John Androsavich, global head, RNA medicine lead at Pfizer.