Lung Regeneration through mRNA: The Dawn of Injectable and Inhalable mRNA Therapeutics in Respiratory Medicine

Abstract: Chronic respiratory diseases, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma, remain a major global health burden, with current therapies primarily focused on symptom management rather than tissue repair. Emerging approaches such as mRNA-based therapeutics, regenerative medicine, and inhaled biologics have shown potential to address underlying disease mechanisms. However, lung regeneration is a complex and tightly regulated process involving multiple cell types, extracellular matrix remodeling, and immune signaling, which limits the effectiveness of current strategies. Although preclinical studies demonstrate encouraging outcomes, clinical translation remains constrained by challenges such as poor lung regenerative capacity, inefficient delivery systems, mRNA instability, and immune-related responses. Advances in nanoparticle-based delivery and computational tools, including artificial intelligence, may improve therapeutic design and targeting, but their application in clinical settings is still evolving overall. While these emerging technologies offer promising avenues, substantial biological and translational barriers must be addressed before they can be widely applied in the treatment of chronic lung diseases.