Overview

• Researchers at the Institute of Science Tokyo report that an mRNA vaccine delivered by intramuscular injection suppressed pathological retinal vessel growth in two mouse models of neovascular disease.
• The vaccine encodes LRG1 to induce antibodies that inhibit a pro‑angiogenic protein implicated in wet age‑related macular degeneration.
• Two doses spaced 14 days apart yielded rapid effects, including an 85% reduction in leakage and an 82% cut in lesion size in a laser‑induced model, with a 55% lesion reduction in a natural model.
• Short‑term safety signals in mice were favorable, with no detected damage to healthy retinal tissue, no interference with normal vascular growth, and no harmful immune reactions in other organs.
• The peer‑reviewed findings appear in Vaccine (DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2025.127451), and the authors say further preclinical work and human trials are still needed before clinical use.