Harnessing RNA technology for effective vaccines for cancer and infectious disease

Steven Reed is an internationally recognized vaccinologist, immunologist, and biotechnology entrepreneur. He is the Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of HDT Bio, a company developing next-generation RNA vaccines and immunotherapies for infectious diseases and cancer. Prior to founding HDT Bio, Dr. Reed spent decades advancing vaccine science, particularly in adjuvant discovery, tuberculosis vaccines, neglected tropical diseases, and global health. He has contributed to the development of several clinically important vaccine adjuvant systems and has authored hundreds of scientific publications and patents. His current work focuses on self-amplifying RNA (repRNA) technologies that can generate potent immune responses at substantially lower doses than conventional mRNA vaccines.

 RNA vaccine technologies have revolutionized the field of immunization by enabling rapid vaccine design, scalable manufacturing, and potent induction of adaptive immune responses. Beyond the success of first-generation mRNA vaccines, next-generation RNA platforms are being developed to address major challenges in infectious diseases and cancer. This presentation will highlight advances in self-amplifying RNA (repRNA) technologies that enhance antigen expression while substantially reducing dose requirements. Particular emphasis will be placed on innovative delivery systems that improve RNA stability, immunogenicity, and global deployability. 

Recent preclinical and clinical studies demonstrate the potential of RNA-based vaccines to elicit robust humoral and cellular immunity, including durable CD8⁺ T-cell responses critical for protection against chronic infections and tumors. Applications in pandemic preparedness, emerging infectious diseases, tuberculosis, and therapeutic cancer vaccines will be discussed. The presentation will also examine key challenges, including delivery optimization, safety, manufacturing, and equitable global access. Together, these advances position RNA technologies as a transformative platform for next-generation vaccines and immunotherapies.