mRNA vaccines use messenger RNA to instruct cells to produce a protein that triggers an immune response. The most well-known mRNA vaccines are for COVID-19:

• Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine (Comirnaty)
• Moderna COVID-19 vaccine (SPIKEVAX)

These vaccines were the first mRNA vaccines authorized for widespread use and have been significant in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. Currently, mRNA technology is primarily used in COVID-19 vaccines, although research and development continue for other diseases, including vaccines in various phases against cytomegalovirus (CMV), Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), herpes simplex virus (HSV), and varicella-zoster virus (VZV).