Penn Auctions First NFT Honoring Modified mRNA That Developed COVID-19 Vaccines

Penn has created its own NFT – non-fungible token – to honor Penn Medicine’s mRNA research, which helped create the COVID-19 vaccines.

The NFT, officially called the University of Pennsylvania mRNA NFT: Vaccines for a New Era, is the first NFT created by Penn. NFTs are digital assets in the form of an image, video, sound or text that use blockchain technology to ensure that the asset cannot be duplicated.

Penn’s NFT is a one-minute 3D animation of the modified mRNA technology that protects someone’s immune system against COVID-19. Images of Penn’s mRNA patent documents and a letter describing new uses of the mRNA technology are also contained in the NFT.

The digital artifact will be auctioned by British auction house Christie’s from July 15 to July 25. The proceeds will support ongoing research across the university, according to a press release from Penn Med.

The digital artifact shows Penn Med researchers Drew Weissman and Katalin Karikó’s work to increase the therapeutic potential of mRNA by enabling modified mRNA to enter target cells efficiently and instruct them to produce antigens or other disease-fighting proteins, reported Penn Med.

Penn Senior Executive Vice President Craig Carnaroli explained the significance of the mRNA research found in the NFT.

“[The research is] a type of modified mRNA that was developed here at Penn that really helped pave the way for this particular mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccine, and increasingly it’s seen as one of the world’s greatest scientific achievements,” Carnaroli told Reuters.

Christie’s New York vice president Peter Klarnet believes NFT is a resource that deserves a high price tag.

“[Christie’s] strongly believe in it [the auction] will bring in the low to mid-six figures, and possibly into the seven figures given that the funds will support the mission of Penn Medicine and the work of Drew Weissman [and Katalin Karikó]”, Klarnet told Reuters.

Weissman and Karikó have been praised for their contributions to the COVID-19 vaccine, including coverage of Time’s 2021 Heroes of the Year issue, and Weissman remains hopeful that their research will become a resource for stopping the spread of other infectious diseases.

“Although the research that we began over two decades ago has culminated in significant discoveries and a vaccine against a pandemic-causing virus, the work continues,” Weissman told the Lasker Foundation. “I’m excited to say that my lab is pursuing new mRNA vaccines to protect against a variety of infectious diseases, such as influenza and HIV.”