Description
Distearoylphosphatidylcholine (DSPC) is a zwitterionic phospholipid that is used in the preparation of liposomes for transfection and drug delivery applications. DSPC functions to enhance encapsulation efficiency and liposome stability which enables greater effectiveness in bioprocessing. Lipopolyplexes containing DSPC have been found to have less cytotoxicity and therefore greater cell viability when compared to other phospholipid-based systems. DSPC has been receiving increasing attention as a valuable component in forming lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) in the growing field of mRNA vaccines. LNPs facilitate the safe and effective delivery of mRNA to target cells, thus enabling therapeutic action. As of 2021, both Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccines utilize DSPC as a critical part of their lipid formulations.