Scientists at The Scripps Research Institute in America have developed a new method for making ribonucleic acid (RNA) molecules in the laboratory. The method has the potential to bring down dramatically the cost of producing RNA for scientific and pharmaceutical applications.

Senior investigator Floyd E. Romesberg, a professor of chemistry at the institute, said: “Already three companies have contacted me about licensing this technology, so it’s not just a proof of principle—it’s going to be used.”