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Ionizable lipids / Lipid MK16
Lipid MK16 chemical structure
Product imageResearch use only
CAT. NO. DC67295Featured

Lipid MK16

Ionizable lipid for LNP and nucleic-acid delivery research.

Research highlights
BBB-crossing mRNA delivery8.3-fold brain expression versus MC3Neuronal and astrocyte transfectionPreclinical brain-disease models
Derived from the cited study; not a product specification or performance guarantee.

Pack size & price

USD
Supporting components
DOPE DC33634 · 100 mg+Cholesterol DCD-041 · 100 mg+DMG-PEG2k DC40169 · 100 mg

Components are supplied separately; this is not a premixed LNP. RNA/cargo, buffer and formulation service are not included.

TotalUS$700
We match the best price and quality on market.
Ships from ShanghaiIce-pack transportPure lipid recommended
Product overview

Description & Application

MK16 is an MK-0752-derived ionizable lipid developed for blood-brain-barrier-crossing mRNA delivery in preclinical mouse models. In the cited MK16 BLNP formulation, the authors reported an apparent LNP pKa of 6.86, a particle diameter of 137.0 ± 4.1 nm, 84.8 ± 1.5% mRNA encapsulation, and brain FLuc expression 8.3-fold above an MC3 LNP comparator after intravenous administration. The study also reported mRNA expression in neurons, astrocytes, brain capillary endothelial cells and microglia, as well as proof-of-concept results in cocaine-conditioned-place-preference and orthotopic glioblastoma models. All formulation and performance information shown below is literature-derived study evidence, not a product specification or a guarantee of reproducible LNP performance.

CAS No.Not available
Chemical NameLipid MK16
SynonymsLipid-MK16, MK 16, MK-16, MK16 BL
SMILESCC(OCCCCCC)OCCCCCCN(CCCCCCOC(C)OCCCCCC)CCCCCCNC(CC[C@H]1CC[C@@](C2=CC(F)=CC=C2F)(S(C3=CC=C(Cl)C=C3)(=O)=O)CC1)=O
FormulaC55H91ClF2N2O7S
M.Wt997.84
PurityELSD-HPLC>95%
StoragePure form: −20 °C, 1 year; In solvent: −80 °C, 6 months; −20 °C, 1 month. Sealed and protected from light.
Shipping conditionShips from Shanghai. Pure lipid is stable during ice-pack transport.
PublicationWang C, Xue Y, Markovic T, et al. Blood-brain-barrier-crossing lipid nanoparticles for mRNA delivery to the central nervous system. Nature Materials. 2025;24:1653-1663.

Literature-reported formulation composition

ComponentReported molar ratioRole
MK1660Ionizable lipid
DOPE30Helper phospholipid
Cholesterol40Sterol
DMG-PEG2k0.75PEG lipid
Reported ratio sum130.75Original ratio retained

Formulation weight calculator

The cited formulation and available component molecular weights are pre-filled. Enter the exact molecular weight for any substituted material before calculating.

The source reports a non-normalized molar ratio with a sum of 130.75. The calculator normalizes these ratios only for component-weight calculation.
ComponentMolecular weight (g/mol)Literature molar ratio
MK16
DOPE
Cholesterol
DMG-PEG2k
Calculated component requirements
ComponentNormalized mol%Amount (µmol)Required weight (mg)
Total100.000%

Research planning aid only. Results cover lipid component weights and do not include RNA, buffer, solvent, process loss or an N/P ratio.

Not reported in the cited article
12.5:1 MK16:mRNA (w/w); this is not an N/P ratio
Not reported in the cited article or supplied methods
Firefly luciferase (FLuc) mRNA
Intravenous tail-vein injection
0.5 mg mRNA/kg, single dose
C57BL/6J mice
Lipids in an ethanol phase and mRNA in an aqueous phase; the cited article refers to a previously published method and does not report the device, flow rates, buffer exchange or final formulation buffer

Literature-reported performance for the cited formulation

Literature-reported6.86Post-formulation characterization · TNS fluorescence fitSupplementary Figure 6d
Literature-reported137.0 ± 4.1 nmPost-formulation characterization · MK16 BLNPMain text p. 1656; Supplementary Figure 9a
Literature-reported84.8 ± 1.5%Post-formulation characterization · RiboGreen assayMain text p. 1656; Supplementary Figure 9b
Literature-reported+5.87 ± 1.98 mVPost-formulation characterization · MK16 BLNPSupplementary Figure 9 and source data
Literature-reported8.3-fold the MC3 LNP signal6 h after 0.5 mg/kg IV FLuc mRNA · Also 1.7-fold MK6E, 7.4-fold ALC-0315 and 6.5-fold SM-102 in the reported comparisonsFigure 3d,e; Supplementary Figure 8
Literature-reported15.3 ± 0.4% of summed organ fluorescence1 h after 0.5 mg/kg IV Alexa Fluor 647-labelled RNA · Fluorescence distribution, not percent injected doseMain text p. 1656; Supplementary Figure 10b

Additional reported findings

Dose-dependent brain-cell expression

At 1 mg mRNA/kg, the reported GFP-positive fractions were 7.36 ± 0.78% of neurons, 9.71 ± 0.70% of astrocytes, 9.18 ± 0.80% of brain capillary endothelial cells and 2.85 ± 0.44% of microglia.

GFP mRNA; single IV administration; mouse brain; 12 h · Figure 3f,g and main text p. 1658
Orthotopic glioblastoma study

MK16 BLNP-Pten mRNA reduced tumor growth, and 70% of treated mice survived beyond 120 days in the reported orthotopic U-118MG model.

Pten mRNA; 1 mg/kg tail-vein IV on days 10, 13 and 16; immunodeficient mice · Figure 6 and main text p. 1661
Reported preclinical tolerability

At the reported 1 mg/kg IV dose, inflammatory markers were generally no higher than the MC3 comparator, most returned toward baseline by 24-48 h, liver and kidney biomarkers remained within normal ranges, and histology showed no obvious abnormalities.

Mouse safety studies; study-specific formulation and dose · Supplementary Figures 14-17 and related main text
Literature Data DisclaimerAll formulation parameters and performance values shown in this section are derived from the cited publication and are provided for reference only. These results were obtained using the specific materials, formulation process, cargo, dose, analytical method, model and administration route described in that study. Unless otherwise stated, the data were not generated or independently verified by DC Chemicals. DC Chemicals supplies the lipid compound only and does not guarantee that customers will reproduce the reported LNP properties or biological performance.

The administration route shown above was used in the cited study and is not a clinical-use instruction or recommendation by DC Chemicals.
Cited literature for this formulation and performance datasetWang C, Xue Y, Markovic T, et al. Blood-brain-barrier-crossing lipid nanoparticles for mRNA delivery to the central nervous system. Nature Materials. 2025;24:1653-1663. DOI: 10.1038/s41563-024-02114-5
Structure: Figure 3c and Supplementary Scheme S2; exact pKa: Supplementary Figure 6d; optimized composition: main text p. 1654; particle properties and biodistribution: main text p. 1656 and Supplementary Figures 8-10; cellular delivery: main text pp. 1657-1658; disease-model findings: Figures 5-6.
Laboratory planning

Solution Calculators

The product molecular weight is prefilled when available and remains editable. Confirm solvent compatibility and solubility before preparation.

Mass = concentration × volume × molecular weight
Enter any three values to calculate the fourth.
C₁V₁ = C₂V₂
Enter any three values to calculate the fourth.
Preparing stock solutions

Quick preparation table

Solvent volumes update from the molecular weight above.

Mass1 mM5 mM10 mM
10 mg10.0216 mL2.0043 mL1.0022 mL
25 mg25.0541 mL5.0108 mL2.5054 mL
50 mg50.1082 mL10.0216 mL5.0108 mL
100 mg100.2165 mL20.0433 mL10.0216 mL
250 mg250.5412 mL50.1082 mL25.0541 mL

Need a different pack size or technical document?

Contact our team with the catalog number and requested quantity.

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Handling guidance

Shipping, storage and sampling

How is the lipid shipped, and how should I store it?
We generally ship the neat (undissolved) lipid compound rather than an ethanol solution. The neat lipid is stable during transport with ice packs, and shipments originate from Shanghai. Pure form: store at −20 °C for up to 1 year. In solvent: store at −80 °C for up to 6 months or at −20 °C for up to 1 month. Keep sealed and protected from light. Avoid repeated thaw cycles for best results.
Pure lipid or solution — which should I choose?
Pure lipid is generally more stable during shipping and storage, so we usually recommend the pure form. A solution in ethanol or chloroform can be supplied when required by your workflow. Tell us the intended application, solvent and target concentration so the most suitable format can be confirmed.
How should I measure a small amount of oily or viscous lipid?
Ionizable lipids are often oily liquids or viscous semisolids, so material can be lost during repeated weighing or transfer. For a small pack, dissolve the entire quantity and aliquot it volumetrically. For example, add 1 mL ethanol to 25 mg lipid to prepare a 25 mg/mL stock, then use a pipette to withdraw the required amount. For quantities above 100 mg, direct weighing with an analytical balance may be more practical. Always confirm solvent compatibility and solubility first.
Can you support formulation optimization and scale-up?
Yes. Share the RNA cargo, target tissue, administration route, formulation method and assay plan. Our team can discuss starting molar ratios, N/P ratio and scale-up requirements for research workflows.