Australia to make own mRNA vaccines

AUSTRALIA will set up its own mRNA vaccine manufacturing facility to produce as many as 100 million vaccines a year, helping the country prepare for future pandemics.

The facility will be built in Victoria as part of a partnership between the Federal and State governments, as well as vaccine manufacturer Moderna, and is expected to be operational by 2024.

Australian Medical Association president Omar Khorshid said the production would be a significant to the world’s vaccination stocks during a future pandemic.

“It is great news, not just for the management of this pandemic, but for the enormous horizons that mRNA technology has in terms of treating other diseases we wouldn’t have thought could be treated by vaccines, such as cancers,” he said.

Liberal frontbencher Angus Taylor said the new facility would also be a step towards helping Australia’s Pacific neighbours vaccinate their population with the second closest country with the capability being Singapore.

But Dr Khorshid said no one company should bear the full responsibility for an entire geographical region.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the new manufacturing plant would produce respiratory vaccines for potential future pandemics and as well as seasonal health issues such as the flu.

“This investment will continue to secure Australia’s future economic prosperity while protecting lives by providing access to world-leading mRNA vaccines made on Australian soil,” Mr Morrison said.

The country’s amount of mRNA vaccines – such as Moderna and Pfizer – has been reliant on supplies from overseas during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The AstraZeneca vaccine started production onshore during the pandemic but Australia has not had the capacity to make the newer mRNA vaccines.

Finance Minister Simon Birmingham said the new facility would also play a leading role in medical research.

“This investment will mean world-leading clinical trials, a strong local workforce and creating opportunities through supply chain activities,” he said.

The Federal Government is also set to invest $25 million in the next financial year to help researchers conduct clinical trials of mRNA vaccines.

It comes as Victorian scientists created Australia’s first mRNA vaccine last month.

Researchers at Monash University developed the vaccine during a five-month period, and are now conducting clinical trials.

– BY AAP