The manufacture of future COVID-19 vaccine boosters and annual flu shots could supported by early stage plans for domestic production of mRNA vaccines in Australia.

Preliminary discussions and the development of a business case are under way, as the Morrison government faces continued pressure over supply problems related to overseas-produced COVID-19 vaccines.

A regional manufacturing hub for mRNA vaccine technology products would give Australia capability to make vaccines like the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 locally, strengthening the response to future public health emergencies.

Talks about new capability have included representatives of CSL, Pfizer and other drug giants, with consulting giant McKinsey & Co already involved in the business case process.

CSL is manufacturing the AstraZeneca viral vector vaccine in Melbourne, and could manufacture other vaccine technologies in a new $800 million facility currently being built at Tullamarine for subsidiary Seqirus.

The new facility will be focused on cell-based pandemic and seasonal influenza vaccines, antivenom and Q-Fever vaccine production. Flexibility for other technologies is not yet in place.

CSL is considering mRNA technology for flu jabs, but chief scientific officer Andrew Nash said the company did not currently have capability to manufacture mRNA drugs in Australia.

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