Victoria’s successful pitch to host Australia’s first mRNA vaccine facility will spark major growth in the state’s medical manufacturing sector and grow the skilled local workforce, Moderna’s Australian boss says.

After landing a major deal with the federal and state governments to produce 100 million messenger RNA vaccine doses per year from 2024, the US pharma giant’s boss for Australia and New Zealand, Michael Azrak, said the country had joined an exclusive group of nations with sovereign capability in the field.