Morrison government invites drug makers to submit plans to make mRNA vaccines in Australia
Drug manufacturers will be invited to submit plans to make revolutionary mRNA vaccines like the COVID-19 Pfizer and Moderna jabs on Australian shores from Friday.
Drug manufacturers will be invited to submit plans to make mRNA vaccines like the COVID-19 Pfizer and Moderna jabs in Australia from Friday.
The Morrison government will put out an eight-week “approach to market” which it hopes will boost the nation’s coronavirus vaccine capacity and help get breakthroughs in cancer, flu and heart treatments to Australians more easily.
Producers will be invited to submit plans for onshore production and outline what kind of support they would need from the government.
Industry Minister Christian Porter said that while Australian businesses and researchers were boosting their mRNA capacity, more must be done to have full-scale production capability onshore.
“Through this approach to market, the Morrison government is establishing a partnership approach to making sure Australia has the opportunity to produce mRNA vaccines and other potential therapeutic products using this technology,” he said.
“The government is inviting key commercial providers and potential providers to demonstrate their future capability and explain what government involvement, assistance or support could make that capacity a reality.”
COVID-19 mRNA vaccines — which teach cells how to make protein — are the first of their kind to be given to humans on a mass scale.
Researchers approaching the government will need to provide full costings for a population-wide capacity to produce mRNA vaccines and show how they would sustain operations for at least 10 years.
Health Minister Greg Hunt said onshore mRNA production could have a lasting effect after the pandemic. “mRNA vaccines are already a key pillar of the Morrison government’s vaccine strategy but mRNA technology has the potential to treat many other diseases,” he said.
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