Victoria’s local mRNA vaccine project ‘on track’ for October trials
Acting Premier lauds the state’s development of first locally made mRNA vaccine while slamming federal ‘shambles’.
Victoria’s Acting Premier has lauded the state’s development of Australia’s first locally made mRNA Covid-19 vaccine while slamming the “shambles” of the federal jab rollout.
The partially state-funded mRNA Covid-19 vaccine is a collaboration between Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences (MIPS) and the Doherty Institute. It will commence Phase 1 clinical trials with about 150 people in October.
The Victorian government announced on Sunday that it would invest $5m to support the manufacture of the mRNA Covid-19 vaccine, with results expected in early 2022.
The vaccine is the first investment from the state government’s $50m fund to develop mRNA manufacturing capability.
The protein-based vaccine only exposes the body to the specific portion of the viral spike that is used by the virus to bind to human cells, unlike the previous University of Queensland vaccine which was a “whole spike” protein-based vaccine with a “molecular clamp” developed to stabilise the vaccine.
The Queensland results that produced false-positive HIV test results stemmed from the body generating antibodies to the molecular clamp, not from a reaction to the viral spike itself.
Acting Premier James Merlino said Australia should have never been in a situation in a pandemic where it did not have local capability to manufacture vaccines.
“Victoria is taking a leadership position on this and it’s the right thing to do,” he said.
“We don’t want to ever be in a situation where we are at risk of global supply issues.”
He reiterated criticism of the federal government’s rollout of the vaccination program and leadership on vaccine manufacturing.
“We do not have the supply from the commonwealth to match the demand for first doses.
“It’s fair to say the commonwealth vaccine rollout is absolute shambles.”
About 150 people will take part in the trials.
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