Victoria’s position as a world-leader in mRNA innovation has taken another big step forward, with global biotechnology leader Moderna opening its Regional Research Centre and Headquarters in Melbourne – thanks to support from the Andrews Labor Government.
Minister for Industry and Innovation Ben Carroll today launched Moderna’s Regional Research Centre for Respiratory Medicines and Tropical Diseases, which will unlock new advances and boost Victoria’s mRNA industry.
The Regional Research Centre sits alongside Moderna’s Headquarters for Australia, New Zealand, South-East Asia & Oceania in Melbourne, opened this week by the Minister and a delegation of Moderna executives from Boston.
The new Headquarters provides a base of operations for Moderna to partner with Victoria’s world-leading medical research institutes and clinical trial networks, ensuring Victorians will be some of the first people in the world to trial new mRNA medicines for a range of health conditions.
The first strategic collaboration for the Moderna Regional Research Centre for Respiratory Medicines and Tropical Diseases is a $3 Million Quantitative Pharmacology Accelerator with the Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences (MIPS) in Parkville.
The Monash-Moderna Quantitative Pharmacology Accelerator (MMQPA) will help fast-track the development of mRNA medicines for diseases by using advanced computer models to predict the effects of treatments.
The MMQPA will be the first of many collaborations with Victorian research institutes as part of Moderna’s investment in Victoria through their Asia Pacific Regional Research Centre.
The Headquarters and Regional Research Centre comprise part of Moderna’s investment in Victoria, with their mRNA Vaccine manufacturing facility in Clayton under construction – which once complete will be capable of producing 100 million vaccine doses annually.
The Labor Government invested $12.3 million in the Victorian Budget 2023/24 to develop mRNA technology and builds on the $1.3 billion investment in medical research since 2014.
Victoria is responsible for almost 60 per cent of Australia’s pharmaceutical exports – making it our highest-value advanced manufactured export – and the biotech sector supports more than 100,000 full-time jobs.
As stated by Minister for Industry and Innovation Ben Carroll
“The establishment of Moderna’s Research Centre and headquarters in Victoria sends a strong signal to the world that we are global leaders in mRNA research and development – driving innovation to change lives and create jobs for years into the future.”
As stated by Director of Moderna’s Asia-Pacific Regional Research Centre for Respiratory Medicines and Tropical Diseases Dr Craig Rayner
“By being embedded within a world-leading research and clinician community, we see huge potential in being able to innovate and accelerate life-changing mRNA medicines to patients, together.”
As stated by Monash University Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Enterprise and Engagement) and Senior Vice-President Doron Ben-Meir
“This partnership between Moderna and Monash complements Monash’s ever-evolving RNA and quantitative pharmacology ecosystem, which continues to play a significant role in placing Australia at the forefront of drug discovery, development and innovation in new medicines for a broad range of diseases.”
