Monash University has welcomed Health Minister Mark Butler's $19 million investment in six mRNA research projects via the Medical Research Future Fund.
The other funded projects are at The University of Queensland, the Australian National University, the Hudson Institute of Medical Research, the University of Technology Sydney, and a second project at Monash University.
“These are exciting research projects. They aim to improve the health and wellbeing of Australians through world-class health and medical research," said Ministere Butler. “Cancer affects so many families, and mRNA vaccines are a promising new approach. This funding will create the infrastructure to produce and research mRNA cancer vaccines right here in Australia."
Monash University will receive $4 million to establish Australia’s first National Centre for Biopharmaceutical Optimisation of mRNA Therapeutics (CORTx).
The new facility will focus on evaluating delivery and biodistribution in the body, which will inform the candidate's plausibility for progress toward human studies.
CORTx will be headquartered at the Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences (MIPS). MIPS brings together academia and industry, including partnerships with Moderna and iCamuno, the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, The Australian National University, the University of Melbourne, the University of New South Wales and the University of Queensland.
MIPS' Associate Professor Angus Johnston and Associate Professor Natalie Trevaskis are CORTx co-directors.
Associate Professor Johnston said that globally, mRNA therapeutics are revolutionising the treatment and management of disease, and it is critical Australia remains at the forefront of the field.
“There is now a solid scientific foundation for applying mRNA technology to address cancer and auto-immune, infectious and metabolic diseases, with Australia well placed to reap significant health and economic benefits by investing in infrastructure to produce mRNA medicines for local use and export,” said Associate Professor Johnston.
Associate Trevaskis said CORTx will facilitate collaboration between academia and industry to achieve a common goal.
“Through CORTx, experts from universities, research institutes and biotech companies will now have local access to technology, infrastructure and expertise enabling them to evaluate and optimise promising candidate mRNA therapies following best practice methods,” said Associate Professor Trevaskis.
Monash scientists are developing Australia's first mRNA clinical candidate, a second-generation COVID-19 vaccine.
Professor Chris Porter, director of MIPS and one of the project’s chief investigators, said the funding will establish, extend, and enhance Australia’s mRNA infrastructure.
“MIPS has established expertise and much of the cutting-edge infrastructure needed to support this Centre, including access to world-leading experience in drug optimisation through the Centre for Drug Candidate Optimisation,” said Professor Porter.
“The mRNA candidates advanced through CORTx will help progress mRNA therapeutics for unmet medical needs and play a key role in protecting Australia’s health security, now and for future generations.”