Sanofi, a French biomedical corporation, the Queensland state government, Griffith University, and the University of Queensland have joined forces to establish a $280 million mRNA vaccine research hub. Steven Miles, the deputy premier of Queensland, refused to say how much the state government’s “substantial” investment was worth, saying only that it “will be outlined in our budgets and in our yearly reports.”
In the first quarter of 2023, it is anticipated that the new mRNA research hub will start working on the creation of the first Chlamydia vaccine in history. Sanofi have not disclosed where the Chlamydia vaccine would be produced because it is still in the early stages of development.
Researchers at the centre will also work with Sanofi’s mRNA Centre of Excellence in France and the US, giving them access to Sanofi’s intellectual property (IP) and technology that isn’t otherwise available.
The $280 million biomedical investment, the first of its type in Australia, was described as the best early Christmas present by Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk.
The hub plays an important part in QLD’s biomedical road map In addition, Aegros, a biopharmaceuticals company, announced late November 2022 that it would build a $352 million production facility in Queensland and relocate its worldwide headquarters there.
According to CSIRO, Australia needs to improve its domestic vaccine manufacturing capacity, so it can compete and strengthen its pandemic readiness strategies, further highlighting vaccine manufacturing as a key component.
Victoria and New South Wales are increasing funding for mRNA manufacture and research. And on campus at Monash University, Moderna has established its first mRNA synthesis plant in the southern hemisphere.