Global medical technology company Moderna has appointed Emma Harrington as the inaugural manufacturing site head for the company’s new mRNA vaccine manufacturing site in Australia.
Harrington is a distinguished leader within Moderna and will relocate from the company’s headquarters in Norwood, Massachusettes, to lead operations for the facility located in the Monash Technology Precinct in Melbourne.
Starting 1 February, Harrington will be responsible for the planning, implementation, execution, and maintenance of manufacturing operations at the Melbourne site.
She will also ensure products meet the highest quality standards, Good Manufacturing Practice compliance requirements and regulatory guidelines.
“In September 2023, we marked the mid-way construction point for this important new facility, which is on track for completion by the end of the year. We look forward to welcoming Emma who will bring deep mRNA manufacturing expertise to our shores and ensure the facility runs to the highest standard when it is operational,” said Michael Azrak, Moderna’s general manager for Australia & New Zealand.
Slated to be completed by the end of 2024, the Melbourne site will be the largest commercial-scale mRNA vaccine facility in the Southern Hemisphere.
The site will have the capacity to supply up to 100 million mRNA vaccines in a pandemic environment. It will also manufacture seasonal vaccines for respiratory conditions, such as COVID-19 and RSV.
Harrington joined Moderna in 2020 and has since served as vice president of quality, overseeing drug substance manufacturing Norwood, and vice president of global drug product quality.
She previously held pivotal roles at Novartis, including head of Novartis Country Quality for the US and Executive Director of Quality at Sandoz US.
“I am fully committed to ensuring that our site in Melbourne not only meets but exceeds the high standards of operational excellence that Moderna is known for globally. We will strive for efficiency, sustainability, and agility in our processes to respond to the dynamic needs of the healthcare sector. I am really excited about living in Melbourne and working with the fantastic team here,” Harrington said.
