US biotech giant Moderna is establishing an mRNA Platform Incubator Network in Australia to advance the nation’s mRNA medicine and scientific excellence in clinical translation.
The mRNA Platform Incubator Network brings together the expertise of leading key Australian organisations in translational and pharmaceutical science, including Monash University, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences (MIPS), and the Peter Doherty Institute of Infection and Immunity, a joint venture of the University of Melbourne and The Royal Melbourne Hospital, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, the Murdoch Research Children’s Institute and Doherty Clinical Trials Limited.
Moderna’s Regional Research Centre in Melbourne will serve as a hub for the Platform Incubator Network, facilitating regular cross-functional collaboration, exploration and execution of translational research projects.
The network is also expected to provide new insights to the broader scientific and regulatory community through publications and discussions and support the development of the next generation of researchers, Moderna said in a media release.
“Moderna is deeply committed to fostering Australia’s mRNA R&D ecosystem. The launch of the mRNA Platform Incubator Network is a testament to this commitment and to Australia as an emerging leader in mRNA research,” said Dr Craig Rayner, director of Moderna’s Regional Research Centre for Respiratory Medicines and Tropical Diseases.
Uli Frevert, head of translational clinical trials at Moderna USA, said the incubator network will catalyse needed advancements in the mRNA clinical pharmacology and translational knowledge base, positioning Australia as a global leader in mRNA clinical translation.
The mRNA Platform Incubator Network follows the launch of the Monash-Moderna mRNA Quantitative Pharmacology Accelerator earlier this year, a program that represents the inaugural Accelerator established under Moderna’s Regional Research Centre and will focus on using quantitative pharmacology to accelerate mRNA medicines development.
“mRNA holds enormous potential as a therapeutic platform, but remains a relatively new technology where there is much to learn. By bringing together national leaders in translation and mRNA science from academia, industry and clinical evaluation, the Incubator Network is an important step towards realising the potential of mRNA therapeutics,” said Monash University Professor Chris Porter, director of MIPS.
The network was formally announced at the AusBiotech Conference 2023 in Brisbane yesterday, 2 November.
