The Australian national government and the state government of Victoria have sealed a 10-year partnership deal with Moderna to boost the production of locally made mRNA vaccines.
As part of the agreement, Monash University will house a new mRNA vaccine manufacturing facility that would support local industry and create highly skilled local jobs.
In a media statement, the Victorian government said the partnership is aimed at establishing a world-leading mRNA ecosystem based in Melbourne by attracting highly skilled talents and expanding local capability through joint ventures with the biggest Australian research organisations.
Moderna will also establish its headquarters and a Regional Research Centre in Victoria. The facility is expected to have a manufacturing capability of up to 100 million vaccine doses each year, according to the press release.
Moderna’s new Victorian facility will also provide Australians with local and ongoing access to the company’s COVID-19 vaccine, Spikevax, the Victorian government noted in the statement.
“The pandemic has shown us how important local manufacturing capability is to our security and to our health,” said Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. “This significant deal will protect Australians and Australian sovereignty.”
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said the new partnership makes Victoria home to Moderna’s only mRNA manufacturing and finishing centre in the Southern Hemisphere.
“The pandemic has shown us how important it is to have strong sovereign capacity – we’re not wasting a second in making sure we have access to the vaccines we need to keep Victorians safe,” Andrews added.
