Australia's national science agency, CSIRO, has today signed two project agreements with Thailand's National Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (BIOTEC), National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA); Government Pharmaceutical Organisation (GPO) and the National Biopharmaceutical Facility at the King Mongkut University of Technology Thonburi (KMUTT).
This collaboration will increase Thailand's access to essential medicines and vaccines by supporting the country to manufacture medicines locally. The projects will focus on building workforce capability through hands on training to manufacture cancer therapeutics and medicines for infectious diseases.
Australian Ambassador to Thailand, Dr Angela Macdonald PSM, welcomed the multi-organisation partnership.
"Thailand's healthcare system is growing rapidly with its aging population and expansion of universal health coverage," she said.
"Expanding its biomedical manufacturing capability will help keep pace, as costs to import vaccines and therapeutics are high. Local manufacturing will make it more affordable and easier for people to access life-saving medicine."
CSIRO Research Director Professor, Susie Nilsson, said, "CSIRO's Biomedical Manufacturing team have expertise in translating R&D efforts into manufacturable biologics, vaccines and medicines at scale.
"Through this co-designed project with our Thai partner agencies, we will focus on building human resources. Shared process development and access to new technologies through this partnership will help improve the quality of life for Thai people by enabling access to high quality and affordable medicines".
The collaboration is one of 66 projects under the Australian Government's Partnerships for a Healthy Region initiative. The $620 million initiative aims to support partner countries to help build resilient and equitable health systems, to help reduce disease risks and respond effectively to health emergencies.
