Moderna has celebrated a half-way milestone for its Australian mRNA vaccine manufacturing facility nine months after breaking ground on the construction site in the Monash Technology Precinct in Melbourne.
Moderna hosted a visit to the site today by the Victorian industry and innovation minister, Ben Carroll, federal member for Chisholm, Dr Carina Garland, and Senator Jess Walsh.
"We're excited to be another step closer to launching the first large-scale mRNA manufacturing facility in Australia. Moderna is committed to providing Australians with rapid access to pandemic response capabilities and the essential capacity to manufacture innovative mRNA vaccines for seasonal respiratory and emerging viruses," said Michael Azrak, Moderna's general manager for Australia and New Zealand.
The facility will be Australia's first large-scale mRNA vaccine manufacturing facility and is on track for completion in the second half of 2024. It will provide mRNA vaccines from 2025.
"Moderna's mRNA Vaccine Manufacturing Facility making its home in Victoria sends a strong signal to the world that we are global leaders in mRNA research and development. The facility is currently Australia's largest advanced manufacturing project," said Minister Carroll.
"Today marks another important milestone in Victoria's partnership with the Commonwealth Government and Moderna, as we look to build Australia's mRNA industry, manufacture vaccines locally, create jobs and change lives for decades to come," he said.
The facility's exterior is now largely finished with the fit-out now underway.
Under a ten-year agreement with the Australian Government, the facility is expected to be able to produce up to 100 million mRNA vaccine doses for respiratory viruses annually. Once operational, the facility will give Australia priority access to domestically produced vaccines for the first time against respiratory diseases like seasonal influenza, COVID-19, and respiratory syncytial virus.
