Graphic- krames.com
By Neeraj Nanda
MELBOURNE, 30 November 2021: In a Australia first, Victoria has begun trials for it’s first mRNA COVID-19 vaccine candidate. The record feat has been achieved in five months and 150 people are taking part in Phase-1 clinical trials being done by the Dorthy Institute, with results expected in later 2022.
Messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines teach our cells how to make a protein that will trigger an immune response inside our bodies.
To trigger an immune response, many vaccines put a weakened or inactivated germ into our bodies. Not mRNA vaccines. Instead, mRNA vaccines use mRNA created in a laboratory to teach our cells how to make a protein—or even just a piece of a protein—that triggers an immune response inside our bodies. That immune response, which produces antibodies, is what protects us from getting infected if the real virus enters our bodies. (www.cdc.gov)
The Labor government in Victoria invested $ 5 million to enable manufacture of the vaccine candidate, with dedicated equipment shipped to manufacturer IDT Australia from Canada. The machine processed nanoparticles into final liquid drug form, sterilised the product and filled vials with mRNA vaccine.
The project has been led by mRNA Victoria in partnership with Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences (MIPS), the Doherty Institute and IDT Australia – a landmark collaboration between Victoria’s renowned medical research and manufacturing sectors.
Doherty Institute Head of Vaccine and Immunisation Research Group Professor Terry Nolan said, “This is a major milestone in Australia’s ability to manufacture home-grown COVID-19 mRNA vaccines and we are excited to commence Phase 1 clinical trials of this candidate, along with the protein vaccine candidate developed by the Doherty Institute, in the coming months.”
The Victorian Government established mRNA Victoria to drive the establishment of a sovereign mRNA manufacturing industry and earlier this year supported a number of proposals from Victorian industry and consortia as part of the Commonwealth’s Approach to Market (ATM) on mRNA manufacturing capability.
Minister for Innovation, Medical Research and the Digital Economy Jaala Pulford said, “This is an Australian first that confirms Victoria as a leader in mRNA therapeutics and manufacturing – it is an incredible achievement to have made an mRNA vaccine candidate that is ready for clinical trials.”
“We’re serious about developing our mRNA manufacturing capacity and doing it quickly as we can, because it will save lives.”
