BioNTech SE has signed a Letter of Intent with the State of Victoria in Australia on a strategic partnership between the State and BioNTech to collaborate on the research and development of potential mRNA-based vaccines and therapies.

As part of the partnership, the parties will establish a research and innovation centre in Melbourne to facilitate the transition of encouraging academic research into clinical development.

BioNTech plans to set up a clinical scale end-to-end mRNA manufacturing facility based on its BioNTainer solution in Melbourne with the aim of supporting the design, manufacture and clinical testing of product candidates. Part of BioNTech’s global network, the facility is expected to attract interest from researchers locally, regionally and globally.

The partnership will also include the research and development of experimental therapies including mRNA-based product candidates for indications with high unmet medical need, for instance in oncology. BioNTech will support the R&D efforts on a project-by-project basis with the company’s expertise in mRNA research and clinical development of potential new products.

BioNTech is currently recruiting cancer patients for two Phase 2 mRNA-based product candidates in Australia – BNT111 and BNT113 – and plans to further expand its clinical development, including for the company’s candidate BNT211, which combines a CAR-T cell therapy approach with an mRNA vaccine.