The Commonwealth Government’s Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) has invested $4 million into establishing Australia’s first National Centre for Biopharmaceutical Optimisation of mRNA Therapeutics (CORTx), being led by Monash University to optimise mRNA therapeutic candidates and advance them toward clinical trials.

The new national facility will focus on a critical step in the development process for mRNA medicines, which is to evaluate delivery and biodistribution in the body, informing the plausibility of the candidate to progress toward human studies. This information is critical for maximising the potency, safety and manufacturability of mRNA medicines.

Headquartered at the Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences (MIPS), CORTx brings together academia and industry including partnerships with leading biotech companies, Moderna and iCamuno, along with the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research (WEHI), The Australian National University (ANU), University of Melbourne, University of New South Wales and University of Queensland.

Associate Professor Angus Johnston and Associate Professor Natalie Trevaskis, both from MIPS, are CORTx Co-Directors.

“There is now a solid scientific foundation for applying mRNA technology to address cancer and auto-immune, infectious and metabolic diseases, with Australia well placed to reap significant health and economic benefits by investing in infrastructure to produce mRNA medicines for local use and export,” Associate Professor Johnston said.

Associate Professor Trevaskis said CORTx will facilitate collaboration between academia and industry to achieve a common goal.