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SA in hunt to manufacture advanced COVID vaccines

A push to manufacture advanced mRNA coronavirus vaccines at a plant in Thebarton remains on track as biotech and research firms across Australia look to answer the Federal Government’s call to establish onshore sovereign vaccine manufacturing capability.
Biologics contract development and manufacturing firm BioCina, a subsidiary of global private investment firm Bridgewest Group, went public in May with a bid to manufacture mRNA vaccines at a 4600m2 plant in Thebarton in conjunction with the University of Adelaide and the South Australian Health Medical Research Institute.The firm acquired the Thebarton site from Pfizer in August 2020, and it is touted by BioCina as “the most advanced facility of its kind in Australia” and the only one to have received approval from the US Federal Drug Administration.In May, BioCina CEO Ian Wisenberg said production at the Thebarton facility could begin “within 12 months” if they received funding from the Federal Government.Wisenberg now says the firm is “deep in the throes” of putting together a response to the Commonwealth’s approach to market.“We’re well-heeled to be able to enter into mRNA manufacturing,” Wisenberg told InDaily.