Inhalable viral therapy project awarded $599,000 Cumming Global Centre grant

An expansion to the Medicines Manufacturing Innovation Centre (MMIC) at Monash University has been officially opened, with a project through the centre also awarded funding to develop a new therapeutic agent.

The MMIC will help medicines manufacturers invest in R&D and develop new products and skills, according to the Victorian government, which backed the centre through a $16 million grant to the Monash Technology Precinct at Clayton. 

MMIC was established in 2017 and is headquartered at Parkville.

Development of antiviral medicine at the new site is being backed through a $599,071 Cumming Global Centre for Pandemic Therapeutics Foundation grant, one of ten grants totalling $5 million announced on Wednesday.

“This investment from the Victorian Government will enable our team of pharmaceutical scientists to drive forward the end-to-end development of life-saving medicines including a new inhaled antiviral medicine for future respiratory viruses,” said Centre Director Professor Michelle McIntosh in a statement.

The project is led by McIntosh, with co-investigators Dr Jie Tang and Prof Colin Pouton, and is described as targeting RNA respiratory viruses and enabling a swift response to future pandemics. It aims to combine “cutting-edge research in gene editing and nanomaterials with a formulation designed to achieve maximal airway coverage”.

Ben Carroll, the state minister for medical research, said, “Our talented medical researchers are leading the way to fast-track new treatments and drive innovation, resulting in the well-deserved recognition by the Cumming Centre for Global Pandemic Therapeutics.”

“From the lab to clinical trials to manufacturing – Victoria now has end to end capabilities in medical research right here in Clayton.” 

More on the The Medicines Manufacturing Innovative Centre is available here.

Picture: MMIC Manager Dr Paul Wynne and Director Professor Michelle McIntosh (credit Monash)