Sod turned at upcoming RNA research and manufacturing facility

Construction has begun at the RNA Research and Pilot Manufacturing Facility at Macquarie University’s main campus, northwest of Sydney’s CBD, with completion scheduled for 2026.

In a statement on Monday, the NSW government said the upcoming facility will allow for a “wide range of RNA vaccines, therapeutics and delivery technologies to be independently designed and tested” and will be unique in Australia.

The facility’s focus is described as enabling “small-scale production of messenger RNA (mRNA), plasmid DNA (pDNA) and lipid nanoparticles (LNP) encapsulation at a scale which will enable clinical trials of new therapeutics.”

It will contain laboratories and manufacturing production lines for use by researchers and industry, and be operated by Aurora Biosynthetics – a subsidiary of RNA business Myeloid Therapeutics – and overseen by RNA Australia.

RNA Australia is a new joint venture between the NSW government and four NSW universities, including Macquarie University, along with ANU.

“It will build on existing NSW Government investments, including the NSW RNA Production & Research Network, the UNSW RNA Institute and Australia’s first Viral Vector Manufacturing Facility at Westmead Health and Innovation District,” said NSW medical research minister David Harris on Monday.

The state government has committed $96 million to the facility’s construction.

The location at Macquarie’s campus, also known as Wallumattagal, would see the site “feed into the Connect Macquarie Park Innovation District” according to the statement, alongside “a host of medical and health-related organisations and industrial and technology startups.”

“Macquarie University is proud to host this groundbreaking new facility, which is a significant addition to the thriving medical precinct within the Connect Macquarie Park Innovation District,” said Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research), Professor Sakkie Pretorius.

Hindmarsh Construction was named as the site’s main works contractor in May this year.

Picture: An early rendering of the facility (credit Hindmarsh Construction)

Further reading

Late in the day, Canberra seeks views on mRNA technologies

Manufacturing news briefs — stories you might have missed