September 17th, 2024
Local research and innovation in RNA technology is set to ramp up, according to a media release by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, published on March 22, 2023.
Te Herenga Waka – Victoria University of Wellington and Waipapa Taumata Rau – the University of Auckland, along with support from the Te Whare Wānanga o Ōtākou – the University of Otago and the Malaghan Institute of Medical Research, have been tasked with developing a plan for a government-funded Ribonucleic Acid (RNA) Development Platform.
The RNA Development Platform aims to increase capabilities across New Zealand’s growing biotechnology sector, from research and development through to regulations and production. It will enable researchers and businesses to turn ground-breaking ideas and early-stage research into beneficial products and services, as well as support developments in manufacturing, such as by creating new delivery systems for RNA vaccines or advancing smaller scale labs to be able to efficiently produce RNA therapeutics.
Victoria University of Wellington and the University of Auckland will receive initial funding of $500,000 to develop a 7-year plan for the Platform under the co-host arrangement. Their proposal intends to bring people, facilities, information, and knowledge together to focus on various RNA research and innovation projects. If the plan is approved, a further investment of $69.5 million over seven years will fund research and innovation within the RNA Development Platform.
This major investment in New Zealand’s Research, Science, and Innovation (RSI) sector will go towards our national effort to build capability in areas such as vaccine resilience and, more broadly, the ability to respond to future health threats.
Dr Kjesten Wiig of the Malaghan Institute and Professor John Fraser of the University of Auckland have been appointed interim co-directors of the RNA Development Platform, with funding being administered by MBIE under its Strategic Science Investment Fund.
According to Trevor Drage, MBIE’s Manager, Strategic Investments, "This investment in the RNA Development Platform is a major step towards building New Zealand’s capability in the biotechnology sector and in our response to future health threats. It will enable us to turn groundbreaking RNA research and early-stage ideas into beneficial products and services and ultimately improve health outcomes in areas such as cancer and autoimmune diseases."