Pfizer and Moderna vaccines could be produced in Melbourne as government announces $50m funding

Coronavirus vaccines like Pfizer and Moderna could be produced in Australia for the first time as the Victorian Government invests $50 million into the domestic manufacturing of mRNA vaccine technology. The state government will work closely with the Commonwealth and world-leading experts to develop the first mRNA manufacturing facility in the Southern Hemisphere, which would be based in Melbourne. In a statement, the government said mRNA vaccines, such as Pfizer and Moderna, were a 'promising alternative' to traditional vaccines because of their high efficacy, capacity for rapid development, low-cost manufacture and safe administration.