New Perth based RNA facility to improve cancer outcomes

• Government invests $2 million in mRNA production facility in Western Australia
• First Australian centre to focus solely on RNA technology for oncology treatments
• RNA Foundry will strengthen academic-industry engagement and partnerships

A niche Western Australian biotech industry has been awarded more than $2 million through the Cook Government's Future Health Research and Innovation (FHRI) Fund to set up Australia's first dedicated centre to develop RNA technology for cancer treatments.

Medical Research Minister Stephen Dawson said the University of Western Australia's
Archa Fox was the first recipient of the FHRI Fund National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy (NCRIS) Partner Program to set up the Western Australia based RNA Foundry.

This FHRI Fund investment will be boosted by a further $4.78 million in additional funding from the NCRIS through the Therapeutic Innovation Australia (TIA) and the University of Western Australia (UWA).

The RNA Foundry forms part of a national network of RNA production centre nodes established to support and accelerate the translation of RNA discoveries into treatments for the community.

The WA node will see researchers and innovators collaborate and work hand in hand with oncologists, consumers, and patient advocates to design, produce, test, and improve pilot RNA products.

It will be Australia's first centre to focus solely on applying RNA technology to oncology treatments - attracting and growing a generation of scientists and improving outcomes for a wide range of cancers.

Propelled to the forefront of therapeutics during the COVID-19 pandemic with its use in vaccine production, RNA is a promising technology for cancer treatment, with therapies able to be tailored to individual patients and tumours.

The Cook Government established the FHRI Fund in 2020, which is backed by the State's almost $1.8 billion sovereign wealth fund. This has resulted in nearly $250 million being available over the next four years to support health and medical research and innovation in Western Australia.

Comments attributed to Medical Research Minister Stephen Dawson:

"This is another groundbreaking medical treatment process to be based in Western Australia that has been made possible with investment through the Cook Government's FHRI Fund.

"Our Government's FHRI Fund is proud to partner with TIA and UWA through the NCRIS program to help develop new RNA therapies and improve outcomes and quality of life for those afflicted by cancer.

"Investment in health and medical research infrastructure like the RNA Foundry is critical to ensure WA has the capability and expertise to capitalise on health and medical research and innovation opportunities.

"This co-investment will lead to improvements in health and medical policy, practice, improved patient care and ultimately better health outcomes for Western Australians.

"It will also advance WA as a centre of high-quality training and research, attracting students and talented researchers to our State."

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