CSIRO and Moderna establish five-year partnership for disease preparedness research
Published in Drugs development & discovery, Immunology.
October 8, 2026 — Australian Industry and Science Minister Tim Ayres confirmed a five-year research partnership between CSIRO and Moderna in an interview published by the government.
The framework brings together CSIRO expertise in disease prevention and preparedness with Moderna’s intellectual property and mRNA capabilities. Ayres described it as a platform for accelerating basic and applied research and strengthening Australia’s ability to respond to future health threats.
The partnership builds on existing Moderna manufacturing capacity in Melbourne. The minister said the framework would manage discussions about intellectual property and support a series of research programs during the five-year period.
This is a research and cooperation announcement. The government transcript does not present clinical trial results, identify an approved new vaccine arising from the partnership or establish effectiveness against a particular disease. Research plans and manufacturing capacity should therefore be distinguished from demonstrated protection in humans.