Scientists at the University of Queensland (UQ) are to join with the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) to fast track research into a lifesaving vaccine for COVID-19.
Premier, Annastacia Palaszczuk said the State and Federal Governments were working together with the Paul Ramsay Foundation to support the UQ School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, which has gained worldwide attention for its work to develop a COVID-19 vaccine.
“This disease has already killed thousands throughout the world,” Ms Palaszczuk said.
“We’re doing everything we can to put an end to the devastation,” she said.
“Thanks to 20 years of strategic investment through the Smart State and Advance Queensland initiatives, we are in the position today where we can say that Queensland researchers are on the brink of producing an effective vaccine against this devastating disease.”
Federal Minister for Health, Greg Hunt said Australia had produced some of the world’s best medical research.
“This is another example of us contributing to address important health challenges for Australians and for the global population,” Mr Hunt said.
Minister for Innovation, Kate Jones said $17 million in funding would enable UQ along with research partners, the Doherty Institute and CSIRO, to undertake clinical trials to test the safety and efficacy of the vaccine candidate.
Ms Jones said it would also enable the large-scale manufacture of a potential vaccine if successful.
The University of Queensland is the only Australian organisation and one of only six globally to be tasked by the Oslo-based Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) to develop a vaccine against the virus.
