$1m for Covax-19 vaccine work

By : Krishna Anindyo | Thursday, September 03 2020 - 16:05 IWST

Vaccine Covax-19
Vaccine Covax-19

INDUSTRY.co.id - The Australian Government is backing efforts by vaccination biotech company Vaxine Pty Ltd to find an effective vaccination for COVID-19.

The $1 million grant is one of 13 early stage biomedical projects to receive funding through the Federal Government’s Biomedical Translation Bridge (BTB) program, part of Australia’s landmark Medical Research Future Fund.

“Thanks to our unique ability to run computer simulations on the virus before it is even fully characterised, we were able to dramatically speed up the ability to design our Covax-19 vaccine," says Flinders University Professor Nikolai Petrovsky, Research Director of Vaxine.

The Vaxine research team used this computer modelling on the virus spike protein to rapidly design a synthetic COVID-19 vaccine.

“The vaccine based on the synthetic spike protein was then manufactured in insect cell cultures before being combined with our Vaxine Advax adjuvant, which is used to turbocharge the vaccine and make it more effective,” Professor Petrvosky says.

The Vaxine team was able to design, manufacture and advance Covax-19® into human trials in under five months in a process that normally would take up to 15 years, he says.

“The next step will be to undertake a large international Phase 3 clinical trial to confirm its ability to protect against COVID-19 infection ahead of possible commercial sales.”

As well as further development of the Covax-19 vaccine candidate in South Australia, the $10.4 million Federal Government funding rounds will assist other projects including a new treatment for respiratory complications of COVID-19, a preventive nasal spray, and a rapid response test to predict how severely the disease will progress.

Industry partners have contributed a further $28 million to the 13 projects, leading to a total $38.4 million of new investment in the biomedical sector. The BTB is a four year $22.3 million MRFF program, operated by MTPConnect.

News Comment

Today's Industry

President Prabowo in Thailand

Rabu, 21 Mei 2025 - 10:06 WIB

Indonesia, Thailand Deepen Cooperation on Security, Trade, and Regional Stability

resident Prabowo Subianto has reaffirmed Indonesia’s strong commitment to deepening bilateral relations with Thailand during the meeting with Thailand’s Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra…

SD Darmono CEO Jababeka Group with Boediman Widjaja CEO JOE Green Group

Selasa, 20 Mei 2025 - 12:44 WIB

Boediman Widjaja's Technology Ready to be Adopted in Jababeka Industrial Estate (KIJA)

In an exclusive seminar entitled "A Great Step: Boediman Widjaja Story - Going from Indonesia, Thriving in Singapore" held at the President Lounge, Menara Batavia, Boediman Widjaja, Founder…

A total of 55 health professionals who participated in the Binawan Europe program, in the form of international career development scholarships in Austria. (Photo: The Public Relations of Binawan University)

Jumat, 02 Mei 2025 - 10:46 WIB

Binawan and Government Support Indonesian Nurses in Europe through Scholarships

In the midst of the viral #KaburAjaDulu hashtag as a symbol of the young generation's disappointment with domestic working conditions, Binawan responded with real action: dispatching Indonesian…

SUNeVision Initiates MEGA IDC Phase Two Development

Jumat, 28 Maret 2025 - 22:21 WIB

SUNeVision Initiates MEGA IDC Phase Two Development

SUNeVision, the technology arm of Sun Hung Kai Properties (SHKP), today announced the commencement of construction for Phase Two of MEGA IDC in Tseung Kwan O. As Hong Kong's largest data centre…

 PT Metrodata Electronics Tbk (“MTDL”)

Jumat, 28 Maret 2025 - 22:07 WIB

TDL Records New Revenue Record of IDR 25 Trillion in 2024 Ahead of 50th Anniversary

PT Metrodata Electronics Tbk (MTDL), the largest technology Company with the most complete IT and telecommunications products in Indonesia, managed to record a revenue of IDR 25 trillion in…