According to a recent study sponsored by Merck, a leading science and technology company, mRNA technology is a “game-changer” for Asia-Pacific (APAC) vaccine manufacturers. Nearly 40 manufacturers participated in the survey.
The study interviewed vaccine manufacturers across APAC, including research institutes, pharmaceutical and biotech companies. Eighty-seven percent deemed mRNA a promising technology, expecting it to be a key modality in the future. This is based on the perception that the mRNA platform benefits from shorter development time and templated manufacturing processes, proven efficacy, lower biohazard risk for operators, and flexibility in covering different types of diseases and variants.
Japan, South Korea, Australia, Indonesia, Singapore, China and India are among the markets actively exploring to develop mRNA technology. Over sixty percent of the vaccine makers prefer to revamp or establish new facilities especially for mRNA with expansion planned over the next two to three years.
To effectively move mRNA forward, respondents highlighted the need for skilled personnel trained in these new technologies, tech-transfer expertise, a reliable supply chain, and mRNA-specific regulatory guidelines.
“Owing to the success during the pandemic, India is exploring mRNA vaccines, and is focused developing its own mRNA vaccine in partnership with global organisations. India's diverse pharmaceutical industry and large population offer opportunities for the production of mRNA vaccines. Indian companies have produced the first plasmid DNA-based vaccine, and several programs for messenger RNA (mRNA) are being leveraged by Indian manufacturers for vaccines and therapies,” said Aditya Sharma, Head – Bioprocessing, Merck Life Science India.
