Australia’s first purpose-built research and manufacturing facility for RNA vaccines has opened.

The RNA Research and Pilot Manufacturing Facility at the Macquarie University Innovation Precinct opened its doors in April.

Backed by a $96 million investment from the NSW Government, the 4,500 square meter hub will help to ensure that Australia is better prepared for future pandemics.

It will help to secure the nation’s ability to develop a sovereign provision of critical vaccines. The need for this was highlighted during COVID as the pandemic exposed vulnerabilities in global supply chains.

In particular, the new facility will serve as Australia’s first dedicated site which is capable of taking RNA technologies from early-stage laboratory discovery through to clinical trials and commercial production.

It will deliver advanced laboratories and support spaces in a way that will make it the only site in Australia that is capable of producing a wide range of new and existing RNA therapeutics under one roof.

Features include:

• Specialised production suites that will serve as zones for Plasmid DNA (pDNA) and Messenger RNA (mRNA) development.
• Dedicated spaces for lipid nanoparticle encapsulation.
• On-site pilot-scale fill-and-finish lines to package treatments for distribution.
• Integrated QA/QC laboratories which are constructed to align with Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) approval pathways and Good Manufacturing Practice.

From a functional viewpoint, the facility has been designed to be flexible and adaptable so as to accommodate future potential needs as viruses evolve.

To do this, lead architect HDR examined data as well as generative workflows to test the facility against multiple future production scenarios.

The team stress tested adjacencies, pressure cascades, people and material flows and servicing demands across different RNA process trains, equipment footprints and compliance operating modes.

This has helped to deliver a planning and services framework that is flexible and enables the capacity to scale to additional production lines as well as to adapt to changing workflows, utilities demand and regulatory expectations.

From an architectural viewpoint, key design features include:

• An architectural response which embeds scientific rigour within a biophilic setting that is centered around people. The building was conceived as a high-precision pavilion within a grove of mature gum trees. Its horizontal form is articulated with slender vertical elements that reference the surrounding forest and draw natural light deep into the interior. This not only creates a calm, grounded environment for complex RNA science but also respects the cultural and ecological character of the site.
• A façade which comprises modules that range from solid to transparent. This aims to balance privacy, solar control and connection to the surrounding landscape. Natural tones reference the local environment whilst a recessed base provides the building with a sense of lightness within the forest setting.
• Sustainability features including passive design strategies, high-efficiency systems and all-electric services powered by renewables. The building aims to deliver reductions of at least a 10 percent in operational energy use, 15 percent in potable water consumption (through efficient fixtures and rainwater harvesting) and 20 percent in embodied carbon. Biodiversity enhancements, strategic shading and light spill control support environmental performance and NSW Government emissions targets.
• Integration of cultural narratives, indigenous medicinal knowledge and spaces for ceremony and reflection.
• Landscape design which draws on regional ecologies and material textures to enhance campus connections and to create a multilayered garden environment that serves as a nurturing retreat for occupants.

The project was delivered by NSW Government owned agency Health Infrastructure in collaboration with the Office of the Chief Scientist and Engineering.

The facility was designed by global architecture firm HDR.

Other consultants included TTS (structural and civil engineering), ARUP (services engineering), IPS (Integrated Project Services – process engineering), 360 Degrees (landscape architecture and Macquarie University’s Walanga Muru and Belanjee (indigenous and cultural consultants).

The main works were completed by Hindmarsh Construction.

The facility will be operated by Aurora Biosynthetics – a subsidiary of multi-national therapeutics company Myeloid Therapeutics.

Graeme Spencer, Principal of Education and Science at HDR, said the facility sets a new benchmark for translating discovery into impact.

“Purpose-built environments like this are critical to Australia’s ability to develop RNA-based therapeutics at speed,” Spencer said.

“By bringing flexible pilot manufacturing together with collaborative research spaces, the facility strengthens sovereign capability and supports real-world health outcomes.”

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