From the lab to saving lives
From the lab to saving lives
In short:
- Southern RNA is trialling tailor-made vaccines to treat children’s brain cancer
- Treatments are personal, precise, and are helping change what’s possible for these kids and their families
- Southern RNA uses mRNA technology to make these vaccines
- The Sovereign Industry Development Fund (SIDF) supports projects in Queensland’s priority sectors including defence, biomedical and biofuels, helping build the capabilities, industries and supply chains needed for the future.
Brain cancer takes more Australian children than any other disease.
For many children, treatment hasn’t changed much in over 35 years. It often means a combination of surgery, radiation and chemotherapy. Tough treatments that don’t always give children the quality of life they deserve.
But now, there is new hope.
Southern RNA is helping change what’s possible for these kids and their families. They are trialling tailor-made vaccines to treat tumours — specifically made for each child to help their body fight its own unique cancer.
Here’s how it works:
- scientists study a child’s tumour
- they find what makes it different
- they create a vaccine designed to target those differences
- the vaccine is manufactured and delivered to the child.
This means the treatment is personal, precise, and full of potential. For families who have been told there are no other options, this could change everything.
What does Southern RNA do?
Southern RNA uses breakthrough technology called mRNA, the same kind used in COVID-19 vaccines.
In simple terms, these vaccines teach the body what to fight. They give the immune system temporary instructions so it can find and attack a virus or disease safely.
The facility allows researchers to trial new treatments, like creating personalised medicine for cancer and infectious diseases.
Bringing more biomedical manufacturing to Queensland
Each batch of personalised vaccine could make a real difference for families facing cancer. It could help people access new treatments when they have few options left.
Until now, an important final step in making these treatments had to happen interstate. Drug substances had to be sent outside Queensland to be safely filled into vials, ready for use. This added extra time, cost and risk.
Through the Sovereign Industry Development Fund, more than $2.2 million is supporting Southern RNA to expand its FlexFill project in South East Queensland.
The project will bring this important final step to Queensland. Once complete, it will be able to fill up to 2,000 vials in each batch, helping turn drug substances into products that are ready for clinical trials.
This means more of the manufacturing process can happen here in Queensland, closer to local researchers and patients.
Investing in and safeguarding Queensland's future
The Sovereign Industry Development Fund (SIDF) is one of the Queensland Government's key investments in industries that are critical to our state's long-term prosperity and resilience.
The fund supports projects in priority sectors including defence, biomedical and biofuels that help Queensland build the capabilities, industries and supply chains needed for the future.
Last updated: 09 Nov 2026