With immediate effect, the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action is providing funding for speciality lipids. These are being used in the production of mRNA vaccines. The funding guideline was published in the Federal Gazette on 31 December 2021 and entered into effect on 1 January 2022. The application process for funding is to open on 1 February 2022.

Says State Secretary Udo Philipp: “mRNA vaccines are our most important tool as we tackle the pandemic. Germany is one of the world’s leaders in the field of mRNA technology and in the production of the vaccine. In the medium and long term, we expect this technology to also give rise to the development of other innovative pharmaceuticals. This is why we have now started to provide funding for the production of speciality lipids. These are indispensable for the production of mRNA vaccines, which could not be made without them. In this way, we are strengthening our competitiveness and the resilience of supply chains for mRNA pharmaceuticals in Germany and Europe.”

Lipids are types of fat. They are needed for the safe transport of mRNA molecules to the right part of the body, where it is released to have its desired effect.

The funding programme consists of three modules: short-term funding will be provided for investments to improve existing production capacities for speciality lipids used for mRNA vaccines and to build additional capacity. Funding over the medium and long terms will be provided for projects seeking to develop production methods for speciality lipids and for research and development into entirely new types of speciality lipids and auxiliaries.

You can find the German text of the “Funding guideline for the federal funding for improved production capacities and for research and development into speciality lipids and other auxiliaries for mRNA vaccines and other mRNA pharmaceuticals” here.

Further information is available here .