RNA Pipeline Grants 2025

To be eligible for the RPG applicants must:

1. have an Australian Business Number (ABN)
2. be registered for the purposes of GST
3. be headquartered in NSW
4. be one of the following: a company incorporated under the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) (including a company limited by guarantee); an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Corporation registered under the Corporations (Aboriginal and /or Torres Strait Islander) Act 2006 (Cth); an individual or partnership who agrees to form a company under the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) so that the Department can enter into a legally binding funding agreement; or, a NSW public research organisation or medical research institute applying through its appropriate technology transfer office or the Chief Executive Officer (or equivalent) of the research organisation that will become a separate entity before entering into a legally binding funding agreement with the Department
5. hold the IP or have the rights to commercialise the technology/innovation in Australia and major international markets (e.g. the United States and Europe).

Joint applications between a business entity and research-based organisations (including universities) are encouraged. However, the business entity must lead the project, be eligible to apply and submit the grant application. The lead application (the business) must outline clearly in their application who the project partners are and how each partner will contribute to achieving the objectives of the project proposal. If a joint application is successful, the funding agreement will be between the lead applicant and the NSW Government.

The target audience of the projects which the RNA Pipeline Grants program seeks to fund includes NSW-based start-ups and businesses that involved in the development and commercialisation of innovative RNA technologies. This encompasses RNA therapeutics, vaccines, and related technologies such as RNA delivery systems, with applications across health, biosecurity, and agriculture.

For a grant activity to be eligible it must:

• be completed within two years, unless there are exceptional circumstances. Projects will require clear and achievable milestones (e.g. moving from TRL 4 to TRL 5, developing and testing components within a TRL) to support appropriate staging and monitoring
• progress an innovation along the commercialisation pathway
• have an existing proof-of-concept (demonstrated in vitro)
• be TRL 3-6 on the TRL Scale at the time of applying for the RPG
• demonstrate why sufficient funding for the entire project cannot be accessed from alternative sources and that the project would not proceed at the proposed scale in NSW without government support
• have majority of project activities based in NSW. If project partners or locations are outside NSW, the application must explain why (e.g. to access specific capabilities, expertise or technologies not available within NSW)
• be a product that could be produced at the RNA Research and Manufacturing Facility.

The intended outcomes of the RNA Pipeline Grants Program are to:

• support the advancement of RNA-related research, development and commercialisation
• enable funded projects to progress along the Technology Readiness Level (TRL) scale, moving closer to clinical and market readiness
• help grant recipients attract additional investment and expand their workforce, contributing to economic growth in NSW
• support the manufacturing and commercialisation of RNA therapeutics, vaccines and related technologies within NSW
• foster the development of a mature, sustainable RNA industry, positioning NSW as a key player in regional and global supply chains.

Eligible RPG costs include:

• preclinical and validation studies, including proof-of-concept, safety, efficacy and stability assessments
• development and optimisation of RNA constructs, delivery systems, or manufacturing or formulation processes
• production of prototype or pilot batches and preparation for GMP manufacturing
• application of enabling technologies to improve product performance, manufacturability or cost-efficiency
• activities supporting regulatory readiness, such as pathway planning, certification or approvals
• commercialisation planning, including reimbursement strategy, market testing and feasibility studies
• engagement preparation with potential manufacturing partners
• development and protection of IP, including patent filings or advice
• access to specialist equipment, infrastructure or external expertise essential to project delivery
• salaries and project consumables directly related to the delivery of project outcomes.

You are not eligible if you are a(n):

• individuals
• Commonwealth, state, territory or local government agency
• State Owned Corporation or statutory authority
• Australian subsidiary of international companies
• a business that is insolvent
• individual, unincorporated association, public research organisation, medical research institute or partnership that will not form a company under the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth).

Note this is not an exhaustive list and the Department, at its sole discretion, may deem an applicant ineligible for the RPG on the basis of publicly available or confidential information about an applicant, such as any personnel or business activities that could cause reputational damage or other unacceptable risk to the NSW Government.

Examples of ineligible RPG costs include:

• the purchase of land or property
• costs incurred in the preparation of a grant application or related documentation
• project costs incurred prior to an offer of funding made to successful applications (no retrospective funding will be awarded)
• project costs that are already the subject of another government grant, subsidy or financial assistance
• general business costs including sales, marketing, rent and travel
• solutions designed to improve internal business processes
• activities that will not be delivered prior to the end of the grant funding period.

Note this is not an exhaustive list.

Examples of ineligible projects include activities:

• that are deemed at the very early stages of project development—where only basic ideas have been explored (Technology Readiness Level 1–2)—or at the very end, when the technology is almost ready for full use (TRL 7 and above)
• where the basic performance of the innovation hasn’t yet been demonstrated in a laboratory setting or equivalent testing
• be a product that can’t be produced at the RNA Research and Manufacturing Facility, such as small interfering RNA (siRNA), self-amplifying RNA (saRNA) and long non-coding (lncRNA)
• projects that do not include a clear pathway to manufacturing in Australia, or that are solely focused on enabling or digital technologies (e.g. platforms, software, data tools) without a direct link to the development of a manufacturable RNA-based product.

Note this is not an exhaustive list.

• RNA vaccines – for infectious diseases including influenza, COVID-19 and other emerging health threats
• RNA therapeutics – including mRNA-based treatments for cancers, genetic disorders and autoimmune conditions
• plasmid DNA and gene therapy components – used as templates or vectors in cell and gene therapies
• veterinary and agricultural RNA products – such as RNA-based vaccines or therapeutics for livestock, companion animal diseases and biosecurity
• RNA delivery systems – including lipid nanoparticle (LNP) formulations to support targeted delivery and stability