The IDT Australia Limited (ASX: IDT) share price has been a very strong performer on Tuesday.
In late afternoon trade, the Australian pharmaceutical manufacturing company's shares are up over 19% to 40 cents.
This means the IDT Australia share price has now more than doubled since the start of the year.
Why is the IDT Australia share price storming higher today?
Investors were bidding the IDT Australia share price higher on Tuesday following the release of an announcement in the afternoon.
According to the release, the company is progressing discussions with the Victorian Government and mRNA Victoria, along with Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences. This is in relation to IDT potentially providing cGMP manufacturing services to progress the development of Australia's first local mRNA COVID-19 vaccine candidate.
This follows the positive preclinical evaluation of Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences' mRNA vaccine.
Professor Colin Pouton from Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences commented: "Preclinical evaluation of our mRNA vaccine has progressed well and we are now keen to partner with an experienced pharmaceutical manufacturer to produce a product for clinical evaluation. We look forward to working with IDT to establish mRNA vaccine manufacturing capability in Australia."
This sentiment was echoed by IDT Australia's CEO, Dr David Sparling.
He said: "IDT is progressing discussions to put forward its cGMP manufacturing facilities and capabilities to get behind the Victorian Government's landmark commitment and initiative to develop an mRNA manufacturing capability, as we believe it will build upon the existing scientific and medical strengths in Victoria and will deliver essential capabilities for Australia."
"Manufacturing clinic-ready vaccine candidates coming out of world class research such as Professor Pouton's at Monash University allows IDT to develop the critical skills and infrastructure at a sovereign cGMP manufacturing site here in Australia. These capabilities will then be locally available for clinical and commercial applications for COVID-19 as well as a broad range of other diseases," he concluded.
