Ximedica today announced a partnership with Moderna, Inc. (Nasdaq: MRNA) to develop a prototype for rapid mobile manufacturing of vaccines and therapeutics as part of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency's (DARPA) Nucleic Acids On-Demand World-Wide (NOW) Program. Integrating Moderna's proprietary mRNA technology with Ximedica's instrument design and engineering expertise, both teams will work closely together in an effort to meet capability expectations set out by the DARPA program over the 4-year partnership. As part of the agreement, Ximedica will receive up to $11 million in funding.

DARPA's Nucleic Acids On-Demand World-Wide initiative aims to develop a mobile, just-in-time manufacturing platform that quickly diagnoses pathogen threats and provides medical countermeasures to deliver pandemic prevention treatments in-field. The resulting Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) quality mRNA vaccines and therapeutics are intended to deliver near-instantaneous protections to both military personnel and local populations. The design envisions a manufacturing unit capable of producing hundreds of doses of medicines in a matter of days in a 6-foot x 6-foot x 6-foot (1.8m x 1.8m x 1.8m) container in remote locations around the world.

"Ximedica is honored to partner with Moderna on this very important DARPA NOW project. Together, we will work towards creating an innovative, deployable, robust prototype solution that can respond quickly to future pathogen outbreaks at their source, anywhere on the planet." Fernando Oliveira, VP Strategic Development Diagnostics

About Ximedica
Ximedica designs and develops healthcare products through world class engineering to manufacturing. We stay flexible and accountable to create products that are innovative, easy to use, and commercially viable.