Australia’s advanced therapies sector is set for a new chapter of coordination and leadership, with AusBiotech and Medicines Australia today opening expressions of interest for members to join the newly established Advanced Therapies Advisory Group.
The group builds on the foundations of the two-year Cell and Gene Catalyst initiative, which helped position Australia’s cell and gene therapy industry for growth. Its role will be to drive national coordination and guide policy development at a time when the sector is rapidly moving toward maturity, yet continues to face critical challenges in manufacturing, workforce development, and patient access.
The sense of urgency was underscored by the release of the Australian Cell and Gene Therapies Innovation Investment Report, produced in partnership with Deloitte.
The report found that 91 per cent of respondents believe national coordination is essential to advancing capabilities, with 71 per cent planning to increase their R&D investment. While confidence in growth is high, the report highlights persistent barriers across infrastructure, skills, and equitable access to therapies.
The Advisory Group will act directly on these findings. Representation will span both AusBiotech and Medicines Australia members, with additional input from the Solutions for Manufacturing Advanced Regenerative Therapies Cooperative Research Centre (SMART CRC), reflecting its role in advancing scalable manufacturing capacity.
AusBiotech CEO Rebekah Cassidy said the establishment of the Advisory Group comes at a decisive moment. “Australia’s advanced therapies sector is entering a phase of maturation, and national coordination is essential to ensuring patients, industry, and the healthcare system benefit from these innovations. Through this new Advisory Group, we will ensure industry voice is heard across priority areas as we shape policy discussions designed to grow Australia’s leadership in advanced therapies.”
Medicines Australia CEO Elizabeth de Somer reinforced the importance of collaboration. “Collaboration is essential to maintain momentum in the delivery of advanced therapies – cell and gene technologies – to the community. This Advisory Group represents a very important step forward in unifying industry and other stakeholders to consider and address critical policies and delivery mechanisms to ensure we fully harness and maximise these important therapeutics now and into the future.”
For Professor Simon Cool, CEO of SMART CRC, the move signals a strategic leap for regenerative medicine.
“This Advisory Group is a timely and strategic move for Australia’s regenerative therapies sector. The SMART CRC strongly supports this initiative, which reflects our commitment to building a collaborative, industry-led ecosystem that delivers scalable, cutting-edge therapies to patients. We’re proud to represent the voice of our 63 partners and look forward to contributing to meaningful health and economic outcomes for Australians.”
Greg Pratt, Global Investment and Innovation Incentive Partner at Deloitte, said, “The report underscores a critical opportunity for government to help unlock the full potential of Australia’s cell and gene therapy sector. With clear signals of growing private sector momentum, targeted government investment can play a catalytic role – strengthening infrastructure, building workforce capability, and enabling national coordination. By supporting the development of a connected, end-to-end CGT ecosystem, we can accelerate translation, attract global investment, and ultimately deliver better health and economic outcomes for Australia.”
The Advanced Therapies Advisory Group aims to provide a unified voice to government, industry, and the community, ensuring Australia capitalises on the momentum in this rapidly evolving sector and secures its place as a global leader in advanced therapies.
AusBiotech and Medicines Australia members interested in joining the group can submit their expression of interest by Wednesday, 22 October.