AusBiotech has continued publishing ‘30 success stories in 30 days’ on its website, showcasing the impressive achievements of Australia’s biotechnology industry. Visit the AusBiotech website to read instalments 10 – 21 of the stories about companies, people and products that have contributed to the sector's success.
Cell Therapies (10/30)
Cell Therapies is an Australian company transforming healthcare by using breakthrough human cellular therapies to combat cancers. It is also re-imaging advanced manufacturing with commercial scale, new manufacturing capacity with unique skills in just-in-time production systems integrated with clinical point-of-care.
Cancer Therapeutics CRC (11/30)
A promising new cancer treatment developed in Australia by the Cancer Therapeutics CRC is at the centre of a deal worth up to $730 million, and is the most recent success story for Australian biotechnology in a spate of significant deals.
Fibrotech (12/30)
In a record sale for a Phase 1 Australian biotechnology company, Fibrotech Therapeutics was acquired by Shire Plc in July 2014, and joined the Australian biotechnology ‘hall of fame’.
Admedus Limited (13/30)
Admedus is an Australian-based healthcare company leading the world in regenerative medicine to engineer bio-scaffolds to be used in various soft tissue repairs, including a cardiac patch to repair and reconstruct heart defects that remains free of calcification.
Leon Serry (14/30)
Leon Serry was the founder and managing director of Circadian. He has made an outstanding contribution to the Australian biotechnology industry and academic and commercial sector. Leon has pioneered the development of a vibrant Australian biotechnology industry based on innovative technology transfer from the Australian medical research community throughout the last 20 years, overcoming significant scepticism and numerous funding crises.
Cook Medical (15/30)
Cook Medical is the only company in the world to make custom (hand-sewn) aortic stents that save the lives of heart attack patients worldwide – and is an Australian (Brisbane) manufacturing and medical success story.
Digital health at the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute (16/30)
Digital health is a rapidly emerging sector with huge potential and the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute (MCRI) is pioneering a new model for the convergence of health and technology in Australia and has a rapidly growing digital health pipeline.
The Synchrotron (17/30)
The Australian Synchrotron is growing Australia’s capacity for innovative drug development, facilitating the advance of world-class disease and drug research through to local drug trials. Access to the Synchrotron’s advanced capabilities underpins the world-renowned Australian biomedical research community’s ability to attract major international pharmaceutical collaborations and significant investment.
Mentoring program leads the way (18/30)
A mentoring program launched last year is leading the way in giving PhD students a better understanding of the commercial and industrial world of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).
Clinical genomics (19/30)
The Sydney–based Clinical Genomics makes screening diagnostics for the early detection and prevention of colorectal cancer; it supplies the US market, including one of the largest labs in the world and has a five-year supply deal with a Fortune 500 healthcare company for a million test kits a year.
Genetic Signatures (20/30)
Australian-born Genetic Signatures made its successful IPO on the ASX last year, further enabling its life-saving work with molecular tools to screen for a wide array of infectious pathogens.
Acrux (21/30)
In March 2010, Melbourne-based Acrux (ASX:ACR) secured what was then the biggest licensing arrangement ever entered into by an Australian biotech, worth more than US$550 million, and secured its place as one of Australian biotechnology’s success stories.
‘30 success stories in 30 days’ started in 1 February and will reach a crescendo on 1 March 2016 with the launch of the 30th anniversary historic edition of the journal, Australasian Biotechnology.
Previous success stories published in the series include:
- (1/30) CSL Limited
- (2/30) Spinifex Pharmaceuticals
- (3/30) Emeritus Professor Nancy F Millis
- (4/30) The R and D Tax Incentive
- (5/30) The cervical cancer vaccine
- (6/30) Cochlear and the cochlear implant
- (7/30) Hatchtech
- (8/30) Minomic International Ltd
- (9/30) Bionomics and Dr Deborah Rathjen
AusBiotech marked 30 years since the industry organisation was founded as the Australian Biotechnology Association (ABA) on 28 December 2015. Fifteen years later (and 15 years ago) in May 2001, the ABA became AusBiotech, after a vote at the 2000 AGM determined that the association should become an industry organisation.