Australia’s advanced therapies sector is set to gain new momentum with the formal establishment of a joint Advanced Therapies Advisory Group by AusBiotech and Medicines Australia, bringing together senior leaders from biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, healthcare, research, and manufacturing to help shape the future of cell and gene therapies nationwide.
The newly formed Advisory Group will provide strategic input into policy development, advocacy, and industry enablement, with a focus on advancing the recommendations of the 2025 Australian Cell and Gene Therapies Innovation Investment Report. By collaborating closely, AusBiotech and Medicines Australia aim to elevate and unify the voice of Australia’s advanced therapies sector at a time when global competition and patient demand are accelerating.
AusBiotech Chief Executive Officer Rebekah Cassidy said the group would play a central role in strengthening Australia’s leadership in this fast-evolving field. “The new Advanced Therapies Advisory Group will play a key role in developing and advocating for policy outcomes that help to grow Australia’s position as a leader in advanced therapies,” she said. Cassidy added that AusBiotech was “delighted to be collaborating with Medicines Australia to bring the collective expertise of our members together with the SMART CRC,” highlighting the importance of unified national discussion to enable improved Australian patient access to cell and gene technologies.
Reflecting the critical role of manufacturing and translation in advanced therapies, the Solutions for Manufacturing Advanced Regenerative Therapies Cooperative Research Centre (SMART CRC) has been closely integrated into the initiative. SMART CRC Chief Executive Officer Professor Simon Cool has been appointed as the Advisory Group’s inaugural Chair. “The SMART CRC is delighted to join AusBiotech as the voice of 63 partners advancing Australia’s regenerative therapy manufacturing capability,” Professor Cool said. “Partnering with AusBiotech and Medicines Australia is a critical step towards accelerating medical innovation, creating jobs, and building a highly skilled workforce. We look forward to working together to deliver a lasting national impact.”
Medicines Australia Chief Executive Officer Elizabeth de Somer underscored the importance of collaboration in turning scientific advances into real-world health outcomes. “Collaboration is essential to maintain momentum in the delivery of advanced therapies – cell and gene technologies – to the community,” she said. According to de Somer, the Advisory Group represents “a very important step forward in unifying industry and other stakeholders to consider and address critical policies and delivery mechanisms” needed to ensure Australia can fully harness these therapies now and into the future.
>The Advisory Group’s membership brings together a broad cross-section of expertise from across the advanced therapies ecosystem. Members include:
- Simon Cool, CEO, SMART CRC (Chair)
- Brendon Boot, CEO, Skin2Neuron
- Helen Dodds, Clinical Trials Startup Lead, Sanofi
- Shanny Dyer, Director, Rheumagen Australia
- Dominic Fernandez, Scientific Lead, Cell Therapy and Immunotherapy, Epworth Healthcare
- Cecile Francis, Director of Partnerships, UniQuest
- Kathy Gibson, Executive Director, Strategic Medical Engagement, Eli Lilly
- Dylan Jones, Country Head of Value and Access, Novartis
- Umesh Nair, Major Account Manager, Merck Life Science
- Jasmine Oberwalleney, APAC CAR-T Launch Director, Miltenyi Biotec Australia
- Gretchen Poortinga, Program Operations Director, Centre of Excellence in Cellular Immunotherapy, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre
- Oona Reardon, Director, Pulse Economics Consulting
- Warwick Shaw, Market Access Cell and Gene Therapies, Johnson & Johnson
- Rebecca Stratford, Head of Market Access, Oncology, AstraZeneca
- Stephen Thompson, Chief Executive Director, Viral Vector Manufacturing Facility
Formed following an expression-of-interest process conducted among AusBiotech and Medicines Australia members in late 2025, the Advisory Group is intended to provide a unified voice to government, industry, and the community.