Australia’s biotechnology industry has gathered in record numbers at the annual AusBiotech conference, held in Melbourne this week.
The four-day conference has attracted 1,600 attendees across the week. More than 200 delegates have joined from overseas, including major delegations from Korea and Taiwan.
Health Minister Mark Butler spoke at the event.
"The medical advances we make in this country are always about improving the lives of Australians, as well as people around the world.
"To take full advantage of these incredible advances they need to be developed, realised and commercialised.”
“But I also want to make clear my desire, the government’s desire, to continue to work with AusBiotech and its industry members to bridge the gap between invention and realisation.
“We need a whole pipeline approach – from discovery to start-up, clinical trials, manufacturing, export, access and reimbursement.
“Health is at the beginning and the end of that pipeline.
"And, to the people in this room—from the start-ups, the small to medium enterprises, the research institutes, multinationals, investors and manufacturers, I say, we are stronger together. “This is why we need to work on a whole-of-government and industry approach,“ said Minister Butler.
AusBiotech CEO Rebekah Cassidy said, “We have been delighted by the level of interest in this year’s event from local and international life sciences leaders, investors, and from both Federal and State Governments.
“We are grateful to the Hon. Mark Butler MP, Minister for Health and Aged Care for addressing our conference and are encouraged by his strong commitment and support of our sector.
“We value government partnership in addressing and advancing Australia’s life sciences sector and appreciate the national and state commitment to working with industry.
“Australia has every reason to focus on the future of our life sciences sector. With 2024 data showing that our sector now employs some 350,000 Australians, more than 2900 life science organisations present including almost 1600 biotech and medtech companies, and 168 life sciences companies listed on the ASX – we are ready to thrive.
“We already have many remarkable, entrepreneurial biotechnology and medtech companies leading on the global health innovation stage. The time is now to harness and build on that potential.
"Within the context of a changing and more disrupted world, the attention on our sector is warranted. My consistent message is that locally and globally, new pressures such as pandemics, supply chain challenges, aging populations, and climate change among others mean that our home-grown life sciences capability must be viewed as a health security asset.
"The time is now for Australia to critically and strategically leverage our health and medical innovation capability - nurture and protect it - to ensure its long-term viability.”
Speakers this week include US-based Australian innovator Dr Daniel Timms, whose company BiVACOR conducted the first human implant of a fully artificial heart earlier this year, and Dr Intan Oldakowska, co-founder and CEO of Earflo, which has developed a revolutionary approach to chronic ear infections aimed at providing fast and affordable relief to the millions of children diagnosed each year.
Global speakers include Michael Lopez-Algeria, chief astronaut at Axiom Space, sharing his experiences performing medical experiments aboard the International Space Station. Michael Hund, Global CEO of EB Research Partnership, is looking at innovative business models that are speeding up the search for cures for rare diseases.
In total, the industry-led programme features more than 260 speakers across 60 sessions.
"As we celebrate over 38 years of AusBiotech led commitment to the sector, it’s incredibly rewarding to witness record-breaking attendance and enthusiasm this year. This milestone not only reflects the vitality of our industry but also reinforces AusBiotech’s role as the national convening power and lead advocate for biotechnology and medtech innovation and growth in Australia," added Ms Cassidy Rebekah.