The South Australian government has officially launched a new $1.5 million vaccine and immuno-biology laboratory.
Over the past two years, Agilex Biolabs has invested over $3.5 million in technology and systems at its headquarters in Adelaide.
Premier Steven Marshall launched the new facility and thanked the company for investing in the state and creating jobs in the sector.
"South Australia is the most liveable city in the country, and the third in the world and investment such as this continues to build on this," said Premier Marshall. "This new facility certainly puts South Australia firmly on the global map for high-tech clinical research."
"We have seen significant advances in vaccines and immunobiology in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and now the Agilex Biolabs' state-of-the-art facility offers the very latest in technology to support the further development of these new and emerging therapies targeting infections, cancer and genetic conditions," he said.
Trade and investment minister Stephen Patterson said the state government had an ambitious plan to grow the health and medical industry.
"As a government, we're working collaboratively with industry to more than double the HMI economic contribution to SA from $2.3 billion to $5 billion by 2030.
"South Australia is open for business and at the forefront of world-leading capabilities, bio-tech precincts and an academic research ecosystem that makes it the ideal place to invest and do business."
Agilex Biolabs CEO Jason Valentine said the new laboratory focuses on new and emerging areas of therapeutic interest, including RNA vaccines, siRNA/miRNA clinical targets and gene therapy studies.
"This new facility adds digital droplet quantitative RT-PCR analysis for RNA, siRNA and miRNA clinical trials, including vaccines and gene therapy trials," he said.
"We are also installing an EliSPOT/FluoroSPOT multi-spot reader for vaccine studies to enable extrapolation of recall immune responses, which coupled with our state-of-the-art BD FACSymphony 5 laser, 20 colour flow cytometer, offers unparalleled sensitivity for immunology and vaccine trials."
Agilex Biolabs said has more than 130 staff that includes 85 dedicated laboratory staff. The company offers services for both small molecules and biologics for PK, immunogenicity (PD) and biomarker bioanalysis utilising the two platforms of LC-MS/MS and Immunoassay.