Govt pursues biomedical industry potential

The Palaszczuk Government is asking Queensland’s multi-billion dollar biomedical and life sciences sector what they need to become a world leader in the next 10 years.

Minister for State Development and Minister for Natural Resources and Mines Dr Anthony Lynham today released a discussion paper in the first step towards building a bigger club of Queensland biomedical and life science high fliers.

“Queensland is already home to a handful of large multinational biomedical manufacturing businesses such as Alphapharm, Cook Medical and Patheon,” he said.

“We want to generate the high-tech jobs of the future by taking our growing community of start-up companies to a national and global level.

“We have a robust research sector, and existing strengths in a range of areas, including genetic/genomic services, biofabrication, early phase clinical trials, and manufacturing of niche pharmaceutical products, medical devices and diagnostics.

“This is about generating input from industry, academia and the community about how and where we can turn ideas into products and start-ups into leaders to generate jobs and business opportunities for Queensland.”  

Dr Lynham was speaking at QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, which supports the biomedical sector in Queensland through its specialised clinical trials facility, Q-Pharm.

The biomedical and life sciences sector includes a range of services and products including:

• manufacturing medical devices
• manufacturing traditional and bio-pharmaceuticals and complementary medicines
• diagnostics, such as easy to use, accurate and rapid low-cost tests for infectious diseases
• vaccines and drug discovery, for example the cervical cancer vaccine
• supporting digital technologies, such as highly customised magnetic resonance imaging solutions.

The latest figures show the biomedical industry in Queensland has a total annual income of $2.7 billion and is forecast to grow by more than four per cent a year globally. The therapeutic medicines and devices sub sector alone employs more than 6000 people in Queensland.

Queensland’s biomedical and life sciences sector is one of six priority sectors identified as growth targets under Advance Queensland: advanced manufacturing, aerospace, biofutures, defence, mining equipment, technology and services; and biomedical and life sciences. Roadmaps and action plans are being developed for all of them, with biofutures released earlier this month.

The discussion paper released today has benefited from initial independent advice from the Advance Queensland Expert Panel, who will also contribute to the development of the roadmap and action plan.

Consultation on the discussion paper is open until 5.00pm, Friday 5 August 2016.

Consultation sessions will be held in Brisbane, Bundaberg, Cairns, Maroochydore, Southport, Springfield, Toowoomba and Townsville.

To view the discussion paper and make a submission or to register your interest in attending a consultation session visit www.statedevelopment.qld.gov.au/biomedical

ENDS                                     26 June, 2016

Media contact:           Jan Martin 0439 341 314