Media Release by MTPConnect
With funding support from MTPConnect, CSIRO’s new biomanufacturing facility in Melbourne has today been opened by Industry and Science Minister, Hon. Ed Husic MP.
The facility gives SMEs and researchers access to accredited manufacture of biologics to the standard required for in-human studies and will see a boost to Australia’s capability to manufacture vaccine and drug candidates.
The development of the facility was supported with funding of $1.1 million from MTPConnect’s Growth Centre Project Fund and leveraged a further $3.4 million in industry co-contributions and state government funding, bringing the total value of MTPConnect’s contribution to the project to $4.5 million.
Attending the official opening, MTPConnect Chair Sue MacLeman said this new facility fills a gap in biomedical capabilities for sovereign advanced manufacturing.
“This new CSIRO facility further strengthens Australia’s biologics advanced manufacturing capability and will support increased productivity and competitiveness of our MTP sector,” Ms MacLeman said.
“Manufacturing onshore can be faster and more cost-effective than manufacture overseas, meaning more Australian discoveries could move from the bench, through clinical trials and eventually into the clinic – leading to better health outcomes for patients and more economic value from Australian research being captured in Australia,” she said.
MTPConnect CEO Stuart Dignam praised the project’s collaborative approach as one of the keys to its success.
“What started with a business plan, lab design and purchase of equipment has led to the opening of a facility of national importance for Australia’s biomedical efforts and our clinical trials industry,” he said.
“Importantly, the project also supported the skilling-up of our future workforce with training support in quality systems, GMP, analytics and bioprocess development,” he said.
More details about the project are available in an MTPConnect case study published here.
