Translational Research Institute (TRI) has officially unveiled its new biomedical manufacturing facility in Brisbane, named ENTRI, in a move the Institute says will help unlock biomanufacturing capability and accelerate the commercialisation of Australian medical innovations.
The announcement was made during a launch event attended by AusBiotech members at TRI’s Woolloongabba site, where Queensland Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie revealed the facility’s name and its role within the broader Boggo Road Innovation Precinct.
“ENTRI is ideally situated on the Princess Alexandra Hospital campus and within Brisbane’s thriving Boggo Road Innovation Precinct, and will launch Queensland as the epicentre of biomanufacturing in Australia,” Bleijie said.
According to TRI, the facility is the first of its kind in Australia and is designed to address a critical gap in the country’s biomedical manufacturing ecosystem.
Jointly funded by TRI and the Queensland Government, ENTRI will provide access to current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP) cleanrooms and wet labs, enabling biotech and medtech companies to scale up their operations and progress research to clinical trial stages.
TRI Chief Executive Officer Professor Maher Gandhi said the more than AUD100 million investment is a cornerstone of TRI’s mission to drive translational research from the lab bench to the patient bedside.
“This will really make people sit up and take notice,” Professor Gandhi said. “Ahead of the international launch of our Expression of Interest campaign at BIO 2025, we have had some great discussions with key life sciences stakeholders.”
Professor Gandhi said the feedback reflects global interest in the opportunities ENTRI offers. “The stakeholders are excited by the possibility we are creating and the opportunity the facility provides to forge connections with government and regulatory bodies, industry and the research sector,” he said.
TRI believes ENTRI’s integration of biomanufacturing and clinical trials will enhance Australia’s global competitiveness.
“We are confident our new capability will be attractive to international companies because it enables the integration of manufacturing with clinical trials in Australia,” Professor Gandhi added.
“It allows internationals to take advantage of Australia’s speed to the clinic and further reduces the overall cost of development programs through Australia’s R&D Tax Incentive.”
TRI Head of Commercial Operations Dr Ryan Parlett said ENTRI will support the manufacture of a wide range of advanced therapeutics, including biologics, RNA-based products, cell therapies, and combination products.
“Tenants will have access to cGMP cleanrooms, PC2 compliant wet labs and office space to enable companies to undertake their own cGMP manufacturing, onsite Quality Control, process and analytical development,” Dr Parlett said.
He said ENTRI will help life sciences companies scale their operations and meet global clinical trial requirements.
“ENTRI offers the benefits of in-house manufacturing, combined with the advantages of an external site. This delivers strategic benefits, streamlined operations and long-term cost efficiencies,” Dr Parlett said.
The new facility will expand TRI’s footprint by 7,000 square metres over four floors, positioning it among the largest end-to-end translational research centres in the country.
It will operate within Queensland’s biomedical corridor, home to a growing cluster of research institutions and industry collaborators.
The launch of ENTRI coincides with the opening of the Queensland Government’s $180.6 million Sovereign Industry Development Fund, which TRI says will support further growth in the sector and promote innovation across the state.
Further information about the ENTRI facility and industry partnership opportunities is available via TRI’s website at www.tri.edu.au/translational-manufacturing.
