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Message from the MD & CEO

Happy Holidays from MTPConnect to you!

In the final month of the year, we were pleased to announce new funding recipients for Round 2 of BioMedTech Horizons and Round 1 of Biomedical Translation Bridge programs. Round 3 of BMTH has just closed so we will be reviewing applications over the next few months. We also initiated our BTB Information Sessions in Perth ahead of the next round of BTB opening in early 2020.  

We launched a new report ‘Frugal Innovation in Medical Devices and Technologies: The India Opportunity’ with Asialink Business and Austrade support. Download the report today if you are interested in exploring the Indian market.

Our engagement team is growing with the announcements that Dr Rebecca Tunstall, Senior Director Stakeholder Engagement and Dr Duncan Macinnis, Director Stakeholder Engagement NSW, both coming on board in January 2020.

December podcast episodes take you to WA for West Tech Fest and to the Report launch of Unpacking the ‘India Opportunity’ where a panel of industry experts explore the growing medtech sector in India.

The MTPConnect team has just moved in to a new office based in the CBD at 15 Williams Street, Melbourne, we look forward to meeting with you there in the new year.

See some more of the year’s highlights in our 2019 Snapshot.

January:

• Renewed backing of ANDHealth

 February:

• Rolled out our national series of CRC-P information sessions for entries into Round 7
• Welcomed the Biomedical Translation Bridge Program opportunity, announced by Federal Minister for Health Hon Greg Hunt MP
• Launched our new Podcast Series to connect with the people and issues shaping the MTP sector in Australia and globally

March:

• BridgeTech 2019 launch
• Supported the inaugural Herston Biofabrication Institute Conference
• Supported AusBiotech’s Asian Investment Series

 April:

• Represented the sector at BioKorea in Seoul

May:

• BTB team and partners hosted the first Round 1 Information Session in Melbourne
• Announced our Organisational Refresh strategy

June:

• MTPConnect team attended BIO Convention
• Released 2019 SCP, How Global MedTech & Pharma Corporates Engage with Australia and Precision Medicine Roundtable White Paper
• BioMedTech Horizons Round 2 opened for EOIs
• Biomedical Translation Bridge program wrapped up its national roadshow of Round 1 Information Sessions

July:

• BTB opened Round 1 for EOIs
• Attended the Australian British Health Catalyst (ABHC) Conference in London

September:

• Welcomed Dr Parisa Glass as the inaugural Guest of the Chair
• Organised a delegation to Boston for the 2019 MedTech Conference for 30 delegates from 27 companies

October:

• Opened Round 3 of the BioMedTech Horizons program
• New Queensland Office was opened with Minister Industry, Science and Technology Hon. Karen Andrews MP
• Chair, Sue MacLeman, won the AusBiotech and Johnson & Johnson Innovation Industry Leadership Award announced the AusBiotech Conference
• Hosted Round 2 BTB information session in Melbourne and the BMTH Value-Add Day at the AusBiotech Conference
• Attended BioJapan with Austrade and AusBiotech

November:

• Supported sector events such as Science Meets Parliament in Canberra and CSIRO’s Ribit PhD forum in WA

On behalf of the entire team at MTPConnect, enjoy time with family and friends over the festive season and we look forward to seeing you again in the New Year.

Kind regards,

Dr Dan Grant
Managing Director & CEO 

MTPConnect & Industry News

$14.8M Research Boost to Develop Breakthrough Ideas for Better Health
MTPConnect and the Acting Minister for Health, the Hon Alan Tudge MP, announced $14.8 million of funding for 17 early stage health research projects financed by two programs within the Australian Government’s Medical Research Future Fund. Visit the BMTH and BTB pages for the full list of grant recipients.

Australia- India Economic Growth: Frugal Innovation the Key to Driving Business Links for the Future
New research by MTPConnect and Asialink Business highlights the growing opportunities for future-focused Australian medical technologies businesses in India. Download the report today.

Introducing Dr Rebecca Tunstall – Senior Director Stakeholder Engagement
MTPConnect is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr Rebecca Tunstall as MTPConnect’s Senior Director for Stakeholder Engagement, starting in January 2020. She will be based in the Melbourne head office.

Introducing Dr Duncan Macinnis – Director Stakeholder Engagement NSW
MTPConnect is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr Duncan Macinnis as Director Stakeholder Engagement NSW, starting in January 2020. He will be based in our Sydney office at the University of Sydney.

Sector Snapshot

• Check out more information about Enlighten Imaging, an incubator out of CERA who were awarded BioMedTech Horizons round 2 funding
• MTPConnect were pleased to support MedTech Actuator's MedTech's Got Talent this month, check out the winners
• Read the coverage in Stockhead of our new report with Asialink Business 'Frugal Innovation in Medical Devices and Technologies: The India Opportunity'
• Read AdAlta's announcement of being awarded funding through round 1 of Biomedical Transaltion Bridge funding
• MTPConnect and our BTB partners BioCurate, UniQuest, the Medical Device Partnering Program and the Bridge and BridgeTech programs hosted a BTB Round 2 Information Session in Perth
• We sponsored Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute's Pitch Showcase early this month, where Dr Natalie Lester won for her pitch on prostate cancer
• MTPConnect sponsored Austrade's Export Awards, where Leica Biosystems won the International Health Award
• Check out WearOptimo's project who have been awarded funding through round 2 of BioMedTech Horizons funding
• Listen to our podcast for coverage of the 2019 West Tech Fest
• Victoria’s world-leading scientists were recognised this month at the Victorian Government's 2019 Victoria Prize and Fellowship Awards 
• Cynata Therapeutics gained in value on the ASX with news its stem cells are showing promise as a treatment for pneumonia-induced blood poisoning

Sector Opportunities

• Apply to Texas Medical Center's TMCx Accelerator Spring 2020

• Submit your EOI to join ANDHealth's B.R.I.G.H.T 3-Day program in Feb 2020

• ANDHealth invites you to complete its survey to identify gaps, challenges & opportunities in digital health commercialisation

• Put in your nominations for the Clunies Ross Awards

• Enter MRFF – Clinical Trials Activity – RCRDUN Initiative – 2019 Rare Cancers, Rare Diseases and Unmet Need Grant

• Apply to MRFF - Cardiovascular Health Mission - 2019 Cardiovascular Health Grant Opportunity

• Share your innovation story to ge maker's #AUSInnovates platform

• MRCI have put a call out for volunteers for a research study on a vaccine against meningococcal type A,C,W,Y infections in healthy adults between 18 and 40 years
• Take part in free online courses to boost digital skills from the Entrepreneur's Program
• Volunteer to participate in the Murdoch Children's Research Institute Genetics of Stuttering Study 

Pictured: An infant using the EarGenie protoype. 

Case Study Showcase: The Journey to Personalising Hearing Technology

A new device under development at the Bionics Institute in Melbourne is set to improve the quality of life for deaf infants and children. The device, known as EarGenie, aims to give infants and children born with hearing loss the opportunity to start their language development earlier and help audiology clinicians get faster and enhanced information about their patient's hearing needs. Read more.

Want to showcase your great work? Email media@mtpconnect.org.au to submit a case study.

Sector Profile:  Bio101

Bio101 provides financial solutions to a range of Australian life science companies ranging from small start-ups to ASX listed companies. Learn more in our Sector Directory.  

List your organisation on the MTPConnect Sector Directory.

Message from the MD & CEO

Welcome to our first newsletter for 2020. For many it has been a challenging start to the year with bushfire and extreme weather events across the country and the arrival of the novel coronavirus in Australia. Nonetheless, we are moving ahead with our ambitious agenda for the MTP sector this year and look forward to working with many of you in the months ahead.

We’re getting ready for the next phase of our national Biomedical Translation Bridge (BTB) program roadshow where we are hosting Information Sessions on Round 2 funding opportunities. Remember, we’re providing up to $1 million in matching funding to nurture the translation of new therapies, technologies and medical devices through to the proof of concept stage.

So come along to Sydney, Adelaide, Brisbane and Westmead. There are still places available so register today.

Now in its second year, the MTPConnect podcast series is already up and running for 2020. The MTPConnect podcast team caught up with well-known West Australian Professor Fiona Wood AO about her career journey as a burns specialist, researcher and innovator. We also just released an episode with Arthur Ong from Curve Tomorrow discussing digital health innovation and latest developments underpinning the future of health.

Next month, the MTPConnect WA Life Sciences Innovation Hub is partnering with CSIRO’s Ribit to host a forum for PhD students, early-to-mid-career researchers and post-graduates to connect with industry leaders in Perth. It’s an event all about careers possibilities and bringing together research and industry to accelerate growth of the MTP sector.  

I would like to welcome new members of the MTPConnect team, Dr David Fox who has joined us as Senior Director Sustainability, and is based in Newcastle; and Rebekah Craggs as Stakeholder Engagement Coordinator WA. We also welcomed a new Board member, Alex Fowkes who has been appointed as a Non-Executive Director, and will be based in Queensland. 

To stay up to date with all the latest news and events, follow us on Twitter - @DrDanGrant and @MTPConnect_AUS - and don't forget to subscribe to our podcast series.  

And finally, if you are interested in following updates on Australia’s response to the coronavirus I encourage you to follow the Department of Health.

Kind regards,

Dr Dan Grant
Managing Director & CEO 

MTPConnect & Industry News

Alex Fowkes Joins MTPConnect Board
MTPConnect is pleased to announce the appointment of Alex Fowkes as a Non-Executive Director. Mr Fowkes was most recently the Chief Strategy Officer for WuXi NextCODE, a genomic information company, based in Singapore and is now returning to Australia. As a life science executive, he is an experienced leader and thought partner for life science strategy, commercial operations and business development.

Download our FY2019 Annual Report
This Annual Report is a chance to look back over not just the last twelve months, but the accumulated impact of nearly four years of a coordinated, industry-led approach to promoting the growth of this sector that is central to Australia’s future health and prosperity.

Introducing Dr David Fox – Senior Director Sustainability
MTPConnect is excited to announce the appointment of Dr David Fox as Senior Director of Sustainability starting this month. David will be based in Newcastle, NSW and will work with Managing Director & CEO Dr Dan Grant and Chief Operating Officer Stuart Dignam on forward-looking strategies for sector growth.

Introducing Rebekah Craggs – Stakeholder Engagement Coordinator WA
MTPConnect is excited to announce the appointment of Rebekah Craggs as our Stakeholder Engagement Coordinator WA, starting this month based at the Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research in Perth.

Sector Snapshot

• Biotech Dispatch covered Alex Fowkes appointment to the MTPConnect Board
• Melbourne scientists from the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity were the first to grow and share novel coronavirus
• Listen to our podcast featuring Fiona Wood AO
• Subscribe to the new Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) monthly newsletter to stay in touch with the latest developments and grant opportunities 
• Check out the leadership change at the Department of Health
• The Australian Government announced an investment of $5 million in lung cancer research
• The Australian Government announced a $2 million Community STEM Grants Maker Program
• Researchers at RMIT University have used liquid metals to develop a new bacteria-destroying technology that could help address the challenge of antibiotic resistance
• Congrats to Navi Medical Technologies, who were awarded $400K by federal government to continue its work developing and testing its groundbreaking neoNAV product
• RMIT​ is part a group of researchers from across the globe developing a new therapy that aims to see if stem cells can be used to regenerate the brain damage caused by premature birth

Sector Opportunities

• Join the City of Melbourne's Business Mission to China and Japan 2020

• Submit an EOI to the UprAsia Program

• Apply to the MedTech Actuator's Accelerator Program

• Apply for the Medical Device Commercialisation Training Program

• Submit an EOI to the WA BRIGHT Innovate in Digital Health

• Submit an EOI to the 2020 BridgeTech Program

• Apply to the 2020 Bridge Program

• Submit your nominations for BioMelbourne Network's 2020 Women in Leadership Awards

• Apply for the NHMRC's Global Alliance for Chronic Diseases: Cancer Prevention

• ANDHealth invites you to complete its survey to identify gaps, challenges & opportunities in digital health commercialisation

• Enter the MRFF Tackling AMR and DR-TB Grant Opportunity

• Submit for the MRFF Cardiovascular Health Mission

• Enter MRFF – Clinical Trials Activity – RCRDUN Initiative – 2019 Rare Cancers, Rare Diseases and Unmet Need Grant

• Apply to the MRFF – Clinical Trials Activity – RCRDUN Initiative – 2019 Reproductive Cancers Grant Opportunity

• Share your innovation story to ge maker's #AUSInnovates platform

• MRCI have put a call out for volunteers for a research study on a vaccine against meningococcal type A,C,W,Y infections in healthy adults between 18 and 40 years
• Volunteer to participate in the Murdoch Children's Research Institute Genetics of Stuttering Study 

Events 

3 February 2020 - Sydney Biomedical Translation Bridge Program Round 2 Information Session 
5 February 2020 - Adelaide Biomedical Translation Bridge Round 2 Information Session
5 February 2020 - An introduction to Active MedTech - from concept to reality, NSW Active
                                 MedTech Community, Webinar
6 February 2020 - Hot or Not: Trends for 2020, BioMelbourne Network, Melbourne 
10-11 February 2020 - SYMPOSIUM - How Medical Device Interoperability, Safety and Security Will
                                         Change Healthcare, Flinders University, Adelaide 
12 February 2020 - Brisbane Biomedical Translation Bridge Program Round 2 Information Session
12 February 2020 - Regulatory requirements for Active Medical Devices, NSW Active MedTech
                                   Community, Webinar
18 February 2020 - VIC BioCheers, AusBiotech, Melbourne
19 February 2020 - Obtaining grants to support your MedTech journey, NSW Active MedTech
                                   Community, Webinar
19 February 2020 -Westmead Biomedical Translation Bridge Program Round 2 Information Session
24-26 February 2020 - B.R.I.G.H.T Innovate 3-Day Workshop, ANDHealth, Melbourne

To see what industry events are happening near you in 2019, visit our events page.

Are you are hosting an event? Share with the MTP sector by emailing: media@mtpconnect.org.au

Pictured: Victorian Minister for Jobs, Trade, Innovation, Sport, Tourism, Major Events & Racing Hon. Martin Pakula MP opening The MedTech Actuator's 2019 Showcase in Melbourne.

Case Study Showcase: MedTech Start-Ups Have Talent

Start-up accelerator The MedTech Actuator has formed a collaboration with venture capital firm Artesian Ventures to create new growth opportunities for medtech start-ups. Funded as part of MTPConnect's Project Fund Program, the MedTech Actuator has achieved great outcomes, creating 55 new jobs and training over 1,000 innovators in less than 18 months. Read more.

Want to showcase your great work? Email media@mtpconnect.org.au to submit a case study.

Sector Profile: Perth Blood Institute

The Perth Blood Institute (PBI) is a medical research institute specialising in blood disorders, including haemophilia, deep vein thrombosis, leukaemia, myeloma and lymphoma. PBI conducts medical research into blood disorders, including their causes, prevention and treatment options; facilitates access to high quality clinical trials for people affected by blood disorders; and improves the provision of information about blood disorders to patients and their families. Learn more in our Sector Directory.  

List your organisation on the MTPConnect Sector Directory.

MTPConnect launches 2019 Annual Report

MTPConnect today launches its 2019 Annual Report, an opportunity to share and celebrate the medtech and pharma sector’s efforts, impact and progress towards better health in Australia and internationally.

It’s a welcome opportunity to look back over not just the last twelve months, but the accumulated impact of nearly four years of a coordinated, industry-led approach to promoting the growth of this sector that is central to Australia’s future health and prosperity. I am proud of our work to accelerate growth and maximise opportunities for the translation and commercialisation of medical discoveries. 

This Annual Report provides a snapshot of how we achieve this - through connecting research and industry, delivering funding, developing skills, creating international market opportunities, informing policy and promoting regulatory reform. Thank you to the sector, whose stories are told here, for being part of this collaborative effort.

So far we have invested over $26 million into initiatives supporting the MTP sector which have attracted more than $39 million in co-contributions from industry and brought together 142 industry partners in collaboration. Part of this effort has been the Department of Industry, Innovation and Science (DIIS) GC Project Fund program, committing $15.6 million across 36 collaborative projects with demonstrable results summarised in the report.

With confirmation in early 2019 of continued funding for our Growth Centre along with securing two new programs for the Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) worth $67.3 million, we took the opportunity to make some organisational changes to support future growth and sustainability.  It was a transformative year, and gave us the opportunity to shift our focus forward to 2020 and beyond as we strive for further sector growth.

I hope you enjoy the read.

Yours sincerely,

Dr Dan Grant

Managing Director and CEO
MTPConnect

Message from the MD & CEO

As the MTP sector continues to rebuild from the COVID-19 pandemic, it faces the ongoing challenge of developing, attracting and retaining world-class talent. The sector is also facing a period of transformation as it develops new research and manufacturing efforts to drive economic growth. 

This month we released the ''MTPConnect REDI Program Skills Gap Analysis Interim Report’ - the first of three medical technology, biotechnology and pharmaceutical sector workforce reports we’re delivering as part of the Researcher Exchange and Development within Industry (REDI) program. In partnership with L.E.K. Consulting, we engaged widely across the sector to identify areas of workforce shortage, strength and competitive advantage.

With nearly 1,300 companies and 68,000 jobs, the sector is a major contributor to the Australian economy - but the report identifies some high priority skills gaps which need urgent attention if we are to create a future ready workforce today.  

Not only have we identified the gaps, around clinical development, research translation and commercialisation, but we’ve also launched the REDI Contestable program of new education and training initiatives to help plug those gaps. This focus is expected to unlock significant value for the MTP sector within the next 12–18 months, so we can take advantage of the post-pandemic growth opportunities.

We also welcomed a new REDI partner, GSK Australia, who’ve established a new industry placement program for PhD graduates. The program’s objective is to facilitate the cross pollination of scientific, academic research expertise with real-world experiences in a research-intensive pharmaceutical company. A very timely, workforce enhancing initiative. Applications close on 2 December for the first cohort in 2021, so don’t miss out.

And we will soon launch REDI’s Industry Fellowships program to increase collaboration between academia and industry through the deployment of funding for fellowships/ internships with industry sponsors. Look out for further information about an Information Session to be held in December.

With an eye on recovery and rebuilding, MTPConnect is rolling out some more funding opportunities and another industry-led catalyst, this time for genomics. MTPConnect has backed the establishment of the Industry Genomics Network Alliance (InGeNA), a consortium of 13 founding members led by the Australasian Institute of Digital Health (AIDH). We’ve established InGeNA as part of our Growth Centre project fund, to unlock the potential of Australia’s genomics and precision medicine sector and build a stronger and more diverse industry that can contribute internationally.

For our $47 million Targeted Translation Research Accelerator (TTRA) program for diabetes and cardiovascular disease, the team has been preparing to call for expressions of interest to establish two research centres and open the first round of research project funding in mid-December. Part of this process involved holding a series of roundtable meetings with key stakeholders, to determine research funding priorities. Look out for details about Information Sessions running in December on our website.

If you’re interested in securing commercialisation funding, check out our November Seminar Series webinar ‘Show Me the Money: Tips for Preparing Successful Commercialisation Funding Applications’, available as an episode of the MTPConnect podcast series or as a video on-demand. I shared my insights from writing and reviewing funding applications, along with advice from our guest experts, which I’m sure will prove helpful in this competitive research environment.  

I also enjoyed delivering a keynote at MTAA’s Cyber Security Forum promoting awareness about the cyber security issues affecting medical devices and the medtech sector. The digital evolution is transforming our sector and cyber security should be at the heart of everything we do because lives depend on it. If you couldn’t make the event, the presentation will soon be available as another MTPConnect podcast episode.

Our team has grown again this month, with Dr Mana Liao joining us as Director of the TTRA program based in Sydney and Dr Amelia Vom as BTB Project Manager based in Melbourne. Starting a new role during COVID-19 workplace restrictions isn’t easy and we look forward to the time when we can meet as a team again, face to face. In the meantime, we will continue to stay connected to our colleagues and the sector with the help of technology until the time is right.

As we move toward the end of this extraordinary year, take care and keep in touch.

Kind regards,

Dr Dan Grant
Managing Director & CEO 

MTPConnect & Industry News

GSK Joins REDI with new PhD Graduate Innovation Program
This month, MTPConnect announced that GSK Australia have joined the REDI initiative as a partner to provide a PhD Graduate Program to facilitate the cross pollination of scientific, academic research expertise with that of the pharmaceutical industry. The ‘GSK PhD Graduate Innovation Program’ (GPGIP) provides selected PhD Postgraduates with a 12-month placement assigning them to lead on core projects in areas such as early product development, medical affairs and regulatory affairs. Applications close on 2 December 2020.

Call for Proposals Opens for REDI Contestable Program
Round One of the REDI Contestable program is now open and calling for suitably qualified organisations to submit proposals for new training courses/programs to address two specific priority skills gaps identified in the REDI Skills Gaps Analysis Interim Report. Visit the Current Opportunities page for more information, the opportunity closes 15 December 2020.

Australia’s First Industry-Led Genomics Alliance Established
The Australasian Institute of Digital Health (AIDH) was awarded $300,000 in funding from MTPConnect’s Industry Growth Centre Project Fund Program to establish the Industry Genomics Network Alliance (InGeNA). The new Alliance aims to unlock the potential of Australia’s genomics and precision medicine sector. The 13 founding member companies bring matched funds and represent a ‘who’s who’ of the genomics and precision medicine industry.

Sector Snapshot

• As our TTRA initiative rolls out its diabetes & CVD research program plans, we announced partnerships with ANDHealth, MDPP & UniQuest, to provide advice & mentoring for future funding recipients.
• The Australian Government announced over $40 million from the Biomedical Translation Fund for a number of Australian biotechnology companies, Ena Respiratory, Kira Biotech, Closed Loop Medical, Adherium and Polyactiva
• The latest round of the Australian Government''s Accelerating Commercialisation grants totalled $240 million with grants for MTP sector companies Nimblic, Ker Ker and Microbio
• InnovationAus covered the news that the Victorian Government will launch a $25 million venture growth fund in an effort to keep start-ups in the state
• Check out the list of the 2020 Australian Museum Eureka Prizes winners
• Visit the InGeNA website to learn more about the new Genomics Industry Alliance
• Watch our REDI Information Session: Call for Proposals for Skills Gap Training Programs 
• Researchers from The University of Queensland, The University of Melbourne and Griffith University have discovered that an experimental Alzheimer''s disease treatment is proving effective at treating some of the most persistent, life-threatening antibiotic-resistant bacteria
• Download ATSE''s IMNIS 2020 Impact Report
• Watch our webinar: Show Me The Money: Preparing Successful Commercialisation Funding Applications
• Check out Dimerix featured in Stockhead, as the company''s lead drug candidate DMX-200 is selected for a global study as a potential COVID-19 treatment.
• University of Sydney researchers have been awarded $1.12 million in IMCRC funding to undertake independent clinical research studies into Vaxxas needle-free vaccine delivery for at-risk groups of influenza or SARS-COV-2
• Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute has established a unique, community-based research facility in the new HeartWest cardiology service at Heaths Road, Hoppers Crossing, in Melbourne’s outer west conducting clinical studies in high risk and disadvantaged communities
• Watch the University of Melbourne''s Conversations on COVID-19, featuring Doherty Institute Prof Sharon Lewin and global infectious disease expert Dr Anthony Fauci
• Download the OUTBREAK Report, which revealed the threat of antibiotic resistance in UTIs
• This month, marked World Antimicrobial Awareness Week and the OUTBREAK Project released findings on antibiotic resistance in UTIs in The Conversation
• Download BioMelbourne Network''s 2020 Annual Report
• Connect with our new TTRA Director, Dr Mana Liao 
• Connect with our new BTB Project Manager, Dr Amelia Vom
• SpeeDx CEO Colin Denver has been been named in the Top 25 Healthcare Technology CEOs of Asia for 2020
• Visit the BTB page to view the projects funded in Rounds 1, 2 and 3
• Download our ''MTPConnect REDI Program Skills Gap Analysis Interim Report''
• A Monash University research team will harness the power of technology to help diagnose, treat and prevent antimicrobial resistance — one of the globe’s most pressing health concerns
• A new Australian product designed to make kidney dialysis more broadly available at low cost has won first prize in a global health innovations competition. Sydney-based Ellen Medical in partnership with The George Institute for Global Health beat more than 500 entries from 22 countries with the innovation

Sector Opportunities

• Apply to GSK Australia''s PhD Graduate Innovation Program by 2 December 2020, which is supported by our REDI initiative

• Round One of the REDI Contestable program is open until 15 December 2020 for proposals to deliver priority skills gap training courses/programs for the MTP workforce

• Apply to MedTech Actuator''s Origin Challenge, supported by our REDI initiative

• Nominations for the 2021 BioMelbourne Network Women in Leadership Awards are open

• Under the REDI initiative, APR.Intern is providing a subsidy to businesses in the medtech, biotech & pharma sector with the opportunity to take on a PhD student through a short-term research placement in 2020

• Apply to MedTech Actuator''s 2021 Menzies Scholarship  Fellowship that will educate junior scientists and researchers in Australia in entrepreneurship and commercialisation.

• Enter the Department of Health''s Heart Disease and Stroke – Early Detection grant

• Apply to the Department of Health''s Heart Disease and Stroke – Support for Recovery grant

• Apply to MRFF 2021 Frontier Health and Medical Research Initiative

• Apply to MRFF 2020 COVID-19 Vaccine Candidate Research Grant opportunity

• Apply to the MRFF – Million Minds Mission - 2020 Mental Health Research grant opportunity

• Apply to the MRFF – Million Minds Mission

• List your organisation on MDPP''s online Capability Directory

• If your company exports health services, take DFAT''s Born Global Survey

• Apply to NHMRC''s 2020 COVID-19 Vaccine Candidate Research Grant

• Partner with Cicada Innovations

Events 

30 November - 4 December 2020 - ACTA Summit 2020
1 December 2020 - BioForum, BioMelbourne Network
1 December 2020 - EMERGE Tech & STEM Careers Expo ''Ask Me Anything'', Cicada Innovations
2 December 2020 - BiotechTalks: Industry and Victorian Budget Update, AusBiotech
2 December 2020 - EMERGE Tech & STEM Careers Expo ''Ask Me Anything'', Cicada Innovations
2 December 2020 - WestTechFest
3 December 2020 - EMERGE Tech & STEM Careers Expo ''Ask Me Anything'', Cicada Innovations
3 December 2020 - National Commercialisation Bootcamp, MedTech Actuator
8 December 2020 - EMERGE Tech & STEM Careers Expo ''Ask Me Anything'', Cicada Innovations
9 - 11 December 2020 - 2020 AAMRI Convention
9 December 2020 - A Virtual Coffee Catch Up With.. MTAA
9 December 2020 - EMERGE Tech & STEM Careers Expo ''Ask Me Anything'', Cicada Innovations
10 December 2020 - Cohort 5 Demo Day, MedTech Actuator
10 December 2020 - EMERGE Tech & STEM Careers Expo ''Ask Me Anything'', Cicada Innovations
17 December 2020 - EMERGE 2020 STEM Tech & Careers Showcase | Cicada Showcase

To see what industry events are happening near you in 2020, visit our events page.

Pictured: The Anatomics team at the launch of their 3D printing polymer laboratory at the MAKE Incubator in Melbourne in 2019.

Case Study Showcase: Driving Australia''s Medtech Manufacturing for Patients Recovering from Brain Surgery

In 2019, Anatomics saw an opportunity to turn an abandoned car manufacturing facility in Melbourne into an expansive 3D bioprinting warehouse. This facility would allow the research team to advance its state-of-the-art craniofacial implant manufacturing, leveraging 3D printing to drive innovation, whilst reducing process complexity, turnaround time and costs. Read more.

Want to showcase your great work? Email media@mtpconnect.org.au to submit a case study.

Sector Profile: Qure Ventures

Qure Ventures manages a globally focused venture fund (US$50mn in size) that invests in clinically relevant digital health solutions and is a strategic innovation partner for leading healthcare organisations. To leverage its returns potential, Qure has signed strategic partnership agreements that provide Qure and its portfolio companies with strong validation and clinical and commercial support. Learn more in our Sector Directory.  

List your organisation on the MTPConnect Sector Directory.

Message from the MD & CEO

The world has just passed 10 million COVID-19 cases and the spike in community transmissions in suburban Melbourne reminds us that this virus is still with us. And as we arrive at the midpoint of a year so profoundly shaped by SARS-CoV-2, it’s important to reflect on this challenging situation and recognise the critical role the MTP sector has played in Australia’s pandemic response - and is playing in the recovery.

To boost Australia’s COVID-19 research efforts, we launched a rapid round of our Biomedical Translation Bridge program specifically targeting COVID-19 projects, with expressions of interest closing earlier this month. We will provide up to $1 million to support eligible organisations develop medical devices, diagnostics, prophylactic or therapeutic approaches that will achieve an impact on the global response to the pandemic in less than 12-months. Interest was extremely strong, and decisions will be announced soon. 

We recently undertook research, in partnership with L.E.K. Consulting, to examine ways in which the pandemic lockdown has effected organisations across the different parts of the MTP value chain.  Earlier this month we published those findings in the MTPConnect COVID-19 Impact Report, revealing the first evidence of the lockdown’s significant negative impacts across the sector, including hits to company values, the shutdown of clinical trials and the drying-up of capital to sustain R&D projects. The report also highlights that the MTP sector’s role has never been more important in driving Australia’s pandemic response and recovery and protecting the health of Australians.   

A supplementary report, Collaborating in the Public Interest: How Australia''s Medical Technology Sector, published in collaboration with the Medical Technology Association of Australia, documents how our medtech sector joined with the Australian Government to fight COVID-19 and details the behind-the-scenes story of that unique collaboration that’s become known as the ‘Australia Model’ and is now being replicated by many countries around the world.

We launched our $32 million Researcher Exchange and Development within Industry (REDI) initiative this month, a four-year program to enhance our sector’s workforce. First up, we’ve partnered with training, mentoring, internship, entrepreneurship and incubator organisations to support expansion of their proven training programs to deliver deeper impact by addressing known skills gaps. Great to welcome on board APR.Intern, ANDHealth, The Bridge and BridgeTech Programs, The George Institute for Global Health, The VCCC, IMNIS, MDPP and the MedTech Actuator! We’ll update you regularly on this initiative.

In a parallel program, we asked for your feedback to the MTP Workforce Skills Survey which was developed by a cross-industry project team including ANDHealth, AusBiotech, Medicines Australia and MTAA. Once the survey closes tomorrow, we will be able to analyse the skills gaps in our future MTP workforce. Thanks to everyone who has taken time to share valuable feedback for this effort.

MTPConnect continues to support collaboration throughout the sector with various sponsorships and virtual events to keep us connected. As many of you will know, today we held another of our ‘Seminar Series’ webinars, ‘Charting your Course – Commercialising Health Innovations’ featuring CIMIT’s Chief Operating Officer John Collins from Boston USA, Health Horizon Founder & CEO Mathew McGann and OncoRes Medical CEO and Managing Director Dr Kate Giles. If you missed it, look for the episode in our MTPConnect podcast series. Our next ‘Seminar Series’ webinar will explore the Frontiers of Biomechanics later in July, more details to come.

Our virtual podcast studio has been travelling near and far to bring you some great stories. We caught up with Dr Keith Chappell and Professor Trent Munro from UQ’s Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology for a progress report on their COVID-19 vaccine work that has the whole world watching. We heard about Therapeutic Innovation Australia’s national research facilities supporting COVID-19 research and explored the frontier of sports science and biomechanics with UWA’s Associate Professor Jaqueline Alderson. 

Finally, I’m pleased to welcome Dr Erin McAllum to the MTPConnect team as Project Manager for the BioMedTech Horizons program. Erin comes to us from the Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health where she led a research program into dementia and Parkinson’s disease. In other news, we will farewell Dr Kate Brooks from our WA team at the end of July as she takes up another role. Kate has made an enormous impact on our WA hub and will be missed by all. Kate’s departure creates a great opportunity in our WA office. Check out our website for more information about the role of Director Stakeholder Engagement for WA - applications close Friday 17 July 2020.

Wishing you continued good health and as productive a start as possible to the new financial year. And please stay in touch.

Kind regards,

Dr Dan Grant
Managing Director & CEO 

Pictured: Hamilton Medical ventilators distributed, installed and supported by Australian medical device company Device Technologies based in Belrose, NSW. 

MTPConnect & Industry News

New Report Reveals COVID-19 Impact on the Sector
A new report, released by MTPConnect reveals the COVID-19 health crisis has had a significant negative impact across the medtech, biotech and pharma (MTP) sector, including start-ups, SMEs, large local and multinational companies, researchers, universities, service providers, industry organisations and investors. 

New COVID-19 Report Reveals Critical Role of Medtech Sector in COVID-19 Response
Our report, ‘Collaborating in the Public Interest: How Australia''s Medical Technology Sector joined with Government to fight COVID-19’, outlines the back story on what is coming to be known as the ‘Australian Model’ of government and industry collaboration. MTPConnect, in collaboration with the Medical Technology Association of Australia (MTAA), explains how the industry  and the Australian Government banded together to fight the spread of Coronavirus and ensure supplies of critical medical and personal protective equipment. Download the report today.

Podcast Tracks Australia’s Quest For a COVID-19 Vaccine
In February 2020, the MTPConnect Podcast welcomed Professor Trent Munro to the microphone to discuss his team’s early work on a vaccine for the novel coronavirus using their patented molecular clamp technology. This month, we checked in with Dr Keith Chappell and Professor Munro from the University of Queensland’s Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN) to find they are taking the first and only Australian vaccine candidate towards phase I clinical trials. Listen to the episode today.

2020 BIO International Convention Goes Digital with a Special Guest from Australia
While COVID-19 kept us from the 2020 BIO International Convention in the United States, we worked with Federal Minister for Health Hon. Greg Hunt MP on his involvement in the virtual International Plenary could represent Australia’s medtech, biotech and pharma sectors virtually. Listen to the recording here.

Sector Snapshot

• Congrats to SpeeDx who signed a major deal with Roche to develop Antibiotic Resistance diagnostics tests
• Check out the coverage of our COVID-19 Impact Reports in the Australian Financial Review
• The Australian Government is boosting cutting-edge research with $35 million for 17 projects
• Check out our REDI program page featuring our eight industry and research partners 

• Welcome Dr Erin McAllum, who has joined MTPConnect as the BMTH Project Manager

• BioMelbourne Network welcome a new CEO Jeff Malone commencing 13 July

• Check out 9News Melbourne coverage of the UQ COVID-19 vaccine development team of Dr Keith Chappell, Professor Trent Munro and Professor Paul Young as clinical trial recruitment for healthy volunteers begins

• MTPConnect welcome the appointment of Jaala Pulford MP as the new Minister for Employment; Innovation, Medical Research & the Digital Economy; & Small Business in Victoria

• Congrats to the winners of the 2020 BioMelbourne Women in Leaderships Awards

• Check out the winners of the Australian Digital Health Association''s (ADHA) Innovation Challenge

• Read the full list of the 42 semi-finalists progressing in the 2020 Australian Technology Competition including the eight medtech and pharma finalists 

• Download the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences (AAHMS)''s report, ‘Artificial Intelligence in Health: Exploring the Opportunities and Challenges’

Sector Opportunities

• Help us identify workforce skills gaps by contributing to the MTP Workforce Skills Survey, extended until Friday

• Applications are open to join MTPConnect as the Director Stakeholder Engagement in WA 

• Linear Clinical Trials is recruiting for an upcoming COVID-19 vaccine study

• The Victorian Government wants local manufacturers of medical equipment & PPE to help meet the increasing production demand due to COVID-19

• Apply to Takeda Pharmaceutical''s Open Innovation Funding

• Nominations are open for Research Australia''s Peter Wills Medal

• If your company exports health services, take DFAT''s Born Global Survey

• Apply to NHMRC''s 2020 COVID-19 Vaccine Candidate Research Grant

• Apply to SBE Australia''s Springboard Enterprises Life Science Program

• Apply to NHMRC''s 2020 COVID-19 Mental Health Research Grant

• Apply to NHMRC''s 2020 Postgraduate Scholarship Scheme

• CRC Program Round 22 grant opportunity is open for industry-led research collaborations 

• Apply to the Clinical Trials and Cohort Studies 2020

• Partner with Cicada Innovations

• Apply for the NHMRC''s Global Alliance for Chronic Diseases: Cancer Prevention

• Share your innovation story to ge maker''s #AUSInnovates platform

Events 

6 July 2020 - Building Resilience in times of Covid-19, PRAXIS Australia
7 July 2020 - Accelerating R&D Commercialisation In The Face Of COVID-19, NSW Government
9 July 2020 - Kick-start your post-COVID-19 manufacturing transformation, ARM Hub & IMCRC
9 July 2020 - WiMT Webinar, MTAA
14 July 2020 - Building Resilience in times of Covid-19, PRAXIS Australia
16 July 2020 - BiotechTalks, AusBiotech
16 July 2020 - Building Resilience in times of Covid-19, PRAXIS Australia
16 July 2020 - Kick-start your post-COVID-19 manufacturing transformation, ARM Hub & IMCRC
22 July 2020 - Health10x Pitch Day, George Institute for Global Health
23 July 2020 - Kick-start your post-COVID-19 manufacturing transformation, ARM Hub & IMCRC
24 July 2020 - Building Resilience in times of Covid-19, PRAXIS Australia
30 July 2020 - Kick-start your post-COVID-19 manufacturing transformation, ARM Hub & IMCRC

To see what industry events are happening near you in 2020, visit our events page.

Pictured: Clinical trial in progress. Image courtesy of Linear Clinical Research.

Case Study Showcase: Reducing Barriers Through Providing Affordable Technical Services to Medtech Companies

Microscopy Australia, through the MTPConnect Project Fund Program, set out to provide easy and discounted access to its microscopy services for medtech R&D companies, by funding up to 200 technical vouchers to reduce existing barriers to use. The consortium of university-based microscopy facilities, led by the University of Sydney, includes University of Queensland, University of Western Australia, UNSW Sydney, University of Adelaide, University of South Australia, Australian National University and Flinders University. The voucher system has enabled WA-based Linear Clinical Research to provide an essential technical testing service for a new investigational drug being developed for a first in-human clinical trial by an international sponsor. Read more.

Want to showcase your great work? Email media@mtpconnect.org.au to submit a case study.

Sector Profile: Proteolytics Pty Ltd

Proteolytics Pty Ltd, based in Perth, is developing and commercialising OPAL-A, a proprietary botanical extract from paw paw fruit to treat hard-to-heal wounds for human and animal health. A 2nd-generation candidate, PL-001, combines OPAL-A with Proteolytics’ novel technology for enhancing and stabilising enzymatic activity, ProteoActiv™. Learn more in our Sector Directory.  

List your organisation on the MTPConnect Sector Directory.

Message from the MD & CEO

In a sign of our radically changed times, I’m writing to you from my home office as the MTPConnect team and I adjust to working from home and adapt our activities to this new environment dealing with the coronavirus disease. 

This evolving global health crisis is on a scale not seen for decades since polio, tuberculosis and influenza in the 1950s and HIV AIDS in the 1980s. 

It was only mid last month, when the World Health Organisation declared COVID-19 a public health emergency of global concern.  That’s when we brought you our coronavirus podcast discussion with Professor George Lovrecz from the CSIRO and Professor Trent Munro from the University of Queensland about their world-leading vaccine work.  Back then there were just 15 cases in Australia - that’s escalated exponentially to well over 4,000 cases today and along the way SARS-CoV-2 has claimed lives and disrupted our livelihoods.

It’s been such a dramatic shift, and right now it’s difficult to predict the extent of the impact on our sector.  We do know that with opportunities for medtech innovation addressing infection control and for fast-tracked research into vaccines and new therapeutics, the call to arms for our health and medical research ecosystem is now. 

Our Board and Executive team are supporting the Australian research, medical, manufacturing and supply chain efforts through direct dialogue with Federal, State and Territory governments, ministers and departments.  Be assured that your feedback to us is being heard.

Notwithstanding the many challenges this month, we enjoyed hosting Frank Jaskulke, a U.S. market expert from the Medical Alley Association in Minnesota (think Medtronic, 3M, Boston Scientific and the Mayo Clinic). Frank brought our stakeholders vital tips and strategies to crack that lucrative market and if you missed him in person, you can catch him in a podcast episode.  

Frank helped us launch our 2020 Seminar Series which will roll out now on a virtual platform which, with many of the events in our sector being delayed or cancelled, we believe is more important than ever.  It’s why we’re excited to support ARCS Australia’s free weekly seminar series: COVID – 19: considerations and strategies for running trials during the pandemic that looks at how COVID-19 is impacting clinical trials. Sign up now if you are part of the clinical trials community.  

I’d also like to highlight a new report we released this month with Asialink Business - Digital Health in Indonesia: Opportunities for Australia. With an eye on the future, the report looks at the rapidly growing digital health ecosystem in Indonesia. Download the report today to read about some really interesting digital health success stories between our two countries.

We supported the DMTC Conference in Canberra this month, discussing the public health challenges of antimicrobial resistance.  Check out our podcast series for our Queensland Director of Stakeholder Engagement, Andrew Bowskill’s keynote presentation there, and for more on AMR, we also spoke this month with UK expert, Professor Adrian Towse. Next month, we move our podcast to a virtual studio so stay tuned for our 50th episode!

In funding news, our BTB program Round 2 EOIs closed earlier this month with applications now under review. The eight Round 1 projects are fully contracted and have commenced their research and commercialisation activities. In our other MRFF program, BMTH Round 3 Stage 2 applications are currently being prepared and due to be submitted in early April for final evaluation, so watch this space. The nine BMTH Round 2 projects that were recently funded were all contracted and have kicked off.

Finally, I’d like to say a big thank you to my MTPConnect team based around Australia. They have adapted magnificently in rapidly changing and trying circumstances. I can assure you that our commitment to championing the MTP sector is undiminished, even if we’re working a little differently.  

Stay home, stay safe and we’ll stay in touch.

Kind regards,

Dr Dan Grant
Managing Director & CEO 

Pictured: Our Director Stakeholder NSW Dr Duncan Macinnis and Frank Jaskulke at the University of Sydney’s Knowledge Hub.

MTPConnect & Industry News

Australian innovators of digital health technologies need to seize emerging opportunities in Indonesia 
New research by MTPConnect and Asialink Business explores why it’s time for Australian businesses to explore Indonesia’s booming digital health ecosystem. Ahead of the imminent start of the Indonesian-Australian Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (IA-CEPA), a new study outlines the growing opportunities for Australian digital health businesses to partner with Indonesia on innovative solutions to the country’s rising health needs. Download the report today.

Support for Australian Businesses and Households Impacted by COVID-19
As Australia along with the rest of the world is feeling the impact of the pandemic, the Federal Government is providing support to businesses and households who are currently dealing with the significant challenges posed by the spread of the coronavirus.

In Case You Missed It: How to Crack the U.S. Market - the First Seminar Series 
To kick off our new 2020 Seminar Series around Australia, we brought out Medical Alley Associations’ VP Intelligence Frank Jaskulke from Minnesota to share his expertise and insights about into breaking into the U.S. market. Australia and Medical Alley have a history dating back to the development of the pacemaker. MTPConnect established a cooperation agreement with Medical Alley Association back in 2017 to forge a strong relationship and open further connections for the exciting medical innovations between countries.  

Sector Snapshot

• Researchers race to accelerate UQ’s COVID-19 vaccine research
• The George Institute announced three Australian investors that have committed $53 million to support the commercialisation of its research
• Check out AustCyber''s guidelines to maintaining security while remote working
• Read how the Department of Health is responding to COVID-19
• Bill Ferris AC has been appointed as the new Chair of the MRCF
• Check out this story about Perx Health
• Pfizer announced a new agreement with German-based BioNTech to develop a vaccine against COVID-19
• Download Frank Jaskulke''s presentation on how to crack the U.S. market
• Minister for Health Hon. Greg Hunt MP and Victorian Minister for Health Jenny Mikakos MP announced a new National Drug Discovery Centre at the WEHI
• Listen to our podcast with Andrew Bowskill to hear about the global health challenge of Antimicrobial Resistance 
• Florey researchers are working with stroke survivors to investigate if the physical design of a hospital space can impact stroke recovery
• NSW Health has developed guidance for sponsors, researchers, HRECs and RGOs for conducting clinical trials affected by COVID-19
• Luina Bio signed an MoU with Griffith University to team up to develop a COVID-19 vaccine
• Download our report with Asialink Business ''Digital Health in Indonesia: Opportunities for Australia''
• Funding of $2.5 million will kickstart a two-year manufacturing research project for the University of Melbourne''s School of Chemistry, Bio21 Institute and the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre to increase the shelf-life of radiation drugs, so they can be shipped to patients globally
• Read The Conversation''s article on routines you can do when working from home
• Listen to our podcast with COSA about the impact of tele-trials

Sector Opportunities

• Nominations are open for the SA Science Excellence and Innovation Awards

• Enter the Synergy Grants

• Enter the 2020 AusTech Competition

• Apply to the MRFF – 2020 Antiviral Development for COVID-19

• Apply to the Clinical Trials and Cohort Studies 2020

• Submit an EOI to the UprAsia Program

• Enter the 2020 Ideas Grants

• Partner with Cicada Innovations

• Apply to Bionic Queensland

• Apply to the MedTech Actuator''s Accelerator Program

• Apply to Round 1 of the Boosting Female Founders Initiative

• Submit an EOI to the WA BRIGHT Innovate in Digital Health

• Apply for the NHMRC''s Global Alliance for Chronic Diseases: Cancer Prevention

• Share your innovation story to ge maker''s #AUSInnovates platform

Events 

6 April 2020 - COVID–19: considerations and strategies for running trials during the pandemic,
                         ARCS Australia
20 April 2020 - COVID–19: considerations and strategies for running trials during the pandemic,
                           ARCS Australia
28 April 2020 - COVID–19: considerations and strategies for running trials during the pandemic,
                           ARCS Australia
4 May 2020 - COVID–19: considerations and strategies for running trials during the pandemic,
                        ARCS Australia
11 May 2020 - COVID–19: considerations and strategies for running trials during the pandemic,
                          ARCS Australia
18 May 2020 - COVID–19: considerations and strategies for running trials during the pandemic,
                          ARCS Australia
25 May 2020 - COVID–19: considerations and strategies for running trials during the pandemic,
                          ARCS Australia

To see what industry events are happening near you in 2020, visit our events page.

Pictured: CRITERIA graduates attending the 2018 ARCS Conference.

Case Study Showcase: CRITERIA: to improve job-readiness for MTP graduates

Australia has a strong and flourishing clinical trials environment, which makes it an attractive destination to conduct trials. In 2018, to further enhance Australia''s capabilities in this field, ARCS Australia developed the Clinical Research Industry''s Talent Expansion, Retention, Investment and Advancement (CRITERIA) training program to help PhD graduates transition to employment in the clinical research setting. Read more.

Want to showcase your great work? Email media@mtpconnect.org.au to submit a case study.

Sector Profile: Hydrix

Today more than ever, medical devices are becoming software-driven, smart and connected. At Hydrix, we live and breathe the latest medical technologies and couple this with proven expertise in the connected and IoT domains. We translate this passion into commercial reality, enabling start-ups though to large corporations to realize their product development goals. And we partner with our clients to offer tailored design and engineering solutions to best fit their commercial needs. Learn more in our Sector Directory.  

List your organisation on the MTPConnect Sector Directory.

Announcing $18.8 million funding boost for 21 new BioMedTech Horizons research projects across Australia

I’m pleased to announce that 21 early stage medical technology projects have received funding of $18.8 million through the third round of the BioMedTech Horizons (BMTH) program, an initiative of the Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) operated by MTPConnect. 

The funding, announced by the Minister for Health, The Hon. Greg Hunt MP, is predominantly for digital health innovations and has attracted an additional $21.3 million in industry contributions which means a total of $40.1 million is flowing into the healthtech sector.

As digital evolution continues to drive change across many aspects of healthcare, this funding round targeted support for SMEs and companies researching digitally-enabled medical devices in mobile health, health information technology, wearable devices, telehealth and telemedicine, and digitally-enabled personalised medicine.

From the 21 selected projects, patients of the future are set to benefit from new research into treatments and diagnostics for conditions such as cancer, epilepsy, stroke, paralysis, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, brain injuries, back pain and chronic middle ear disease.

In a highly competitive round, our independent and expert evaluation committee selected projects in Western Australia, South Australia, Victoria and NSW.

Through the BMTH program and the MRFF we are backing innovation and technological advancements in areas such as digital health solutions, medical devices, precision and regenerative medicine supported by advanced manufacturing and clinical trials with a vision of better health outcomes globally.  

Building home-grown translational and commercialisation capacity means boosting our knowledge economy and creating new products, jobs and potential exports. This is particularly important now considering the hit that our sector has taken dealing with the impact of COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown.

The BMTH program makes funding available for SMEs to develop new health, biological and medical technologies to reach proof-of-concept so they are attractive for private capital investment and commercialisation. Read more about these 21 promising projects listed below.

Round 3 recipients:

Anatomics Pty Ltd, Victoria, is developing digitally enabled skullcaps to monitor brain swelling in craniectomy patients to optimise timing of skull reconstruction surgery.

Anisop Holdings Pty Ltd, New South Wales, is developing a nano-optimised surface to prevent orthopaedic and dental implant infections.

Apollo Medical Imaging Technology Pty Ltd, Victoria, is developing an Artificial Intelligence-based clinical decision support software for guided acute stroke therapy.

Artrya Pty Ltd, Western Australia, is developing Artificial Intelligence methods for evaluating cardiac CT angiography and high-risk imaging biomarkers.

Atmo Biosciences Pty Ltd, Victoria, is developing an application of Atmo ingestible gas sensing capsule to diagnose Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO).

Bionic Vision Technologies Pty Ltd, Victoria, is developing an implantable vision system and algorithm in their Bionic Eye Generation 3 device to restore functional vision for blind patients.

Carbon Cybernetics, Victoria, is developing a high-resolution cortical recording of the brain for the prediction and prevention of epileptic seizures.

Ear Science Institute Australia, Western Australia, is advancing the commercialisation of its ClearDrum® device, which is an acoustically-optimised silk fibroin implant for the treatment of chronic middle ear disease.

Ferronova Pty Ltd, South Australia, is working to improve colorectal cancer outcomes with hybrid cancer tracers.

Hemideina, Victoria, is developing a miniature, low-energy wireless power and data transmission system for implantable medical devices.

Inventia Life Science Pty Ltd, New South Wales, is developing a 3D bioprinting system for intraoperative skin regeneration.

Merunova Pty Ltd, New South Wales, is developing an augmented digital re-construction and re-visualisation of spine MRI for the personalised diagnosis of back pain.

Miniprobes Pty Ltd, South Australia, is developing a smart brain biopsy needle for faster, safer neurosurgery.

Neuromersiv Pty Ltd, New South Wales, is advancing the commercialisation of its hand and arm wearable device for use with the Neuromersiv virtual reality rehabilitation system.

Northern Research Pty Ltd, New South Wales, is advancing the commercialisation of its PulseVAD pulsatile rotary blood pump that is designed to treat patients suffering from a form of Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) for which, at present, there is no effective treatment.

OncoRes Medical Pty Ltd, Western Australia, is developing compact wireless technology for improvement in the accuracy during breast conserving surgery.

Optiscan Pty Ltd, Victoria, is developing its non-invasive confocal endomicroscopy system to enhance oral cancer screening and surgical margin assessment.

Seer, Victoria, is developing personalised epilepsy treatment via mobile and wearable monitoring.

Synchron Australia Pty Ltd, Victoria, is advancing the commercialisation of its Stentrode; a minimally-invasive brain-computer interface being designed to enable people with paralysis to restore functional independence by engaging in activities of daily living such as email communication, text messaging and online shopping, by controlling apps and external devices through thought alone, and without requiring open brain surgery.

VenstraMedical Pty Ltd, New South Wales, is enhancing the development of a transcatheter blood pump system for Cardiogenic Shock and Hemodynamically Compromised patients.

Zip Diagnostics, Victoria, is establishing domestic capabilities for combined R&D and manufacture of point-of-care diagnostics.

Congratulations to all involved.  

Kind regards,

Dr Dan Grant
Managing Director & CEO
MTPConnect

Message from the MD & CEO

For yet another month we’ve been hunkering down against COVID-19, and while we are starting to see the easing of some social distancing restrictions, it’s easy to forget that we’re still in the midst of public health emergency, with over 5.3 million confirmed cases in 216 countries and over 342,000 deaths, including 103 in Australia. 

Throughout it all, the MTP sector has played an important role in Australia’s pandemic response and recovery. We are pleased to directly support those efforts with the launch of a rapid round of our Biomedical Translation Bridge program -- specifically targeting COVID-19 research. BTB will provide up to $1 million of matched funding to support eligible organisations - small and medium enterprises, medical research institutes and universities - to develop medical devices, diagnostics, prophylactic or therapeutic approaches that will achieve an impact on the global response to the pandemic in less than 12 months. The COVID-19 round is drawing intense interest and will remain open for EOIs for a few more days, until 5pm AEST on Monday, 1 June 2020. Visit the BTB page to learn more.

We released our 2020 Sector Competitiveness Plan earlier this month, which is a pre-COVID snapshot of the advances made by our sector up until 31 December 2019. And while the sector had shown a strong upward trajectory to that point, we know it’s being tested now like never before. This is why we have spent the month reaching out to many senior stakeholders in medtech, biotech, pharma and digital health to get a first-hand understanding of the impacts of the pandemic and how the sector has responded. These consultations will inform a series of special COVID-19 impact reports, the first of which will be released early next month. I’d personally like to thank everyone who has given up their valuable time to share their insights about how they’ve navigated the pandemic challenge and how their companies, and the sector as a whole, can best position for future growth.

Another positive development for our sector is the imminent roll out from June of our $32 million Researcher Exchange and Development within Industry (REDI) initiative to drive workforce growth in our sector. To deliver this MRFF-funded program, we are partnering with research, training and industry organisations to deploy an integrated, three-pillar plan driving skills development and workforce training that brings together researchers, clinicians, industry and the entrepreneurial ecosystem. This will include an assessment of our infectious diseases capabilities and the health workforce required for future pandemic preparedness. More to come on this soon.

In a complementary initiative, we are pleased to be working with ANDHealth, AusBiotech, Medicines Australia and MTAA to develop a survey to analyse the skills gaps in our future MTP workforce. This survey will be emailed out next month to HR and hiring teams in the sector so if it lands in your inbox, please help us by finding some time to provide your feedback.

MTPConnect is continuing to support collaboration throughout the sector with various sponsorships and virtual events. For the clinical trials community, we sponsored ARCS Australia’s 10 part webinar series “COVID19 considerations and strategies for running trials during the pandemic”, and PRAXIS Australia’s webinar series “Building Resilience in times of COVID-19”. We supported Cicada Innovations Monthly Buzz event on ‘What’s Next in Digital Health’ and the Quantum TX event in Perth. I also took part in BioKorea 2020’s virtual program and congratulate Austrade on setting up an Australian pavilion for its first virtual trade mission. The importance of international engagement and alliances, as we start to emerge from the COVID-19 cloud, can’t be overstated. Our WA team took a group of leading WA biotech companies into the Australian pavilion to showcase their innovations.

Our virtual podcast studio has been busy, spotlighting Microscopy Australia’s Technical Voucher Fund and discussing BioKorea 2020’s virtual convention program. We celebrated International Clinical Trials Day 2020 and Dr Paul Griffin from Nucleus Network and Director of Infectious Diseases at Mater Health Services in Brisbane told the podcast about starting the first COVID-19 vaccine clinical trial in Australia. We also spoke with Queensland-based Artificial Intelligence start-up DataRWE about using real-world data to improve healthcare research in Australia. Thanks to all of you who listen into the stories from our sector because you have helped the MTPConnect podcast hit 10,000 downloads - a fantastic milestone.

We launched a new webinar platform taking our ‘Seminar Series’ online for our first virtual event, ‘MTP guide to cyber safety’, with our fellow Industry Growth Centre, AustCyber, Perx Health and Forticode. If you missed the discussion on preparing for cyber risks when developing health and medical innovations, the webinar is now available as bonus podcast episode.

Next week, I’ll be joining Asialink Business, City of Perth, ANDHealth and Deloitte Access Economics for a webinar panel discussion on medtech export opportunities in Asia - if you’re in WA, please register to attend.

It’s also time to re-launch our Guest of the Chair initiative, which gives emerging leaders in the medtech, biotech or pharma sector the opportunity to experience a range of Board-level activities such as attending MTPConnect Board meetings, engaging with our Chair, directors and senior management and gaining new perspectives on how Boards operate. Our first Guest of the Chair, The George Institute for Global Health’s Dr Parisa Glass, will complete her appointment following the next Board meeting in June. The Board and I would sincerely like to thank her for her valuable contribution and insights during her involvement. Look out next week for details on our careers page about how to apply.

Up ahead, our ‘Seminar Series’ continues with the next webinar scheduled for 30 June featuring Boston-based guest Dr John Collins, CIMIT’s Chief Operating Officer, and Health Horizon CEO & Co-Founder Mathew McGann who will discuss insights for commercialising health innovations. More details to follow soon. 

For the moment, the team at MTPConnect will continue to work from home, holding virtual meetings and events, while avoiding travel and face to face meetings. Our Board will review this situation later in June as we cautiously prepare a plan to return to our offices around Australia.

Until then, thank you for bearing with us during this time and stay safe.

Kind regards,

Dr Dan Grant
Managing Director & CEO 

MTPConnect & Industry News

New Funding on Offer to Turbo Charge Australian COVID-19 Research
Round 3 of our MRFF BTB program closes Monday, and targets COVID-19 related research toward medical devices, diagnostics, prophylactic (such as vaccines) and therapeutic development. Visit the BTB page for more information.

First COVID-19 Vaccine Clinical Trial Begins in Australia
This week, Nucleus Network announced the start of its Phase I/II clinical trial of a COVID-19 vaccine candidate at its Melbourne clinic, making it the first human trial for a vaccine in the Southern Hemisphere. The trial is sponsored by Novavax Inc., the developer of the vaccine which is a SARS-CoV-2 Recombinant Spike Protein Nanoparticle vaccine (NVX‑CoV2373). The research has funding support from Norway-based Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI). 

Celebrating International Clinical Trials Day 2020
This month, the MTPConnect podcast team marked International Clinical Trials Day with the help of Dr Paul Griffin Associate Professor of Medicine at the University of Queensland’s Faculty of Medicine, Director of Infectious Diseases at Mater Health Services & Medical Director and principal investigator at Nucleus Network/Qpharm and Carrie Bloomfield Head of Clinical Operations at GSK Australia.  

The Innovation Upside of COVID-19 - Dr Pradeep Philip’s Novel Response
Over the last few months, as the world has seen the COVID-19 health emergency unravel, there has been dramatic social and economic change. In a recent podcast episode, our podcast team – Dr Dan Grant and Stuart Dignam – asked our guest, economist Dr Pradeep Philip from Deloitte Access Economics: how will Australia navigate its medical research and innovation response in a world impacted by COVID-19? Listen to the episode to hear more from Pradeep.

Sector Snapshot

• Federal Minister for Health Hon. Greg Hunt MP announced a $400 million funding boost for health and medical research
• Check out the story about our Round 3 of the BTB program''s COVID-19 funding round featured in InnovationAus

• Big news for VAXXAS with the announcement of deals with Merck (MSD) and Harro Hofliger this week

• Minister for Industry, Science and Technology Hon. Karen Andrews MP has drawn together a new council of state and territory digital economy and technology ministers to help drive national policy in the post-COVID environment

• Read our case study on BMTH Round 1 recipient St Vincent''s Melbourne AxceldaPen and the teams spot on 9News Melbourne

• Read Science & Technology Australia''s CEO Misha Schubert about the "vital role" Australian scientists play in COVID-19 recovery in Innovation.Aus

• Congrats to DataRWE who received $1.5 million in funding from QLD Government

• Download CCRM Australia''s 2019 Annual Report

• Check out the development''s from NanoMslide
• Download BioCurate''s 2019 Annual Report
• Missed our cyber security webinar with AustCyber, Perx Health and Forticode? Listen to our podcast to catch up
• Thanks for helping us reach an important milestone of over 10,000 downloads of the MTPConnect podcast
• The MTPConnect WA Life Sciences Innovation Hub led eight WA-based companies to participate in Austrade''s first virtual trade mission to BioKorea 2020 - Curtin University''s Liver Disease & Regeneration Group, Linear Clinical Research, the Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, UWA''s Liver Development & Carcinogensis Group, Resonance Health, OncoRes Medical, PureIV, Orthocell and Epichem -
• BioKorea introduced its virtual program this month and the MTPConnect podcast team spoke to Austrade''s Julie Quinn and Orthocell''s Paul Anderson
• We released our 2020 SCP this month, which was a pre-virus snapshot of a robust MTP sector contributing to economic and jobs growth
• Congrats to the Australian Technology Competition who received a record number of entries - 217 - for the 2020 Competition

Sector Opportunities

• Linear Clinical Trials has started recruiting participants for an upcoming COVID-19 vaccine study

• Apply to CCRM Australia''s National Regenerative Medicine SuperPitch

• If your company exports health services, take DFAT''s Born Global Survey

• Apply to veski''s Victoria Fellowships in 2020 to have the chance to study overseas

• Contribute to ANDHealth''s COVID-19 survey

• Nominate a colleague who you think is excelling in scientific discovery or innovation for the Victoria Prize for Science & Innovation in 2020

• For access to COVID-19 research facilities, apply to the TIA''s Pipeline Accelerator COVID-19

• Apply to SBE Australia''s Springboard Enterprises Life Science Program

• Apply to the National Careers Institute Partnership Grants

• Submit your application to Pen CS Medtech Pitch Night

• Apply to NHMRC''s 2020 Postgraduate Scholarship Scheme

• CRC Program Round 22 grant opportunity is open for industry-led research collaborations 

• Apply to the Clinical Trials and Cohort Studies 2020

• Enter the 2020 Ideas Grants

• Partner with Cicada Innovations

• Apply for the NHMRC''s Global Alliance for Chronic Diseases: Cancer Prevention

• Share your innovation story to ge maker''s #AUSInnovates platform

Events 

1 June 2020 - COVID–19: considerations and strategies for running trials during the pandemic,
                        ARCS Australia
2 June 2020 - IMNIS - QLD Regional Pilot - Visionary Leadership
3 June 2020 - Realising opportunities in Asia for WA’s medtech & pharma sector, Asialink Business
9 June 2020 - Building Resilience in times of Covid-19, PRAXIS Australia
15-17 June 2020 - BRIGHT Innovate in Digital Health, ANDHealth
19 June 2020 - Pen CS Medtech Pitch Night, PenCS
22-23 June 2020 - BRIGHT Ideate in Digital Health, ANDHealth

To see what industry events are happening near you in 2020, visit our events page.

Pictured: the impact of the COSA Australian Tele-Trial implementation in Queensland in 2017-2018.

Case Study Showcase: Patient Access is Key for Rural Clinical Trials

The Clinical Oncology Society of Australia (COSA) are bringing access to clinical trials for patients living in rural areas, with support from a funding consortium of industry, Medicines Australia, research institutes and consumer groups. As part of the MTPConnect Project Fund Program, COSA identified key rural areas across Australia to improve clinical trial capabilities and enrolment, commencing the ground-breaking project in 2017. Building on COSA''s Tele-Trials Pilot Project, tele-trials have now expanded from two rural NSW sites, at Orange Hospital and Dubbo Hospital, with four patients; to seventy-five patients participating in tele-trials nationally in Queensland, NSW, ACT, Victoria and South Australia. Read more.

Want to showcase your great work? Email media@mtpconnect.org.au to submit a case study.

Sector Profile: NeuroScientific Biopharmaceuticals

NeuroScientific Biopharmaceuticals Ltd is an Australian public company developing novel peptide-based pharmaceutical products that target a number of neurological disorders that have high unmet medical needs. Learn more in our Sector Directory.  

List your organisation on the MTPConnect Sector Directory.

Announcing $10.4 million funding boost for 13 new BTB research projects across Australia

I’m pleased to announce that 13 biomedical research projects have received funding of $10.4 million through the second and third rounds of the Biomedical Translation Bridge (BTB) program, an initiative of the Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) operated by MTPConnect. 

The funding, announced by the Minister for Health, The Hon. Greg Hunt MP, is predominantly for treatments and diagnostics, and includes targeted COVID-19 projects (medical devices, diagnostics, prophylactic or therapeutic approaches) that will achieve an impact in less than 12-months. The funding has attracted an additional $28 million in industry contributions which means a total of $38.4 million is flowing into the MTP sector.

Five of the 13 projects and $4.1 million respond to the immediate priority of addressing the COVID-19 health emergency. They include a vaccine candidate being developed by Vaxine in South Australia, a new treatment from Dimerix for respiratory complications of COVID-19 selected for a global WHO-endorsed clinical study, a preventive nasal spray developed from an approved antiviral from Starpharma, and a rapid response test from SpeeDx to predict severity of disease progression. Out of Victoria, a personalised ventilated hood to better care for patients and protect healthcare staff has also been awarded funding. The innovation is being developed by A/Prof Forbes McGain, an intensive care specialist from Western Health in Melbourne, along with University of Melbourne engineers. 

Another eight selected projects and $6.3 million will help patients of the future benefit from new research into treatments and diagnostics for conditions such as muscular dystrophy, breast cancer, metabolic and fibrotic disease, prostate cancer, ataxia, antimicrobial resistance and the Zika virus.

In two highly competitive rounds, our independent and expert evaluation committees selected projects in South Australia, Queensland, Victoria and NSW.

Through the BTB program and the MRFF we are backing promising research and innovation. And with an emphasis on rapid translation, these projects could potentially make a real difference to patients in Australia and overseas soon.

Building home-grown translational and commercialisation capacity means boosting our knowledge economy and creating new products, jobs and exports. This is particularly important now as we deal with the health and economic challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown.

On behalf of MTPConnect and our BTB venture partners, congratulations to all 13 projects who are listed below.

BTB Round 2 recipients:

Bard1 Life Sciences Limited, VIC (ASX listed), is developing a novel high-throughput SubB2M-based liquid biopsy tests for breast cancer screening and monitoring based on a unique cancer-specific probe.

Cincera Therapeutics Pty Ltd, VIC/SA is developing a new drug treatment for Metabolic and Fibrotic Disease.

Envision Sciences Pty Ltd, SA is developing diagnosis and prognostic detection methods for prostate cancer, using blood and tissue samples.

LBT Innovations Limited, SA (ASX listed), is developing APAS®-AMR: An Automated Plate Assessment System for Anti-Microbial Resistance using Artificial Intelligence.

Pharmaxis Ltd, NSW (ASX listed), is developing compound PXS-4699 with tailored dual action  to treat Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.

The University of Adelaide, SA is developing a world-first needle-free Zika virus vaccine.

The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, VIC is developing a device for guiding therapy in ataxia and imbalance.

UniQuest Pty Ltd, QLD, is developing first-in-class drug candidates for the treatment of prostate and other cancers.

BTB COVID-19 Round 3 recipients:

Dimerix Bioscience Pty Ltd, VIC (ASX listed), is developing a new treatment for respiratory complications as a result of COVID-19 in a global clinical study with a potential fast track pathway to clinical practice.

SpeeDx Pty Ltd, NSW is developing the InSignia(TM) Respiratory Virus Host Response test – a rapid-response COVID-19 assay to enhance Australia’s current and future pandemic preparedness.

Starpharma Pty Ltd, VIC (ASX listed), is developing an intranasal spray, utilising an already-marketed, broad-spectrum antiviral dendrimer for COVID-19 and potential use in future pandemics.

University of Melbourne, VIC is developing a novel ventilated hood for patient isolation to provide better patient respiratory treatment and protect hospital staff from COVID-19.

Vaxine Pty Ltd, SA is developing an Australian COVID-19 vaccine, COVAX-19®, which comprises of a recombinant spike protein antigen formulated with Vaxine’s proprietary Advax™ adjuvant.

Congratulations to all involved.  

Kind regards,

Dr Dan Grant
Managing Director & CEO
MTPConnect

Message from the MD & CEO

With no let-up in Australia’s battle against COVID-19, particularly in the state of Victoria where cases continue to surge during a six-week stage three lockdown, we are reminded once again of the importance of our own good health and wellbeing and the valuable work that our sector does to support Australia’s state of health.

Yesterday, new COVID-19 cases in Victoria marked the highest since the pandemic began earlier this year and mandatory face masks must now be worn across the state. At the start of the month, Victoria recorded 370 active cases and sadly this now stands at 5,385, reinforcing how infectious this emerging coronavirus is proving to be, particularly in vulnerable environments such as aged care facilities. It means the peak is probably still to come and our sector will continue to face increasing challenges as it responds by delivering healthcare, medical supplies and protective equipment, research and clinical trials.

Right now, Australia is playing its part in the global research race to find a vaccine to protect people from SARS-CoV-2. We congratulate the team at the University of Queensland’s Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology which has created Australia’s first vaccine candidate at speed using their patented molecular clamp technology and recently started Phase 1 clinical trials. We are seeing collaboration from the likes of the CSIRO, CSL, the Doherty Institute and research groups and industry to increase our efforts to tackle this most challenging of public health situations which is impacting livelihoods in every way.

Medical research has never seemed so important and MTPConnect continues to support the growth of early stage health and medical research through our funded programs. This month the Minister for Health, Hon Greg Hunt MP helped us to announce that 21 new promising medical technology research projects will receive funding of $18.8 million through Round 3 of our BioMedTech Horizons program. By leveraging an additional $21.3 million in contributions from industry, a total of $40.1 million is flowing into our healthtech sector.

It’s great to be backing innovation and technological advancements in areas such as digital health solutions, medical devices, precision and regenerative medicine supported by advanced manufacturing and clinical trials with a vision of better health outcomes globally. 

In another major boost for Australian medical research, the Minister for Health joined with Hon Karen Andrews MP, the Minister for Industry, Science and Technology to announce that MTPConnect will operate the new $47 million Targeted Translation Research Accelerator (TTRA) initiative for diabetes and cardiovascular disease over four years. The Accelerator, funded through the Medical Research Future Fund, will accelerate research into preventing, diagnosing and treating these conditions which affect the lives of millions of Australians through chronic illness and premature death.

MTPConnect is uniquely placed to deliver this important initiative, and as the TTRA commences, we are delighted to be working with an independent Board of experts, Co-Chaired by Professor John Shine AC and Professor Ian Frazer AC as we seek to bring new drugs and devices to the market to help Australians, as well as exporting our innovations to the rest of the world.  

We continue to support collaboration throughout the sector with various sponsorships and virtual events to keep you connected. Yesterday we held another of our ‘Seminar Series’ webinars, ‘Frontiers of Biomechanics and Human Movement’ featuring fascinating panellists from Catapult Sports, Platypus Technical and UWA. If you missed it, look for the episode in our MTPConnect podcast series. Our August webinar will focus on ''Strengthening the MTP sector through R&D - How the R&D Tax Incentive helps to grow your business'', with more details to come. We are also supporting Cicada’s Monthly Buzz event in August in conversations with some of Australia’s leading digital health founders.  

Our podcast keeps you connected to the people behind the science and research in our sector and this month we produced some great episodes. We dropped the first REDI podcast chatting with ATSE’s CEO Kylie Walker and IMNIS program Executive Director Dr Marguerite Evans-Galea about how industry mentoring is creating a culture shift in STEM career paths and improving workforce skills in our sector. We also profiled South Australia’s Chief Scientist, Professor Caroline McMillen and spoke with ANDHealth’s CEO & Founder Bronwyn Le Grice about their new report, ‘Digital Health: The Sleeping Giant of Australia’s Health Technology Industry.’ 

Late next year, MTPConnect’s current funding period with the Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources expires. I’m seeking your help in completing the Industry Growth Centre Survey here on your experiences with our organisation and our team, which will build an evidence base for our impact in the MTP sector. All responses are confidential. While we appreciate you may be feeling some survey fatigue, I’d be grateful if you could take a moment to share your feedback.

Today we farewell Dr Kate Brooks in WA who has made a tremendous contribution to our WA Hub and the MTP sector there and we wish her all the best for her new role. We will soon be announcing a new Director for Stakeholder Engagement in WA.

Next month, look out for important news about the rapid round of our Biomedical Translation Bridge program for Australia’s COVID-19 research efforts. 

Wishing you good health and resilience as we live and work through a winter like no other. My team and I hope you will keep in touch. 

Kind regards,

Dr Dan Grant
Managing Director & CEO 

MTPConnect & Industry News

MTPConnect to Deliver $47M Diabetes and Cardiovascular Disease Accelerator Program
The Australian Government has announced that MTPConnect will operate the new $47 million Targeted Translation Research Accelerator (TTRA) initiative for diabetes and cardiovascular disease. MTPConnect will deliver a Diabetes and Cardiovascular Disease Accelerator (Accelerator) program to provide a new integrated research program to improve the management and treatment of diabetes and cardiovascular disease (D&CVD) in Australia.

Australian medtech research efforts boosted by $18.8 million
This month, MTPConnect and the Minister for Health announced $18.8 million in funding for 21 early stage medical technology projects across Australia. The funding - which has attracted an additional $21.3 million in industry contributions - comes from the third round of the BioMedTech Horizons (BMTH) program, an initiative of the Medical Research Future Fund operated by MTPConnect. 

BLOG: Shaping the Path to Drug Discovery
MTPConnect''s Director Stakeholder Engagement NSW Dr Duncan Macinnis wrote a blog about the path to drug discovery and partnering with industry and research organisations to host, a ''Drug Discovery Guidance Day'' in April 2020.

Sector Snapshot

• Check out Australia''s Chief Scientist''s 2020 STEM Workforce Report
• Read Minister Hunt''s media release on medtech research awarded BMTH funding  
• Learn about the promising 21 projects from Round 3 of BMTH
• Dosing begins in the first human trial of UQ''s COVID-19 vaccine
• Listen to our first REDI podcast with ATSE''s IMNIS program on mentoring 

• Check out the joint media release on the TTRA announcement with Minister Hunt and Minister Andrews

• Read BiotechDispatch''s feature on our new TTRA for diabetes & cardiovascular health

• New funding announced from our BMTH program was featured in Australian Manufacturing

• The MedTech Actuator have welcomed 13 new members to its cohort 5 this month

• UniQuest and CSL Limited have partnered to develop potential treatment for Sjogren’s Syndrome

• Congrats to UNSW researchers, who will share $6 million in grants in Round 21 of the CRC-P program including a project to make cell and gene therapy more affordable.

• More than 20 global pharma companies have collectively pledged to invest nearly US$1 billion through a new Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) Action Fund

• Download AustCyber''s new report: Australia''s Digital Trust Report

• Read how Anatomics'' BMTH funding will help to pioneer a ‘Smart Helmet’ to monitor the brain in stroke and trauma patients.

• Read how Anisop''s BMTH funding will boost its commercialisation opportunities of its infection technology for medical implants.

• Read how Atmo Biosciences'' BMTH Round 3 funding will advance their ingestible gas sensing capsule to diagnose gut disorders

• Read how Carbon Cybernetics'' BMTH funding will help develop a highly specialised neural implant for epilepsy.

• Read how Ear Science Institute Australia''s BMTH funding will advance the commercialisation of ClearDrum®, a device that incorporates silk in an ear implant.

• Read how Ferronova''s BMTH funding will further its nanoparticle development program to improve imaging of lymph nodes and mapping of sentinel nodes with first in-human studies in colorectal cancer.

• Read how Hemideina''s BMTH funding will help develop a miniature, low-energy wireless power and data transmission system for implantable medical devices like a cochlear implant for people who are profoundly deaf.

• Read how Inventia Life Science''s BMTH funding will accelerate the development of a robotic device that prints a patient’s own skin cells directly onto a burn or wound.

• Read how Merunova''s BMTH funding will accelerate the development of spine imaging technology to improve the diagnosis of back pain.

• Read how Miniprobes'' BMTH funding will develop a smart brain biopsy needle for faster and safer neurosurgery.

• Read how Neuromersiv''s BMTH funding will accelerate development of a virtual reality (VR) solution for neurorehabilitation for brain injury survivors.

• Read how OncoRes Medical''s BMTH funding will support the development of a second-generation intraoperative imaging device, designed to reduce repeat operations for women with breast cancer

• Read how Optiscan''s BMTH funding will support a clinical trial of their endomicroscopic technology to improve screening, diagnosis, and treatment of oral cancer.

• Read how Seer''s BMTH funding will aid in the development of an app that produces a personalised epilepsy seizure forecast

• Read how VenstraMedical''s BMTH funding will develop a next-generation transcatheter blood pump.

• Read how ZiP Diagnostics'' BMTH funding will establish domestic capabilities for combined R&D and manufacture of point-of-care diagnostics.

• Congrats to GlyTherix who were awarded a CRC-P grant to use their flagship molecule Miltuximab to develop capability in manufacturing and distribution of radioimmuno-oncology drugs

• Download Singapore Biodesign''s new whitepaper: Ophthalmology in Asia

Sector Opportunities

• Round 2 of NSW Health''s COVID-19 Research Grants is open

• Apply to NSW Health and Medical Research Sponsorship Program

• Apply to Takeda Pharmaceutical''s Open Innovation Funding

• Apply to DFAT''s Australia-ASEAN Council 2020 COVID-19 Special Grants Round

• Sponsor at AusBiotech + Invest 2020 

• Apply to the Canberra Innovation Network''s Innovation Connect Grants

• Enter DISER''s Australia-China Science and Research Fund

• Apply to join the Australia China Health Accelerator''s Cohort 4 of UprAsia

• Nominations are open for Research Australia''s Peter Wills Medal

• If your company exports health services, take DFAT''s Born Global Survey

• Apply to NHMRC''s 2020 COVID-19 Vaccine Candidate Research Grant

• Apply to the Clinical Trials and Cohort Studies 2020

• Partner with Cicada Innovations

• Share your innovation story to ge maker''s #AUSInnovates platform

Events 

3 - 7 August 2020 - WA STEM Careers Forum, STAWA 
6 August 2020 - Medical and Assistive Devices – Transforming Ideas to Reality, La Trobe University
6 August 2020 - Technology Overpowering Disability, Global Victoria
11 August 2020 - BioBusiness Insights, BioMelbourne Network & CCRM Australia
11 August 2020 - Winning in Asia: Creating Long-Term Value, Asialink Business
12 August 2020 - ANDHealth Winter Summit 
19 August 2020 - BioTechTalks, AusBiotech
20 August 2020 - MONTHLY BUZZ | DIGITAL HEALTH 2.0: Founder Stories, Cicada Innovations
20 August 2020 - Disruption, adaptation & adoption: What does the new face of Clinical Trials look like? PRAXIS Australia
24 August 2020 - The Changing Face of Consent to Research: Dynamic, Virtual & E-Consent,
                                PRAXIS Australia
24-25 August 2020 - BRIGHT: Ideate in Digital Health, ANDHealth
25 August 2020 - Medical Technology Workshop, UNSW
27 August 2020 - BioBusiness Insights, BioMelbourne Network & CCRM Australia
31 August - 2 September 2020 - Innovate Health Conference, Informa Australia 
8 September 2020 - BioBusiness Insights, BioMelbourne Network & CCRM Australia

To see what industry events are happening near you in 2020, visit our events page.

Pictured: Researchers utilising the cleanroom facilities at the TRI in Brisbane.

Case Study Showcase: Clinical Manufacturing Training Hub Accelerates Research Translation

A clinical manufacturing training hub set up by The Translational Research Institute (TRI), in collaboration with VAXXAS, PharmOut & Eurofins AMS is enabling the translation of innovative, investigational products into clinical studies. This work is conducted through the MTPConnect Project Fund Program, funded by the Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources (DISER). The project establishes a "turn-key" early stage clinical product manufacturing facility to Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) standard for a wide-range of clean to sterile, biological, pharmaceutical, device and medtech products at the dedicated site at the TRI in Brisbane. Read more.

Want to showcase your great work? Email media@mtpconnect.org.au to submit a case study.

Sector Profile: Suda Pharmaceuticals Ltd

SUDA Pharmaceuticals Ltd (SUDA), based in Australia and the US, is a world leader in reformulating and delivering medication through the oral mucosa. Patients typically take medication as pills, tablets or capsules yet less than 25% of the medication is absorbed into the bloodstream. Learn more in our Sector Directory.  

List your organisation on the MTPConnect Sector Directory.

Share your views on Australia’s medical research commercialisation landscape

The Health and Medical Research Office at the Australian Department of Health has commissioned Allen + Clarke Consulting to produce a report of sector views of the medical research commercialisation landscape.  

To inform the report, they are particularly keen to hear from people who are or have been involved in the research and development of medical innovations. Are you an academic, researcher or inventor? Have you been involved in the spin out/creation of a medical commercialisation company? Do you represent small-medium medtech, biotech or pharma companies that undertake commercialisation of medical innovations?

If you haven’t already had the opportunity to complete it, here’s a link to a survey which is anonymous and takes approximately 10-15 minutes to complete. 

The survey closes on Monday, 14 September 2020.

Kind regards,
MTPConnect 

Steps We’re Taking on COVID-19 Virus

With the coronavirus outbreak now declared a pandemic by the Wold Health Organization (WHO) and the COVID-19 virus continuing to spread in Australia, MTPConnect’s Board and Management have agreed to take a range of proactive steps to change the way our team works.

In the interests of the health and safety of staff and our valued partners and stakeholders, we now have an emphasis on virtual, rather than face-to-face interactions.

For the foreseeable future, MTPConnect staff are working from home. They are not able to travel domestically or internationally or attend large meetings or events/conferences. This means they will be making extensive use of virtual meetings and connecting technology. External visitors to all our MTPConnect offices are restricted to “business critical” meetings only.

All of these policies and procedures have been implemented to limit the potential for our team members to be exposed to the COVID-19 virus and in turn, help reduce impacts on increasingly stretched health services in our communities. I apologise for any inconvenience these changes may cause but trust you understand our reasons.

We will continue to actively champion and support the MTP sector and look forward to working together with you, but doing it in a different way for the moment.

Kind Regards,

Dr Dan Grant

Managing Director and CEO
MTPConnect

Help Identify the MTP Workforce Skills Gaps

Dear David,

We need your help to identify the current, emerging, and future skills gaps our sector is facing. If you’re a manager with hiring responsibilities or an HR professional, then you are invited to complete this 10-15 minute online survey by 1 July 2020. The results will help us to address any skills gaps and drive greater sector growth across Australia. If you are not a hiring manager or an HR professional, could you please forward this invitation to eligible individuals within your organisation.

Highly skilled and globally-connected talent is at the heart of Australian innovation and success in our medtech, pharma, biotech and digital health sectors. People are the underlying foundation of success and by addressing the current and emerging gaps in our workforce we can plan for the future growth of our sector so that Australia remains a world-leading location for health innovation.

Success requires diversity: we need a range of professionals with different skills, experience and training. This survey relates to skills required for roles found in biotech, medtech, pharma, and digital health sectors, and aligns with similar global surveys. You will be able to skip over areas that are not applicable to you or your company/organisation.

The survey has been developed by a cross-industry project team from MTPConnect, AusBiotech, Medicines Australia, MTAA, and ANDHealth, and so you may receive more than one invitation to the same survey. You only need to complete the survey once. Anonymity and confidentiality are guaranteed, with only de-identified and collated data released.

Thank you for your cooperation. If you have queries about the project, please let me know.

Yours sincerely,

Dr Rebecca Tunstall - Senior Director Stakeholder Engagement, MTPConnect

In partnership with:

Iain Scott - VP Stakeholder Engagement, ANDHealth

Karen Parr - Director, Communications, AusBiotech

Lee Grow - Professional Development Manager, Medical Technology Association of Australia

Peter Komocki - Manager, Industry and Regulatory Policy, Medicines Australia

Message from the MD & CEO

Spring marks a season of new beginnings, and that is exactly what has been happening at MTPConnect during the last month with new research, resources and collaborations being announced to support the sector’s growth.  

Funding of $10.4 million was awarded to 13 early stage biomedical projects, including COVID-19 research, through the second and third rounds of our Biomedical Translation Bridge (BTB) program, an initiative of the Medical Research Future Fund. The funding attracted an additional $28 million in industry contributions illustrating the backing for these research projects.

Five of these new projects are tackling COVID-19, including a vaccine candidate being developed in South Australia, a new treatment for respiratory complications of COVID-19 selected for a global WHO-endorsed clinical study, a preventive nasal spray developed from an approved antiviral, a rapid response test to predict severity of disease progression and a ventilated hood to better care for COVID-19 patients and protect healthcare staff.

Another eight selected projects will commence research into treatments and diagnostics for conditions such as muscular dystrophy, breast cancer, metabolic and fibrotic disease, prostate cancer, ataxia, antimicrobial resistance and the Zika virus.

Last week, MTPConnect announced the formation of the Australian Antimicrobial Resistance network – AAMRNet. It is the first network of its kind in Australia, a unique collaboration that will involve academia, government, industry, clinicians and consumer groups to mobilise Australia’s strengths in research and commercialisation. Many thanks are due to Pfizer ANZ, MSD Australia, GSK Australia and Medicines Australia for providing initial industry contributions to help establish the network.

AAMRNet has been established following recommendations in a new report, ‘Fighting Superbugs: A Report on the Inaugural Meeting of Australia’s Antimicrobial Resistance Stakeholders’, also released by MTPConnect. Tune in to our podcast to hear more from the AARMNet and ‘Fighting Superbugs’ report launch event with an industry roundtable and messages of support from home and abroad. We expect the network to grow so please get in touch to join.  

Congratulations to the Medical Device Partnering Program (MDPP) who launched the first online Capability Directory, listing details of more than 2,600 Australian organisations relevant to the medical device industry, bringing together expert research, clinical and manufacturing capabilities of Australian organisations. We’re proud to fund this initiative through our Growth Centre Project Fund Program.

We continue to support collaboration throughout the sector with various sponsorships and virtual events to keep you connected. Our ‘Seminar Series’ hosted another webinar on ‘Developing Diagnostics: a different approach compared to drugs and devices’ featuring expert panellists from Zip Diagnostics, FDA Patent Attorneys and OneVentures. If you missed it, look out for the episode coming soon in our MTPConnect podcast series.  

We’ll be making the virtual journey to Toronto, Canada on 5-7 October as a major supporter of the Virtual MedTech Conference. During pandemic lockdown, the MTPConnect Pavilion is a great opportunity to showcase some of Australia’s most promising and innovative medtech companies to the world. And as part of the conference, we are hosting a webinar with Austrade to promote Australia as a medical device trial destination for cardiovascular health, delivered in partnership with the Australian Cardiovascular Alliance, the Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute and BIOTRONIK. We are also supporting ANDHealth’s delegation to the StartUp Showcase at HLTH VRTL 2020, the ARCS Virtual Summit and the AusBiotech + Invest 2020 conference.

Through our podcast series this month, we have shared some important stories including Championing Social Entrepreneurships for Startups with The George Institute for Global Health, Revolutionising Patient Care with the team from RPA Virtual Hospital, my presentation at Innovate Health 2020 - Spotlighting Innovation in the Australian MTP Sector and the Launch of the AAMRNet.

And as Australia makes continued efforts to slow the spread of COVID-19, particularly in Victoria, we will soon publish the second report from our COVID-19 Impact series. Developed in partnership with L.E.K. Consulting, it will provide an updated snapshot of the effects of the pandemic throughout the sector’s value chain, as well as explore strategies to spur recovery and opportunities for growth.

We look forward to continuing to collaborate and connect with you.

Kind regards,

Dr Dan Grant
Managing Director & CEO 

MTPConnect & Industry News

Australia’s first Antimicrobial Resistance Network forms to combat global health threat
MTPConnect recently announced the formation of the Australian Antimicrobial Resistance network - AAMRNet - bringing together key stakeholders to address the impact of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) on human health. This follows recommendations in a new report, ‘Fighting Superbugs: A Report on the Inaugural Meeting of Australia’s Antimicrobial Resistance Stakeholders’, also released by MTPConnect.

Australian biomedical research efforts boosted by $10.4 million
This month, MTPConnect and Minister for Health, the Hon Greg Hunt MP, announced $10.4 million in funding for 13 early stage biomedical projects, including COVID-19 research. The funding - which has attracted an additional $28 million in industry contributions - comes from the second and third rounds of the Biomedical Translation Bridge (BTB) program, an initiative of the Medical Research Future Fund operated by MTPConnect. 

New MDPP Directory Connects Australia''s Medical Device Sector to Drive Innovation
The Medical Device Partnering Program (MDPP) has launched the first online Capability Directory, listing details of more than 2,600 Australian organisations relevant to the medical device industry, bringing together expert research, clinical and manufacturing capabilities of Australian organisations.

Championing Social Entrepreneurship for Start-Ups
In a recent podcast episode, we catch up with one of our REDI partners, the George Institute for Global Health, an independent medical research institute focused on the world’s biggest health challenges, based in Sydney. We discuss their Health10x Accelerator program and the opportunities it’s creating for Australian start-ups and entrepreneurs to deliver successful commercial ventures with maximum social impact.

Sector Snapshot

• This month, the Bridge and BridgeTech Programs launched 20 placements for its Industry Fellowships, supported by MTPConnect''s REDI initiative
• IMNIS program expands mentoring to cover new areas of health and medical research, supported by MTPConnect''s REDI initiative
• The Australian Government have announced further investment in three new COVID-19 vaccine research projects
• Listen in to the Talking HealthTech podcast hosted by Peter Birch - the show features key players and influencers to promote innovation and collaboration for better healthcare enabled by technology
• Download our ''Fighting Superbugs'' report prepared in partnership with Biointelect
• Check out PharmaDispatch''s story on the launch of the AAMRNet
• The Doherty Institute launched a workplace saliva test pilot program in Victoria to help better understand the logistics of continuous testing in higher-risk workplaces
• Congrats to University of Queensland inflammation start-up Inflazome that was acquired by Roche
• Connect with our 21 medtech companies joining the Australian Medtech Pavilion, powered by MTPConnect and supported by Austrade
• Read how BARD1 Life Sciences'' BTB funding will help to develop first-in-class SubB2M-based liquid biopsy tests to detect and monitor breast cancer
• Read how Cincera Therapeutics Pty Ltd''s BTB funding will help to develop a drug to treat severe and life-threatening obesity-related health conditions such as NASH, an advanced form of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, which can lead to liver failure or cancer
• Read how LBT Innovations'' BTB funding will help develop the Company’s APAS®-AMR analysis module to be used for antibiotic susceptibility testing (AST) and assessment of antimicrobial resistance (AMR)
• Read how Pharmaxis Ltd''s BTB funding will help to advance work on the company’s drug discovery for the treatment of the debilitating genetic disorder Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD)

• Read how The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health BTB funding will help to develop a prototype device to measure ataxia

• Read how the University of Adelaide’s BTB funding will help to develop a new Zika virus vaccine carried in ImplaVax®-enabled solid dose

• Read how UniQuest’s BTB funding will help to progress its novel first-in-class oral therapy for the treatment of prostate cancer

• Read how Dimerix Limited BTB funding will support development and clinical evaluation of DMX-200 as a new treatment for respiratory complications as a result of COVID-19 

• Read how SpeeDx''s BTB funding will help support the commercialisation of a respiratory virus host response test – a rapid-response assay to enhance current COVID-19 management activities and future viral pandemic preparedness

• Read how Starpharma''s BTB funding will help to expedite the development and commercialisation of its COVID‑19 antiviral nasal spray 

• Read how the University of Melbourne''s BTB funding will help to commercialise a “ventilation hood” designed to protect healthcare workers from COVID-19

• Read how Vaxine''s BTB funding will assist in the development of an Australian COVID-19 vaccine, called COVAX-19

Sector Opportunities

• Join MTPConnect at the Virtual 2020 MedTech Conference, by registering using a special code to receive the discounted rate of $USD500 - contact MTPConnect for the code

• Apply to secure an Industry Fellowship from the Bridge and BridgeTech Programs, supported by MTPConnect''s REDI initiative

• Apply for entry into the SKILLED 2021 cancer clinical trial internships program run by the Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre

• Apply today for Subsidised Access to Microscopy Services from Microscopy Australia

• Under the REDI initiative, APR.Intern will provide 20 businesses in the medtech, biotech & pharma sector with the opportunity to take on a PhD student through a short-term research placement in 2020 - can your business take up this opportunity?

• Apply to the Western Australian Future Health Research & Innovation Fund''s COVID-19 Focus Grants

• List your organisation on MDPP''s online Capability Directory

• Join Austrade''s virtual IA-CEPA Business Connect program, running until 31 October 2020

• Expressions of Interest are open to the NSW Government''s Going Global Program 

• Sponsor at AusBiotech + Invest 2020 

• Apply to join the Australia China Health Accelerator''s Cohort 4 of UprAsia

• If your company exports health services, take DFAT''s Born Global Survey

• Apply to NHMRC''s 2020 COVID-19 Vaccine Candidate Research Grant

• Apply to the Clinical Trials and Cohort Studies 2020

• Partner with Cicada Innovations

• Share your innovation story to ge maker''s #AUSInnovates platform

Events 

5 - 7 October 2020 - The MedTech Conference, AdvaMed
6 October 2020 - Australia as a medical device destination, MTPConnect & Austrade
7 October 2020 - Fundraising Bootcamp, LSQ
8 - 9 October - World Antimicrobial Resistance Congress 2020, Terrapinn
12 - 15 October 2020 - HLTH VTRL Conference
12 - 16 October 2020 - 2020 Virtual Summit, ARCS Australia
13 October 2020 - Fundamentals of Corporate Governance, BioMelbourne Network 
14 October 2020 - MTP Careers Symposium, Translational Research Institute
14 - 15 October 2020 - BioJapan 2020, Austrade
15 October 2020 - BioBusiness Insights, BioMelbourne Network
20 October 2020 - Australian Technology Competition Finals, ImpactTech
21 October 2020 - Building a Competent Board, BioMelbourne Network 
28 - 30 October 2020 - AusBiotech + Invest 2020
29 - 30 October 2020 - MTAA MedTech Conference
30 October - 3 November 2020 - World One Health Congress 2020, One Health

To see what industry events are happening near you in 2020, visit our events page.

Pictured (L-R): Noisy Guts Co-founder Dr Mary Webberley with CEO & Co-founder Dr Josephine Muir and MTPConnect Managing Director & CEO Dr Dan Grant after discovering they were awarded funding in Round 1 of the Biomedical Translation Bridge Program in Perth.

Case Study Showcase: Let''s Hear It For Noisy Guts

Noisy Guts is an emerging early-stage WA medtech start-up, that has been awarded $1 million matched funding in Round 1 of MTPConnect''s Biomedical Translation Bridge Program. In partnership with Merck, Nature Research identified Noisy Guts as "one to watch" in the inaugural 2020 Spinoff Prize that showcased university spinoff companies from around the world. Read more.

Want to showcase your great work? Email media@mtpconnect.org.au to submit a case study.

Sector Profile: Cryosite

Cryosite is a highly experienced, trusted and certified Australian depot partner in biological storage and clinical trial logistics. Cryosite partners with clients across the globe including: pharmaceutical sponsors and manufacturers, CROs and CMOs, research institutes and biotechnology industries. Learn more in our Sector Directory.  

List your organisation on the MTPConnect Sector Directory.

Message from the MD & CEO

February has been a busy month and with an extra day, as it’s a leap year, we’ve had a lot of great news. It has also been great to see the Australian research and medical community coming together over the COVID-19 outbreak, under the leadership of Chief Medical Officer Professor Brendan Murphy and colleagues in each state and territory.   

Early next month (9-13 March), MTPConnect is hosting Frank Jaskulke, a U.S. market expert from Medical Alley Association to bring you vital tips and strategies to crack that lucrative market with your innovation. We’re taking Frank on a national tour – five cities in five days – so please visit our events page for registrations in a city near you. We hope you can join us.

On the MRFF front, MTPConnect has been awarded the $32 million Researcher Exchange and Development within Industry (REDI) initiative. Working with our partners, REDI is all about driving skills development and enhancing Australia’s MTP sector workforce. More news to come on REDI so be sure to follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn.

This month the BTB team finished up its final Round 2 Information Sessions at the University of Sydney, Adelaide, Brisbane and at the Westmead Institute for Medical Research in Sydney’s Greater West. Thank you to everyone who came along to these sessions across Australia and remember that Round 2 closes for Expressions of Interest next Friday 6 March at 5pm AEDT. If you want further help with applying for this round, please take a listen to our recent podcast episode on the BTB program.

Another MRFF initiative to watch is the BMTH program where Round 3 Expressions are in the process of being reviewed, and applicants will be notified soon.

For your diaries, please note that we are holding a launch event at the University of Sydney on 16 March to release a new report with Asialink Business - Digital Health in Indonesia: Opportunities for Australia. I encourage you to come along to hear from some of Australia’s leading digital health experts about their success in the growing Indonesia market, the opportunities and challenges.

On the podcast front, we headlined Australia’s research response to developing a vaccine for COVID-19, released a Round 2 BTB Information Session recorded live in Melbourne, profiled Victoria’s Lead Scientist Dr Amanda Caples and discussed deep tech with Cicada Innovations CEO Sally-Ann Williams. Fresh episodes still to come on telehealth trials, latest developments in cancer research and tackling the global health challenge of antimicrobial resistance. 

Next week (4 March), I’ll be speaking at the Cerebral Palsy Alliance''s Stem Cell Forum in Sydney and then chairing a plenary session at BioMelbourne Network’s Devices and Diagnostics Lab event in Melbourne (5 March). Please come along and support these great events.

As the month ends, we say farewell to Divya Kalla, our BMTH Project Manager. On behalf of the team, I would like to thank her for her efforts in working closely with funding recipients of our BMTH program and wish her all the best for her future endeavours.

Kind regards,

Dr Dan Grant
Managing Director & CEO 

MTPConnect & Industry News

Join MTPConnect for our National Seminar Series
MTPConnect is excited to bring you our first Seminar Series from 9-13 March on: Cracking the U.S. Market with Medical Alley Association''s VP Intelligence Frank Jaskulke. Frank will provide vital tips and strategies of how to enter that crucial market. Register today to come to our sessions in Brisbane, Sydney, Perth, Adelaide and Melbourne.

MTPConnect to Drive Workforce Growth Through New REDI Program
The Australian Government’s $32 million Researcher Exchange and Development within Industry (REDI) initiative, through the Medical Research Future Fund, has been awarded to MTPConnect. To deliver the program, MTPConnect is partnering with research, training and industry organisations to deploy an integrated, three-pillar plan driving skills development and workforce training that brings together researchers, clinicians, industry and the entrepreneurial ecosystem.

New BTB Funding Round Open
An initiative of the Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) and operated by MTPConnect, the BTB program is offering up to $1 million to support development and commercialisation of new biological, pharmaceutical, medical and health technology projects. The second round of the BTB program closes 6 March 5pm AEDT. 

Sector Snapshot

• Congrats to Michelle Burke on being appointed as AusBiotech''s new Chair
• Biotech Dispatch covered the news MTPConnect were awarded the REDI program
• Read what Dr Charlie Day is doing next
• Listen to our podcast to hear from Victoria''s Lead Scientist Dr Amanda Caples
• ANDHealth announces partnership with Cicada Innovations and NSW Health
• Check out our podcast to hear more about the BTB program
• Here''s the list of winners for the Prime Minister''s Awards for Health and Medical Research
• GE and Children''s Medical Research Institute have announced a collaboration to drive the development of new affinity ligands for the purification of adeno-associated viral vectors used in gene therapies
• Listen to our podcast about Australia''s response to tackling the new Coronavirus
• MTPConnect, along with our fellow Industry Growth Centres, attended RMIT University''s Engaging for Impact to speak about the importance of collaboration across our sectors
• Monash researchers in consortium granted $1million for lung disease research
• Subscribe to the new Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) monthly newsletter to stay in touch with the latest developments and grant opportunities 
• Stockhead says the Life Sciences sector is booming in WA

Sector Opportunities

• Apply now for Round 2 of the BTB program

• Submit an EOI to the UprAsia Program

• Apply to the MedTech Actuator''s Accelerator Program

• Submit an EOI to the WA BRIGHT Innovate in Digital Health

• Apply to the 2020 Bridge Program

• Enter the 2019 Rural, Regional & Remote Clinical Trial Enabling Infrastructure Grant

• Apply to the MRFF TBI Mission - 2020 Traumatic Brain Injury Grant

• Enter the MRFF - Stem Cell Therapies Mission Grant

• Apply to the Medical Research Future Fund – Australian Brain Cancer Mission

• Apply for the NHMRC''s Global Alliance for Chronic Diseases: Cancer Prevention

• ANDHealth invites you to complete its survey to identify gaps, challenges & opportunities in digital health commercialisation

• Share your innovation story to ge maker''s #AUSInnovates platform

• MRCI have put a call out for volunteers for a research study on a vaccine against meningococcal type A,C,W,Y infections in healthy adults between 18 and 40 years
• Volunteer to participate in the Murdoch Children''s Research Institute Genetics of Stuttering Study 

Events 

4 March 2020 - Stem Cells for the Brain: Are We Letting Australians Down? CPA, Sydney
5 March 2020 - Devices + Diagnostics Lab, BioMelbourne Network, Melbourne
6 March 2020 - NSW Women in Life Sciences Luncheon, AusBiotech, Sydney
9 March 2020 - Big Thinking: The space race to cure cancer, UTS, Sydney
9 March 2020 - National Seminar Series, MTPConnect, Brisbane
10 March 2020 - National Seminar Series, MTPConnect, Sydney
11 March 2020 - National Seminar Series, MTPConnect, Perth
11-12 March 2020 - DMTC Conference, DMTC, Canberra
12 March 2020 - National Seminar Series, MTPConnect, Adelaide
13 March 2020 - National Seminar Series, MTPConnect, Melbourne
16 March 2020 - Digital Health in Indonesia - Opportunities for Australia, Sydney
17 March 2020 - Digital Health Summit, ANDHealth, Sydney
19 March 2020 - Collaboration for Industry Impact Workshop, CRC Association, Brisbane
26 March 2020 - Cyber Security Forum, MTAA, Sydney
26 March 2020 - Emerge 2020, Cicada Innovations, Sydney

To see what industry events are happening near you in 2020, visit our events page.

Are you are hosting an event? Share with the MTP sector by emailing: media@mtpconnect.org.au

Pictured: IMNIS Executive Director Dr Marguerite Evans-Galea AM introducing Professor Kym Beazley AO FTSE, Science Ambassador and Former Chief Scientist of WA for the STEM Careers in Industry event held at Core Hub in Perth.

Case Study Showcase: Industry Mentoring Boosts Connections in STEM

The first phase of the Industry Mentoring Network in STEM (IMNIS) has delivered great outcomes from its medtech/pharma program. IMNIS saw significant growth in the initial uptake of its program with 217 students participating across 14 universities in five states, including Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia. Read more.

Want to showcase your great work? Email media@mtpconnect.org.au to submit a case study.

Sector Profile: Hydrix

Today more than ever, medical devices are becoming software-driven, smart and connected. At Hydrix, we live and breathe the latest medical technologies and couple this with proven expertise in the connected and IoT domains. We translate this passion into commercial reality, enabling start-ups though to large corporations to realize their product development goals. And we partner with our clients to offer tailored design and engineering solutions to best fit their commercial needs. Learn more in our Sector Directory.  

List your organisation on the MTPConnect Sector Directory.

New Funding on Offer to Turbo Charge Australian COVID-19 Research

I am pleased to announce that MTPConnect is set to launch a new round of its Biomedical Translation Bridge (BTB) program, specifically designed to target COVID-19 related research. 

Eligible organisations can apply for up to $1 million of matching funding for research to develop medical devices, diagnostics, prophylactic or therapeutic approaches that will achieve an impact in 12-months or less. 

Expressions of Interest (EOIs) will be open for just two weeks from Monday 18 May – Monday 1 June 2020. Funding will support Australian small and medium enterprises, medical research institutes and universities conducting COVID-19 related research projects.

We have designed the BTB rapid response COVID-19 funding round to get results as quickly as possible to help protect the health of Australians and other communities through the earliest possible deployment of new vaccines, therapeutics, diagnostics and medical devices.

We operate the BTB program, an initiative of the Medical Research Future Fund, in partnership with BioCurate, UniQuest, the Medical Device Partnering Program (MDPP) and the Bridge and BridgeTech programs (Queensland University of Technology).

All the information you need to support an application can be found on the BTB page.

If you have any questions, please contact Lauren Kelly, our Director of the BTB program. 

Kind regards,

Dr Dan Grant
Managing Director & CEO
MTPConnect

COVID-19 Impact on the MTP Sector - Second Edition Launched

Dear David,

Back in June 2020 we published the MTPConnect COVID-19 Impact Report, which revealed the COVID-19 health crisis had a significant negative impact across the medical technology, biotechnology and pharmaceutical (MTP) sector, including start-ups, SMEs, large local and multinational companies, researchers, universities, service providers, industry organisations and investors. Our research covered the four-month period up to May 2020.

As promised, we have updated this report in partnership with L.E.K. Consulting, researching the COVID-19 response and recovery efforts undertaken by the sector during June to September 2020.

The second edition of the MTPConnect COVID-19 Impact Report is now available. It includes perspectives shared by senior stakeholders from industry associations, companies, regulatory bodies, research organisations, government representatives and funders. This feedback has informed key insights, case studies and recommendations within this report.

The Report’s second edition is a valuable resource outlining six key issues that must be addressed for the sector’s recovery, six trends that present opportunities for growth and actions that can be taken to better prepare for future pandemics.

Australia is in the midst of a significant recession and the journey to recovery will take time. The MTP sector faces a number of key challenges in the near term and we will continue to work with industry participants and government to ensure the sector remains at the forefront of delivering innovative health solutions and restoring jobs and economic growth to Australia.

I would very much like to thank all those from the sector who shared their time and insights through the online survey and stakeholder consultations.

Take a read and let me know your feedback.

Kind regards,

Dr Dan Grant

Managing Director and CEO
MTPConnect

COVID-19 Impact on the MTP Sector - New Reports Launched

To better understand the burden of the COVID-19 lockdown on the medical technology, biotechnology and pharmaceutical (MTP) sector in Australia, MTPConnect recently undertook research, in partnership with L.E.K. Consulting, to explore the impacts of the pandemic lockdown on organisations across the different parts of the MTP value chain and how companies have responded to the crisis.

I am pleased to announce that the findings have now been published in the MTPConnect COVID-19 Impact Report, revealing the COVID-19 health crisis has had a significant negative impact across the MTP sector, including startups, SMEs, large local and multinational companies, researchers, universities, service providers, industry organisations and investors.

With insights from 80 senior leaders from the sector, the report details significant hits to company values, the shutdown of critical clinical trials and the drying-up of much needed capital to sustain research and development projects. It highlights that the sector has been dealing with these impacts while simultaneously fast-tracking vaccine, diagnostic, device and therapeutic research to fight COVID-19 and securing vital medical supplies. It also identifies five key factors across the MTP value chain that will affect the growth of the sector over the next six to twelve months.

Additionally, a new supplementary report, produced in collaboration with the Medical Technology Association of Australia (MTAA), Collaborating in the Public Interest: How Australia’s Medical Technology Sector joined with Government to fight COVID-19, details the behind-the-scenes story of a unique industry & government collaboration to support the national interest and the impact this will have on planning for future pandemic planning.

Both reports cover the four-month period from February to May 2020 and are available on our website. A follow-up Impact report will be published in Quarter 3 2020 to outline strategies and initiatives to position the MTP sector for future growth.

I would sincerely like to thank all of those throughout our sector who contributed to this impact research over the last few months – your insights helped to make this report possible.

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with me.

Kind regards,

Dr Dan Grant

Managing Director and CEO
MTPConnect

Message from the MD & CEO

As the COVID-19 global health emergency continues to impact our lives, the MTPConnect team is still operating from our virtual offices around Australia, embracing new technology opportunities to help stay connected to you and get involved in sector activities. We have developed a new webinar platform to bring our Seminar series online, and we’ve moved to a virtual podcast studio so we can continue to tell the stories from our sector during this challenging time. What is most apparent as I look back on the last month, is our sector’s response to COVID-19, which is multi-layered and immense.

We are seeing unprecedented collaboration between industry, government and research and other Industry Growth Centres as we come together to solve some of the challenges this health emergency has posed for the nation around delivery of healthcare, treatment and testing as well as scientific research efforts to learn more about the COVID-19 virus and ways to fight it.

Our Board’s Chair Sue MacLeman, myself and members of my team are participating on various taskforces and sub-committees to provide assistance with COVID-19 initiatives at state and national levels. And we will continue to engage with you, our stakeholders, in the coming months as we seek to better understand the impact of this pandemic on the growth of the MTP sector and what economic recovery will look like.  

Since we released our first coronavirus podcast discussion with Professor Trent Munro from the University of Queensland and Professor George Lovrecz from the CSIRO about their world-leading vaccine work, we have also spoken with Colin La Galia from WA’s EpiChem about their COVID-19 pivot to develop chemical-grade hand sanitizer and Deloitte Access Economics’ Dr Pradeep Philip about COVID-19’s impact on our innovation mindset and the critical role of the MTP sector in Australia’s response and recovery.  

We are on the way to flattening the curve and slowing the spread of COVID-19 in Australia and every effort counts at this stage. The Australian Government has released its COVIDSafe application, which helps find close contacts of COVID-19 cases by speeding up the current manual process of contact tracing. This means you’ll be contacted more quickly if you are at risk and then reduces the chance of you passing on the virus to others. From a personal perspective, I have signed up by downloading the app and encourage you to consider doing the same. All the information you need to know is here.

In other news this month, our Chair Sue MacLeman, also the Chair of ATSE’s Health Forum, led the launch of ATSE’s Health Technology Report, ‘A New Prescription: preparing for a healthcare transformation’ which outlines how we can take best advantage of existing and emerging technology to meet future healthcare challenges such as COVID-19.

We celebrated our 50th podcast episode, talking with digital health company Spokle about commercialising a speech therapy app and launching in the Indonesian market. In other stories, the podcast covered improving workforce skills in cancer research with the VCCC and medtech start-up journeys for Navi Medical Technologies and Tournicare. 

Looking ahead to May, MTPConnect’s Seminar Series continues as we move our next event online to a free webinar “MTP guide to cyber safety” with our fellow Industry Growth Centre, AustCyber and expert industry panellists on 6 May. I will be joining AustCyber’s CEO Michelle Price, Perx Health’s CEO & Co-Founder Hugo Rourke and Forticode’s CEO Tony Smales to discuss how to prepare for cyber risks when developing health and medical innovations. Register today.

Today, our Director of the BTB Program is presenting at the 2020 Bridge Program launch virtually, we are proud to continue to support the work that will induct 101 participants this year.

We continue to support ARCS Australia’s free weekly seminar series: COVID – 19: considerations and strategies for running trials during the pandemic and encourage you to sign up if you are part of the clinical trials community.  

We are currently recruiting for a Project Manager to join our BioMedTech Horizons team and information about the role can be found on the Careers section of our website. Applications close 13 May, 5pm AEST. 

I’d like to thank my MTPConnect team based around Australia who are adapting to rapidly changing circumstances and working hard to champion the sector.  

And finally, I must acknowledge and applaud the extra efforts many organisations in our sector are undertaking to support state and national efforts to address the medical emergency that COVID-19 has prompted, while also trying to continue their business or research activities under dramatically changed economic circumstances. The pressure and uncertainty is indeed most challenging and we are doing everything we can to support the MTP sector during this time.

Stay home, stay safe and stay in touch.

Kind regards,

Dr Dan Grant
Managing Director & CEO 

Pictured: Clinical trial in progress. Image courtesy of Linear Clinical Research.

MTPConnect & Industry News

How Australia is Pivoting: COVID-19 Response
The MTPConnect Podcast team is working to bring you insightful stories into how Australian companies and researchers are pivoting their activities to respond to COVID-19. In an April podcast episode, we featured WA-based chemical services company EpiChem,  and their efforts to make chemistry-grade hand sanitizer for hospitals and aged care service providers in Western Australia.  

Is your MTP company cyber safe? Join our webinar on cyber security
MTPConnect’s 2020 Seminar Series is back with a program of webinars designed to showcase the latest ideas, issues and challenges for the medtech, biotech and pharmaceutical sector in Australia. Please join us on next Wednesday (6 May) for our next event, a webinar ‘MTP guide to cyber safety’ with AustCyber, which will explore current cyber issues specific to our sector. 

Working Together to Safeguard Current Clinical Trials During COVID-19
As the COVID-19 situation is developing rapidly, the sector is working together to ensure continuity of current clinical trial research for the thousands of patients currently enrolled in trials around Australia. The Research & Development Taskforce (RDTF), represented by Medicines Australia, AusBiotech and the Medical Technology Association of Australia who support the development of innovative new medicines and medical devices, released a joint position statement ‘Supporting Clinical Trials During the COVID-19 Pandemic’.  

Showcase your Health Innovation: 2020 Australian Technology Competition
The 2020 Australian Technology Competition is open, calling for scaleups with great global potential to showcase technology that solves the challenges of our times – health, supply chains, food security, climate change, emergencies and more. Applications close, 8 May 2020.

Sector Snapshot

• The Digital Health CRC is looking for organisations whose employees are providing essential services to join a project that will deliver the evidence base for a scaled approach to the use of COVID-19 point of care (POC) risk screening testing
• The TIA has an opportunity for research teams needing R&D facilities for COVID-19 projects
• Nucleus Network has partnered US-based clinical-stage biotechnology company Novavax to commence Phase 1 clinical trials for its COVID-19 vaccine trials.
• Listen to our podcast about Niels van Sparrentak from Tournicare and Brad Bergmann from Navi Medical Technologies about their experience in the Australian Technology Competition
• Check out this piece in Stockhead about tele-trials and it''s impact the way we deliver healthcare 
• Congrats to Elise Sutherland of Stelect on being named one of Forbes 30 Under 30 Healthcare & Science
• Hear from Spokle Co-Founder Elisabeth Yunarko on our podcast
• Check out an update from UQ about their research work on COVID-19
• Hear from EpiChem CEO Colin La Galia talk about his company''s COVID-19 pivot on our podcast
• VCCC''s Dr David Kok explains to podcast listeners how the Master of Cancer Sciences course is improving workforce skills in cancer research
• Download ATSE''s Health technology report launched this month
• Check out the new course subjects in the Master of Cancer Sciences program developed by University of Melbourne and the VCCC

Sector Opportunities

• Join the MTPConnect team as a BMTH Project Manager

• Nominations are open for the SA Science Excellence and Innovation Awards

• Linear Clinical Trials has started recruiting participants for an upcoming COVID-19 vaccine study

• Apply to the TIA''s Pipeline Accelerator COVID-19

• Enter the 2020 AusTech Competition

• Submit your nomination to the Eureka Prize for Outstanding Science in Safeguarding Australia

• Apply to NHMRC''s 2020 Postgraduate Scholarship Scheme

• CRC Program Round 22 grant opportunity is open for industry-led research collaborations 

• Apply to UNSW & The George Institute''s Health 10x Accelerator

• Apply to the Clinical Trials and Cohort Studies 2020

• Submit an EOI to the UprAsia Program

• Enter the 2020 Ideas Grants

• Partner with Cicada Innovations

• Apply for the Bionic Queensland challenge

• Apply for the NHMRC''s Global Alliance for Chronic Diseases: Cancer Prevention

• Share your innovation story to ge maker''s #AUSInnovates platform

Events 

4 May 2020 - COVID–19: considerations and strategies for running trials during the pandemic,
                        ARCS Australia
4-6 May 2020 - #PartneringAgainstCOVID19, Lyonbiopôle
6 May 2020 - Is your MTP company cyber safe? Webinar on cyber security
11 May 2020 - COVID–19: considerations and strategies for running trials during the pandemic,
                          ARCS Australia
13-15 May 2020 - WA BRIGHT: INNOVATE in Digital Health, ANDHealth
18 May 2020 - COVID–19: considerations and strategies for running trials during the pandemic,
                          ARCS Australia
18-23 May 2020 - BioKorea 2020
25 May 2020 - COVID–19: considerations and strategies for running trials during the pandemic,
                          ARCS Australia
28-29 May 2020 - ISCT 2020

To see what industry events are happening near you in 2020, visit our events page.

Pictured: the participants of the National Biologics Training Program in Thailand touring the Thai National Biopharmaceutical Facility in 2018.

Case Study Showcase: Bridging the Biologics Gap in Thailand

The National Biologics Training Program - born out of The University of Queensland - has set up an international collaboration with Thailand''s Centre of Excellence for Life Sciences (TCELS) to provide its biopharmaceutical researchers with professional development training to strengthen capabilities in Biologics R&D, advanced biomanufacturing and global regulation. Read more.

Want to showcase your great work? Email media@mtpconnect.org.au to submit a case study.

Sector Profile: Epichem Pty Ltd​

Epichem is an Australian company formed in 2003 to provide services in synthetic and medicinal chemistry to the drug discovery and pharmaceutical industries. With a state-of-the-art laboratory in Technology Park, Western Australia, Epichem serves an international clientele ranging from small operations to large multinational pharmaceutical companies. Learn more in our Sector Directory.  

List your organisation on the MTPConnect Sector Directory.

Message from the MD & CEO

Season''s Greetings from MTPConnect to you.

What a year. From catastrophic bushfires and widespread flooding to the horrors of a global pandemic, with upheaval and heartache like we have never seen before - and everyone touched in their personal and professional lives.

Over the last twelve months I have witnessed incredible adaptation, innovation, hard work and resilience as our sector has responded and risen to the challenges. We have been on the front line for research, diagnosis, management, prevention and treatment and played a critical role in driving Australia’s COVID-19 response. And now there’s hope that new vaccines will roll out in Australia in the first few months of 2021 to make a difference. 

The challenges of this year have highlighted that the work of our sector has never been more important. Translating and commercialising innovative health solutions leads to jobs and economic growth and it has been our focus throughout the pandemic in 2020. Maintaining that focus, continuing to build sovereign capability and strengthen supply chain resilience will position our sector to play a central and ongoing role in driving Australia’s economic recovery and future pandemic preparedness.

As we close out 2020, our focus remains on influencing skills development, workforce training and integration between research, industry and the entrepreneurial ecosystem continues with our REDI program. This month we opened applications for our REDI Industry Fellowship Program which is providing grants of up to $250,000 for industry to secure one of up to 40 industry Fellows. This unique workforce initiative is giving industry the opportunity to select a researcher, academic, clinician or technology transfer professional to collaborate on distinct projects involving discovery, translation and commercialisation. 

Additionally, Round One of the REDI Contestable program called for suitably qualified organisations to submit proposals for new training programs to address priority skills gaps identified in the REDI Skills Gaps Analysis Interim Report. The round closed earlier this month with proposals now under review and we expect to announce the successful recipients in the New Year. 

Our weekly podcast series has wrapped up for 2020, with 48 episodes released this year featuring many guests from across the sector sharing their stories of innovation and entrepreneurship and pandemic resilience. December episodes take you to my keynote presentation at MTAA''s Cyber Security Forum and a chat with DMTC''s Dr Felicia Pradera about Australia’s medical countermeasures program and future pandemic preparedness. As our Seminar Series launched this year and pivoted to webinar format, you can now watch many of these sessions as videos on-demand on our website.

In a fitting way to draw a line under the year, the 2020 MTPConnect Annual Report is now available to download at our website. It provides a snapshot of the impact of our Growth Centre activities for the 2020 financial year. In FY2020 MTPConnect had $161.9 million in sector support funds under management, across five strategic initiative funding programs. Across those programs, a total of $78.2 million was committed to support 103 projects as at 30 June 2020, leveraging a further $229.1 million in industry contributions and external investment.

In the New Year, the MTPConnect team is relocating to a new office in Melbourne and we will keep you posted on the details. It will be a chance for us to meet five of our newest colleagues face-to-face for the first time!

I know it won’t be easy with restrictions persisting in many places but I do hope you’re able to catch-up safely with family and friends and on behalf of the entire team at MTPConnect, we wish you all the best for the festive season and look forward to connecting with you again in the 2021.

Kind regards,

Dr Dan Grant
Managing Director & CEO 

MTPConnect & Industry News

2020 Annual Report 
Take a look at our 2020 Annual Report which details the impact of our activities on the growth of the MTP sector. Download today from our website.

Call for Industry Sponsors to Apply for REDI Fellowship Funding
The REDI program is providing Fellowships of up to $250,000 to industry to secure one of up to 40 industry Fellowships in the MTP sector. This unique workforce initiative is giving industry the opportunity to select a researcher, academic, clinician or technology transfer professional to collaborate in-house on distinct projects involving discovery, translation and commercialisation.

First Round of Bridge & BridgeTech REDI Fellows Announced
A group of 20 Australian researchers who are alumni participants from the Bridge and BridgeTech Programs, are taking a step towards commercialising their work after being awarded a $10,000 fellowship for placement in the pharmaceutical or medical device industry. The Bridge and BridgeTech Industry Fellowship REDI Program, supported by MTPConnect’s REDI program, involves placements of up to six months with partner companies and technology incubators to enhance understanding and skills.

Sector Snapshot

• The Australian Government announced $300 million MRFF funding for research projects through the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Ideas Grants scheme and postgraduate scholarships 
• Read outgoing Australia''s Chief Scientist Dr Alan Finkel''s piece in The Conversation
• The Australian Government is backing female-led start-ups across Australia with nearly $12 million for the Boosting Female Founders program
• The Australian Government will support up to 500 women to study science, technology, engineering or mathematics in 2021

• The NHMRC is investing $4.5 million in six ground-breaking international medical research projects aimed at improving outcomes in Alzheimer’s disease, emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases, cancer, mental health conditions, anorexia nervosa and the human health impact of climate change

• The launch of our REDI Industry Fellowship Program was covered in PharmaDispatch

• Watch our REDI Industry Fellowship Information Session as an on-demand video

• AAMRI has appointed Professor Kathryn North AC as new AAMRI President-Elect

• Ellume receives FDA Emergency Use Authorization for the over-the-counter COVID-19 at home diagnostic test

• Download the Medical Device Commercialisation Training Program Impact Report by Cicada Innovations in partnership with NSW Health

• MedTech Actuator start-up Ventora Medical has successfully closed its angel investment round in the midst of the COVID19 global pandemic

• ANDHealth''s Grace Lethlean has been named a Superstar of STEM
• Download Franklin Women''s Impact Report
• Watch Asialink Business'' Year in Review
• Seer has ranked among the fastest growing technology companies in Australia
• Read our case study on BMTH Round 3 recipient, Artrya
• Check out the launch of the Ingham Institute for Applied Medical Research Centre for Robotics and Health Technologies
• Catch up on season 2 of the MTPConnect Podcast

Sector Opportunities

• Apply to our REDI Industry Fellowship Program, with first submissions due 1 March 2021

• Apply to AusIndustry''s Manufacturing Modernisation Fund Round Two, and close 21 January 2021

• Postgraduate students in life sciences can apply to the Merck Innovation Cup 2021 until 31 January 2021, for the opportunity to head to Germany for the Innovation Cup summer camp

• Applications are now open for The BridgeTech Program fourth cohort, closing on 7 February 2021

• Apply to MedTech Actuator''s Origin Challenge until 22 January 2021, which is supported by our REDI initiative

• Applications are now open for the AdvaMed''s MedTech Innovator 2021 program, and close 22 January 2021

• Nominations are open for the 2021 BioMelbourne Network Women in Leadership Awards and close 19 February 2021

• Apply to NSW Government''s Medical Devices Fund, closing 1 March 2021

• Register your interest to attend Cicada Innovations'' Medtech Foundation Series

• Nominations open for the 2021 ATSE Awards, closing on 18 January 2021

• Are you a PhD researcher looking for opportunities? Apply to the ARC Centre of Excellence for Electromaterials Science at the University of Wollongong

• Submit an EOI to Marlow Hampshire & BioMelbourne Network''s 2021 Industry Program

• Apply by 21 January to MedTech Actuator''s 2021 Menzies Scholarship Fellowship, educating junior scientists and researchers in Australia in entrepreneurship and commercialisation.

• Enter DFAT''s Australia-India Council 2020 Grants Round by 18 January

• Apply to MRFF 2020 COVID-19 Vaccine Candidate Research Grant opportunity

• List your organisation on MDPP''s online Capability Directory

• If your company exports health services, take DFAT''s Born Global Survey

• Partner with Cicada Innovations

Events

17 January 2021 - Australia showcase: clinical trials & medical innovation advantages, AusBiotech
29 January 2021 - Introductory Virtual OTP 2020-2022 Program, MTAA
4 February 2021 - Hot or Not: Trends for 2021, BioMelbourne Network
 

To see what industry events are coming up in 2021, visit our events page.

Pictured: The TRRF project in action with the eResearch@QUT team. Image courtesy of QUT.

Case Study Showcase: Changing Lives with Digital Patient Registry and Analytics Platforms

The Trial Ready Registry Framework (TRRF) project co-funded by MTPConnect Project Fund Program and Queensland University of Technology (QUT), set out to develop a single digital trial ready registry platform to better collect and analyse health data. The pilot aims to create a new standard of digital analytics platform to explore the feasibility with three rare diseases - Motor Neurone Disease (MND), Cystic Fibrosis (CF) and Angelman Syndrome (AS). Read more.

Want to showcase your great work? Email media@mtpconnect.org.au to submit a case study.

Sector Profile: Solve Consulting

Solve Consulting is a boutique consulting firm that provides Regulatory Affairs consulting support to companies involved in the development of pharmaceuticals. With 26 years experience in the development and registration of new medicines, both within Australia and globally, Solve are able to provide advice on data requirements to support product registration, assist with dossier preparation and can lead discussions with regulatory agencies across the globe, including US FDA, EMA and MHRA. Learn more in our Sector Directory.  

List your organisation on the MTPConnect Sector Directory.