Two MTPConnect projects attract outside investment

25 October 2018

Pictured: CSIRO's Research Director Paul Savage, Minister for Trade and Investment Innovation & the Digital Economy and Small Business the Hon. Philip Dalidakis MP, MTPConnect GM International and Government Dr Sandhya Tewari, CSIRO's Executive Director of Growth and CSIRO's Research Manager Melissa Jane Straffon at the launch of CSIRO's new Biomedical Manufacturing Facility in Clayton. Photo by CSIRO.

The CSIRO protein production platform in Melbourne and the Medical Device Partnering Program (MDPP) based at Flinders University in Adelaide are the latest MTPConnect projects to attract additional investment from Australian State governments.

MTPConnect originally funded the two projects as part of the 2016 round of the Project Fund Program.

South Australia's MDPP has received funds from the Victorian government and industry body LaunchVic to establish a hub for entrepreneurs in medical devices in Victoria, building on their ambition for national expansion. The program this week secured additional funding from the South Australian government to continue development of its programs which bring together research, clinical and industry partners in a streamlined process for collaboration and product development.

Pictured: Director of the Medical Device Partnering Platform (MDPP) Karen Reynolds.

The CSIRO protein production platform has received $1.5 million in funding from the Victorian government to build a Biomedical Manufacturing Precinct in Clayton. MTPConnect attended the launch where Minister for Trade & Investment, Innovation & the Digital Economy and Small Business the Hon. Philip Dalidakis MP toured the facility with CSIRO and key sector stakeholders. The facility will make biological products such as vaccines, antibodies, growth factors and stem cells for testing in human clinical trials.

MTPConnect CEO Dr Dan Grant says the additional funding the projects have been able to secure is evidence of their contribution to the MTP sector.

“It is great to see these projects attracting State government funding to continue to reach Australians and improve their lives with enhanced medical devices and vaccines,” Dr Grant said.

“The new funding is welcome recognition of the ongoing success of the two projects and we are proud to see them gaining momentum.”