In Case You Missed It: Here’s What The MTPConnect Team Has Been Up To In June

07 July 2021

Doing more for Australians with Diabetes and Cardiovascular Disease
Our Targeted Translation Research Accelerator (TTRA) initiative is currently engaging with the sector to identify unmet needs relating to the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, or management of diabetes and / or cardiovascular disease. We are reaching out via a survey to researchers, healthcare and medical professionals, industry stakeholders and those with knowledge of the lived experience of diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Find out more about the 2021 survey.

Drug Repurposing report launched
We launched our new report, a discussion paper - 'Drug Repurposing: Building the Path to Australian Success' – that explores the drug repurposing landscape in Australia and just what it will take to deliver more repurposed drugs in ways that improve people’s health. We aim to show how Australia can participate more vigorously in this evolving activity. Download the report today.

More REDI training programs roll out
Cicada Innovations has just launched its first national workshop series, Cicada MedLab: Commercialisation 101. Workshops commence from August onwards and will provide the knowledge and skills to get started on the journey of commercialising digital health, diagnostics, devices or therapeutics solutions. The Biointelect Venturer program is a new 1-day course designed for those looking to leverage external funding to accelerate the commercialisation of their product or to take their start-up to the next level. Register your interest by 31 July 2021.

ARCS 2021 Annual Conference highlights initiatives to improve clinical trials
At ARCS 2021 Annual Conference, our Chair Sue MacLeman spoke at the plenary session on building Australia's competitive advantage post-COVID. MTPConnect hosted a panel session to ‘highlight national and international initiatives improving clinical trials in Australia’ chaired by Sue MacLeman. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, Sue MacLeman was joined on stage in Sydney by Zoe Armstrong, Clinical Research Director for MSD and co-lead of the Transcelerate ANZ Chapter while panellists from Melbourne joined virtually, including Simone Yendle, Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Clinical Trials Alliance (ACTA) and MTPConnect’s Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Dr Dan Grant and Senior Director Stakeholder Engagement Dr Rebecca Tunstall.

Supporting Australia’s Presence at International Biotech Events
MTPConnect supported various international events this month through virtual participation. MTPConnect and AAMRNet were on board with some 60 Australian companies as part of the Team Australia digital pavilion at BIO Digital 21 organised by AusBiotech.  We also supported Austrade’s efforts to organise the Australian biotech mission to BioKorea 2021 with a virtual Australian Pavilion, and Dr Dan Grant spoke about ‘Australian Industry Trends and Opportunities/R&D Ecosystem’ at the Australia Korea Global Open Innovation Forum for Pharmacuetical Industry. The forum focused on cooperation strategy between Korean and Australian pharmaceutical industries and a number of Australian companies were profiled at the event.

Joining the Conversation at Sector Events
Our Director Stakeholder Engagement WA Dr Tracey Wilkinson presented a keynote on the importance of cybersecurity in the healthcare sector at the CyberWest Summit 2021 in Perth. MTPConnect Managing Director and CEO Dr Dan Grant joined a virtual panel at HealthData 21 Conference for the InGeNA genomics stream, to discuss funding the next wave of healthcare translformation led by genomics. Our Chair Sue MacLeman joined a virtual panel discussion at ANDHealth’s Masterclass for digital health commercialisation, which is a program supported by the REDI initiative. Our Director Stakeholder Engagement Queensland Andrew Bowskill presented details about our REDI Fellowship program at a University of Queensland Centre of Clinical Research Seminar. 

Watch the Webcast of the Panel Session at our Clinical Trials Report launch
In May, MTPConnect marked International Clinical Trials Day 2021 with the release of a new report that reveals the size and scope of Australia’s clinical trials sector and opportunities for future growth. For the launch we gathered at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre in Melbourne with a panel of Australian thought leaders to discuss the importance of clinical trials in Australia. Watch the thought-provoking discussion available now on our virtual webcast.