Focus on biomanufacturing at Springfield city seminar

The annual Future of Health Series event is hosted by Springfield City Group (SCG) in partnership with Life Sciences Queensland (LSQ), as part of the city’s program to build one of Australia’s leading life science business campuses at BioPark Australia.

LSQ CEO Dr Erin Evans said the life sciences industry drove significant income for Queensland, with an estimated annual gross value of $2.21 billion, including $3.6 million in manufacturing R&D private investment and an annual export value of $534.3 million.

“Our Future of Health series supports the sector by bringing together industry, research institutions and government representatives to explore possibilities for growth,” Dr Erins said.

The seminar included two panel discussions and a workshop addressing scaling and retaining in biomanufacturing, with thought leaders from industry and research institutions sharing insights with the audience of 120 business leaders, government representatives, academics and researchers.

Panellists included Translational Research Institute (TRI) Acting Team Leader, Industry Engagement Manager, Glenda Colburn; Director of the UQ Advanced Cell Therapy Manufacturing Initiative, Professor Simon Cool; Southern RNA Chief Operating Officer, Garry Heaney; Therapeutic Innovation Australia Director of Strategic Development, Ben Hughes; QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute Director and CEO, Professor Fabienne Mackay; Aegros Co-founder and Executive Chair, Professor Hari Nair; ARM Hub Board member Jackie Taranto; and UniSQ Dean of Engineering, Professor Prasad Yarlagadda OAM.

Speakers included SCG General Manager – Health, Dustin Welch and Executive Director Department of State Development and Infrastructure, Denise Johnston.

Attendees explored what was needed for biomanufacturing companies to grow and mature; the importance of government policy and research institution partnerships to advance biomanufacturing in Queensland; and ways to boost sovereign manufacturing capability.

Springfield City Group Chairman Maha Sinnathamby AM said BioPark Australia would support multiple biologic industries to co-locate and provide health innovations to benefit all Australians.

“BioPark Australia is a 22-hectare innovation space that will bring the best and brightest together to provide solutions for this city and beyond,” he said.

Mr Sinnathamby said the commitment by Southern RNA and Aegros to establish facilities in Springfield would put the precinct on the map as a destination for advanced manufacturing in pharmaceuticals and health technologies.

“As well as creating jobs for Queenslanders in construction and then in operations, these projects will boost our nation’s sovereign manufacturing capabilities when supply chains are disrupted, as happened during the COVID pandemic,” he said.

Mr Sinnathamby said Southern RNA’s facility would allow for mRNA drug substance production and the manufacture of other therapeutics, vaccines, and cancer treatments, while Aegros’s facility would secure a reliable supply of plasma-derived medicines for Australia.

Dr Evans said LSQ was working with the sector to create the best conditions for success, and the Future of Health Series seminar was an important way to collect information for decision makers.

“It is vital that these companies have a local, supportive ecosystem with relevant advice, suitable infrastructure, and sufficient funding to enable them to reach their full potential,” she said.

LSQ is the peak industry body that nurtures the Queensland life sciences sector, helping to mature and grow the organisations that feed, fuel and heal the world. We are the trusted advisor, advocate, enabler and connector for the sector.