Australia's Cell and Gene Catalyst
About the Catalyst
The burgeoning field of cell and gene therapies offers significant potential and optimism, with many experts touting these therapies as the most critical discoveries of the future.
The Cell and Gene Catalyst (The Catalyst) is a national joint venture established and co-led by AusBiotech and Medicines Australia.
The Catalyst aims to accelerate Australia’s cell and gene industry and ensure everyone in Australia has access to advanced therapeutics. This industry-led collaborative venture is supported by committed partner organisations: CSL Behring, Novartis Australia and New Zealand, Pfizer, Therapeutic Innovation Australia, Roche Products and Cell Therapies.
- The vision: that people in Australia have access to world-class innovation sustained by a thriving Australian cell and gene therapy industry.
- The mission: to create an end-to-end world-class value chain, that can discover, develop, and distribute cell and gene therapies, creating an Australian Hub to deliver jobs, commercialise research and benefit patients, exporting Australian therapies to the world.
The Catalyst aims to position Australia as a global leader in this field and to drive economic growth in the sector. To accelerate the development and commercialisation of cell and gene therapies in Australia, the initiative will focus on strengthening the Australian ecosystem, with a particular emphasis on building the country's capabilities across the entire value chain.
As demand for these therapies increases, we aim to leverage Australia's expertise to establish a hub in the Asia-Pacific region.
Strategic goals
The Catalyst was identified as a need during the AusBiotech-led Regenerative Medicine Consortium Project. The Cell and Gene Catalyst has five strategic objectives:
- Attract, build, and retain world-class talent.
- Collaborate across the value chain.
- Secure long-term investment in the sector.
- Create a clear market access pathway aligned to leading global markets.
- Build Australian capability and capacity across the cell and gene value chain.
The Catalyst’s strategic objectives have been adapted from the Strategic Roadmap for the Regenerative Medicine sector in Australia.
Industry experts advise the Catalyst
The Catalyst’s Expert Steering Group is comprised of influential industry leaders in cell and gene therapies, business development and policy.
In collaboration with the co-leading peak bodies, the Steering Group provides strategic oversight and advice, determines the key priority areas, and shares knowledge and expertise to progress the goals of this national initiative.
Three Expert Working Groups collaborate with the Catalyst team and the Steering Group to support the Catalyst’s strategy implementation in three priority areas:
- Policy and advocacy
- Collaboration and knowledge-sharing
- Workforce development
The Steering Group and the Working Groups actively contribute to this rapidly growing industry, volunteering their time in support of the Catalyst’s goals. Members are immersed within a network of change-makers and leaders from across the value chain of Australia’s cell and gene industry.
To learn more, contact the Cell and Gene Catalyst here.
Cell and gene manufacturing project
There is an opportunity for Australia to be a regional hub in the Asia Pacific region for cell and gene (C&G) manufacturing, yet there are a number of barriers. These include quality control processes, infrastructure and large gaps in the people-based capability for manufacturing. Unlocking Australia’s opportunities requires a much better understanding and coordination of our capabilities and addressing where the gaps lie.
To help realise this potential, the National Cell and Gene Manufacturing Blueprint was developed by AusBiotech, the Cell and Gene Manufacturing Taskforce, and Biointelect, to provide a unified and collaborative approach to expanding sovereign C&G manufacturing capabilities and capacity in Australia.
The Australian biotechnology sector-led strategy outlines recommendations on how Australia’s ecosystem can work together to develop the necessary workforce, expertise and infrastructure, to position Australia as a regional leader and deliver a new generation of medical treatments.
For industry, the report presents an opportunity to shape the field for the future, and to build a sustainable and growing ecosystem that attracts and supports local and international operators, while for government it presents an opportunity to strategically invest and therefore maximise the socioeconomic potential of C&G manufacturing, including job creation and healthcare outcomes.
The project was funded by the Victorian Government’s Australian Medtech Manufacturing Centre (AMMC).
Download the full report here.
For more information contact AusBiotech.