Newsroom.

Australia’s biotechnology industry is gathering in record numbers at the annual AusBiotech International Conference, held in Melbourne this week.

The four-day conference, regarded as one of the pre-eminent life sciences conferences in the Asia-Pacific region, has once again drawn a record-breaking audience, with more than 1600 delegates from across Australia and around the world.

International participation strengthened significantly this year, with delegates from more than 20 countries representing nearly 20 per cent of total attendance.

Senator Michelle Ananda-Rajah addressed delegates, highlighting the growing importance of the life sciences sector to Australia’s future innovation.

Senator Ananda-Rajah emphasised the remarkable capabilities of the nation’s health and medical innovators and the sector’s vital role in driving a more diversified and resilient Australian economy.

AusBiotech CEO Rebekah Cassidy said she was honoured by the level of engagement and enthusiasm shown from the life sciences ecosystem, from homegrown innovators, global companies, investors, researchers, clinical researchers, manufacturers, and State and Federal government representatives.

“We were honoured to have Senator Ananda-Rajah address delegates and to see the strong recognition of biotechnology and life sciences as a critical sector to Australia’s future innovation driven economy," Rebekah said.

“This Government's vision on building sovereign capability, advancing innovation, and strengthening the commercialisation pipeline aligns strongly with our sector’s vision. A vision that sees more world-leading Australian health and medical innovation turned into products that improve lives and boost national resilience, and critical to the health and wealth of this nation."

With more than 2,900 life sciences organisations employing one in every 60 Australians, the sector represents a powerful future national strength with growing international relevance.
“Australia’s life sciences sector is ready to stand as a cornerstone of Australia's future. Bold reform is needed now to strengthen every stage of the pipeline from research to manufacturing, empowering Australian companies to compete and thrive globally,” Rebekah said.

The four-day conference is designed to connect, inform and inspire, bringing together over 250 expert speakers across 60 sessions, covering themes such as biotechnology innovation, medical technology, clinical trials, investment, and policy.

It continues to serve as the flagship event of Australia’s biggest week in biotech.

Program highlights included:
 • Millis Oration (Sponsored by CSL): Dr Christian Behrenbruch, Managing Director and Group CEO of Telix Pharmaceuticals, spoke on global leadership in radiopharma, opportunities and challenges.
 • Depaz Oration (Sponsored by Sanofi): Adjunct Professor Alison Todd AM, FTSE, PhD, Co-Founder and Chief Scientific Officer SpeeDx, celebrated Australia’s capacity for innovation, particularly in the pursuit of better health outcomes.
 • Panel sessions: ‘Driving tomorrow – how Australia’s tech sectors are shaping our innovation-driven economy’, ‘Navigating global shifts in biotech policy and partnerships’, and ‘Strengthening Australia’s role in the global commercialisation ecosystem’, were just a few of the incredible line up of panels for attendees to explore.
 • International Showcase: This dedicated stream brought together global delegations — from New Zealand, Hong Kong, France, China, India, and Taiwan — to spotlight their strengths, capabilities, and opportunities to collaborate with Australia’s life sciences community.
 • Cell and Gene and Personalised Medicine: These focused sessions unpacked the therapies redefining the future of medicine, offering potentially curative treatments for cancer, autoimmune disorders, and genetic diseases.
 • AgriBiotech and Biosecurity: This summit, co-hosted by CSIRO and Agriculture Victoria Services, explores the interconnection between agriculture and the wider biotechnology and health ecosystem — research institutions that underpin them all.

ENDS

Media inquiries
Emma Boscheinen, AusBiotech Director of Communications / +61 437 075 209 / eboscheinen@ausbiotech.org

About AusBiotech
AusBiotech is Australia's leading national and global advocate for life sciences, working to help its more than 3000 members thrive by shaping policy, creating connections, and fostering knowledge sharing. With an unrivalled national convening power, AusBiotech supports its members’ growth by building an Australian life sciences ecosystem that leads in development and commercialisation, creating high-quality, innovative life sciences companies.