Day of Awards at AusBiotech 2012

• Janssen 2012 Industry Excellence Award, Company of the Year: Starpharma
• Janssen 2012 Industry Excellence Award, Emerging Company of the Year: Vaxxas
• Janssen 2012 Industry Excellence Award, Industry Leadership award: Dr Andrew Baker (posthumous)
• National 2012 AusBiotech-GSK Student Excellence Award: Mr Connor O’Meara

In a day of awards and significant addresses on the opening day at AusBiotech 2012, Australia’s biotechnology conference, four prestigious awards were announced in the Janssen 2012 Industry Excellence Awards and the national winner of the 2012 AusBiotech-GSK Student Excellence Award.

Young Queensland vaccine developer Mr Connor O’Meara, from the Queensland University of Technology, is the winner of Australia’s 2012 AusBiotech-GSK Student Excellence Award for a novel vaccine design for Chlamydia that disarms the bad properties of the disease transforming it into common bacteria.

AusBiotech and GSK hold the annual competition to encourage more students to pursue research and consider a career in bio-sciences. The prize seeks to reward young researchers striving to develop innovative solutions to health issues in the community and recognise their high achievement, unique work and innovations.

A gala event was held in Melbourne last night to officially launch AusBiotech 2012, and three awards were presented to honour the ‘shining lights’ of the sector” in the inaugural Janssen 2012 Industry Excellence Awards.

The Janssen 2012 Industry Excellence Award for Company of the Year was handed to Starpharma while Brisbane-based Vaxxas was announced as Emerging Company of the Year (award for companies under five years of age).

The late Dr Andrew Baker was announced posthumously as a recipient of the Industry Leadership award.

AusBiotech’s Chief Executive Officer, Dr Anna Lavelle, said each had made a significant contribution to the sector, and to the ongoing growth of Australia’s bio-economy.

“These awards recognise the standard-bearers for excellence in our industry,” Dr Lavelle said. “They also point to what can be achieved when scientific innovation is accompanied by the business acumen needed to bring novel medicines, medical devices and other new technologies to key markets.”

“We should be proud not only that Australia has produced and supported these endeavours, but that they also show huge potential to improve the lives of people around the globe.”

Starpharma is nearing completion of Phase III clinical trials of VivaGel – the first targeted treatment for the world’s most common vaginal infection. Vaxxas is developing a method of delivering vaccines via a Nanopatch placed on the skin.

The late Dr Andrew Baker was a 28-year veteran of the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries, and helped to found several listed Australian companies.