NSW govt launches BioLink business alliance

The NSW government has pledged $2.6 million over the next four years towards the establishment of a new business alliance created by the Garvan Institute of Medical Research, the Westmead research hub and the Hunter Medical Research Institute.

The alliance, BioLink, is a partnership of researchers and the private sector, along with the NSW government, which will aim to transform research into the growth of the NSW biotechnology industry.

Its three main functions will be to identify and commercialise intellectual property, and market licensing and investment opportunities to the international and Australian pharmaceutical, biotech and finance industries.

BioLink chairman Dr Jonathan Izant, who is also the director of business development at the Garvan, said the alliance would create an infrastructure to better transform laboratory research into drugs. "BioLink helps fill the gap between basic research and business outcomes," Izant said.

As well as Izant, BioLink's inaugural management roster includes LEK consulting director Dr Lisa McIntyre.

Launching BioLink at The Children's Hospital, Westmead, today, NSW Premier Bob Carr said it was important to avoid missing out on opportunities generated by medical research. For example, he said, products created by one Australian discovery of a hormone stimulating blood cell growth now reaped $1 billion annually for US biotech giant Amgen.

"BioLink deserves widespread recognition," Carr said. "Let's aim to do well by generating new exports -- brainy exports."

Carr highlighted work being done by the Garvan's Dr David James on molecular genetics techniques for diagnosing and treating diabetes, and Westmead researcher Dr David Little on bone healing.

If researchers like Little could team up with a pharmaceutical industry partner, he said, the research could proceed to clinical trials and possibly lead to the development of new products.

"But David doesn't have the time to sit on the phone and turn himself from a researcher into an entrepreneur," Carr said. "That's what [BioLink] is about."

The Garvan's James said limited resources, combined with big pharma's minimal involvement in Australian R&D, meant it was traditionally difficult for local researchers to develop biotechnology for the world stage.

But he said the launch of BioLink showed the government was sending a "clear signal" to medical researchers and the public that it was serious about overcoming such obstacles.

The government's $2.6 million, which comes from its $68 million BioFirst program, will be backed up by contributions from the founding research institutes to give BioLink an annual budget of about $1 million.

Other BioLink partners presently include IBM Australia, the Prince of Wales Medical Research Institute, ATP Innovations and the Australian Graduate School of Management.