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Government of South Australia - Department of Industry, Innovation and Science

    Health and medical

    A competitive advantage sector for manufacturing in South Australia

    South Australia has a global reputation for health and medical research excellence, home to leading institutes including:

    • University of South Australia’s Centre for Cancer Biology
    • Flinders University’s Health and Medical Research Institute
    • University of Adelaide’s Robinson Research Institute
    • SA Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI).

    The medical technologies, biotechnologies and pharmaceuticals (MTP) sector takes findings from these globally competitive health and medical research institutes and translates this knowledge into widespread community benefit.

    The opportunity

    As MTP Connect reports, the MTP sector is a significant contributor to the national economy – with $5.3 billion Gross Value Added across the nation in 2021, indicative of $300 million in growth since 2019. The sector also added an additional 5,000 jobs during this two-year period.

    At a state level, South Australia boasts significant health manufacturing capability – including the production of medicines, vaccines, medical devices, pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals, traditional medicines, biological manufacturing, and reagents – as well as a high share of national clinical trials, at around 14 per cent.

    The South Australian Government supported Medical Devices Partnership Program (MDPP) works to foster collaboration between researchers, industry and end-users to create medical technologies that will enable growth in new markets.

    The program creates a pathway from proof of concept to prototyping, clinical evaluation and commercialisation planning.

    Due for completion in late 2023, the Australian Bragg Centre will be a purpose-built biomedical facility set to become home to leading cancer research institutes as well as the first clinically dedicated proton beam precision therapy centre in the Southern Hemisphere.

    South Australian based company BioCina is at the forefront of manufacturing mRNA-based vaccines and therapies, while the Marine Bioproducts CRC will develop a range of bioproducts over the next decade for the health, food, and chemical industries.

    Useful resources