Christian Behrenbruch, the co-founder and chief executive of $7 billion cancer diagnostic giant Telix Pharmaceuticals, has lashed out at Australia’s ability to make next-generation drugs available and claimed the market here is three to five years behind other advanced markets.

Dr Behrenbruch, a biomedical engineer, defended his company’s actions in a dispute with doctors over the affordability of new treatments, such as nuclear medicines which can prolong the life of cancer patients.