Lifesaving medicines to be made in Melbourne

Scott Morrison will unveil a $23m plan to have make more hi-tech, lifesaving medicines in Victoria.

Lifesaving medicines for cancer treatments, kidney disease and other illnesses will be customised for patients and made in Victoria under a $23m federal cash injection.

Scott Morrison will on Monday unveil a boost for the Australian Precision Medicine Enterprise, which aims to develop sovereign capability for new medicines.

“Making medicines like these right here means more security from disruptions, more homegrown skills and more local jobs,” the Prime Minister said.

“Building up our ability to make products like these is key to our plan for a stronger future.

“The pandemic has shown us more than ever before we need access to what Australians need here at home and this project will help ensure we have critical precision medicines for our patients.”

Australia imports more than 90 per cent of its medicines. But the $71.2m Australian Precision Medicine Enterprise will help cement precision medicine development in Australia.

Global Medical Solutions Australia will work with partners Monash University and Telix Pharmaceuticals to produce precision medicines for the treatment of cancer, kidney disease and other illnesses here in Australia.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison will reveal a $23m injection for hi-tech drug making in Melbourne. Picture: Christian Gilles

The investment, made under the Morrison government’s modern manufacturing initiative, will help build a new facility in Clayton.

The building will also provide dedicated areas for collaborative research and development activities, as well as other radiopharmaceutical products for clinical trials and clinical use.

Industry Minister Angus Taylor said the project would help develop onshore technology and expertise not currently in Australia.

“This project will see the construction of a new facility that will house a high energy 30 mega-electron volt (MeV) cyclotron, which will be a new domestic source of critical radioisotopes — which are currently imported into Australia,” Mr Taylor said.

“By combining research and development and the manufacture of precision medicines locally we are shoring up our supply chain resilience.”

The facility will directly support 42 jobs and an additional 105 along the supply chain.

It will also create highly-skilled work in the medical sector, including for radiochemists, radio pharmacists and engineers, while delivering an $461.8m boost to the economy over the next 15 years.

Health Minister Greg Hunt said the project would result in incredible collaboration with the Monash Biomedical Imaging Centre, National Synchrotron and the Victorian Heart Hospital.

“This project will help realise the incredible potential of medicines that are customised to patients, all the way from clinical trials to their local manufacture right here at home,” he said.