The Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences (MIPS) has received high recognition for the Monash-GSK Australian Center for Innovation and Industrialization Project aimed at developing advanced medicines for widespread use.
The Monash Institute and its partner GSK were presented with the National Business Higher Education Round Table (B-HERT) Award for Best Research and Development Collaboration as well as the major award for Outstanding Excellence in Collaboration, as reported by Monash University.
Associate Professor David Morton, who led the project, managed to successfully fuse the unique skills in pharmaceutical science and nanotechnology at MIPS with the world-class medicine development and hi-tech manufacturing capabilities of GSK Australia, thus creating world-class pharmaceutical products for the national and international markets.
“It’s wonderful to be recognized for what we’ve achieved collectively. This is a meaningful and effective true partnership, which we want to expand with other partners to create more jobs, exports and a broader sustainable industry base,” said Associate Professor Morton.
The Australian medicine industry currently employs over 40,000 Australians and generates somewhere in the region of $2.12 billion in product exports, with GSK responsible for around a quarter of the bulk.
The collaboration between MIPS and GSK adds to the growth of pharmaceutical manufacturing in the country and increases its competitiveness on the international market.
“We see this project as a terrific opportunity for pharmaceutical exports to grow with fusion of science, technology and business excellence from joining industry, education and research into a productive partnership,” said Director of MIPS Professor Bill Charman.
“Our strategy envisages a new Open Industrialization culture for sustainability and growth throughout the Australian pharmaceutical manufacturing industry – embracing a range of partners, and transferring the benefits to the broadest possible audience.”
GSK Australia Boronia Site Director Troy Webb said that the goal of the collaboration is to instigate further Australian Innovations and to promote team work at the highest level
“We look for ways to engage new people, who think differently and provide new opportunities. It’s about these fresh attitudes as much as about technical knowledge. Being able to work as part of a team: that’s a key part of who we are,” Mr. Webb said.
The collaboration between MIPS and GSK was originally established in 2009 with $3.3 million initial funding from the Victorian Science Agenda (VSA) Investment Fund and GSK.
Over the last few years the collaboration has blossomed with GKS investing more than $60 million into expanding manufacturing in Victoria.
