The state's first early phase clinical trials facility opened today paving the way for Western Australia to play a bigger role in delivering new treatments for potentially life-threatening diseases.
The state's first early phase clinical trials facility opened today paving the way for Western Australia to play a bigger role in delivering new treatments for potentially life-threatening diseases.
The Western Australian Institute for Medical Research's $9.4 million facility at QEII Medical Centre in Nedlands will be operated by WAIMR's wholly-owned subsidiary Linear Clinical Research Limited.
The state government said the purpose- built 24-bed facility will be used to run early-phase clinical trials to determine the suitability of new drugs and treatments.
WAIMR director, Professor Peter Klinken said these sorts of studies were the crucial first step in approving new medications for patient use.
"Not only will the centre help bring new treatments to people affected by many diseases, it will create jobs, and keep WA at the cutting-edge of clinical research," he said in a statement.
"It will also, for the first time, allow WA biotechnology companies to conduct the first tests on new compounds and medications in their own backyard - and that early work is a critical cog in the journey from medical breakthrough to patient treatment."
He also said while WA had for some time been internationally-recognised for its capacity to conduct later phase clinical trials (phase-II and III), the ability to conduct early phase research was critical.
"The number of pharmaceutical companies interested in conducting phase-I clinical trials in Australia is on the rise and we've already been fielding calls and providing information about this new facility," he said.
"We also expect this world-class centre to lead to more phase-II and III trials taking place in WA which will give local patients better and faster access to new treatments."
Health Minister Kim Hames said beyond enabling local companies to conduct early-phase clinical trials in WA rather than interstate or overseas, the facility stands to attract high-quality national and international scientists to undertake ground breaking research that will benefit the community.
"We see it leading to the development of unique partnerships with hospital-based principal investigators and individual researchers. Close collaboration with Perth's tertiary hospitals and WAIMR scientists will enable the facility to source specialist physicians in a variety of therapeutic areas," Dr Hames said.
Full announcements below:
NEW CLINICAL TRIALS CENTRE TO BOOST WA ROLE IN HEALTH BREAKTHROUGHS
WA is set to play a bigger role in ensuring new treatments for potentially life-threatening diseases make it into the community with the opening of the State's first early phase clinical trials facility.
The Western Australian Institute for Medical Research's (WAIMR) $9.4 million facility at QEII Medical Centre in Nedlands was opened this morning by Acting Premier and Health Minister Kim Hames and Treasurer Troy Buswell.
The facility will be operated by wholly-owned subsidiary Linear Clinical Research Limited.
WAIMR director Professor Peter Klinken said these sorts of studies were the crucial first step in approving new medications for patient use.
"Not only will the centre help bring new treatments to people affected by many diseases, it will create jobs, and keep WA at the cutting-edge of clinical research," he said.
"It will also, for the first time, allow WA biotechnology companies to conduct the first tests on new compounds and medications in their own backyard - and that early work is a critical cog in the journey from medical breakthrough to patient treatment."
WAIMR deputy director Professor Peter Leedman said while WA had for some time been internationally-recognised for its capacity to conduct later phase clinical trials (phase-II and III), the ability to conduct early phase research was critical.
"The number of pharmaceutical companies interested in conducting phase-I clinical trials in Australia is on the rise and we've already been fielding calls and providing information about this new facility," said Professor Leedman.
"We also expect this world-class centre to lead to more phase-II and III trials taking place in WA which will give local patients better and faster access to new treatments."
The facility is Australia's fifth early phase clinical trials centre and will be led by Cameron Johnson who has held a number of coordinator and managerial positions across a range of phase-I to phase-IV clinical trials operations in Melbourne, Adelaide, Brisbane and London.
Pharmaceutical-industry sponsored clinical trials currently contribute around $15 million annually to the State's economy.
WAIMR is WA's premier adult medical research institute.
State assistance brings unique medical research facility to fruition.
Western Australia will be better placed to remain at the forefront of the world's medical research with the Liberal-National Government today opening a new $9.4million clinical trial facility at the QEII Medical Centre.
Health Minister Kim Hames and Science and Innovation Minister Troy Buswell said the dedicated facility provides WA with its first early phase clinical trials facility and critical infrastructure for the State's local biotechnology, pharmaceutical and clinical research sectors.
Established by the Western Australian Institute for Medical Research (WAIMR), the purpose- built 24-bed facility will be used to run early-phase clinical trials to determine the suitability of new drugs and treatments.
"This new facility will enable local companies to conduct early-phase clinical trials in WA rather than interstate or overseas, and stands to attract high-quality national and international scientists to undertake ground breaking research that will benefit our community," Dr Hames said.
"It will provide WA with infrastructure that will better the understanding of disease, improve diagnosis and find more specific treatments for a number of medical problems.
"We see it leading to the development of unique partnerships with hospital-based principal investigators and individual researchers. Close collaboration with Perth's tertiary hospitals and WAIMR scientists will enable the facility to source specialist physicians in a variety of therapeutic areas."
Mr Buswell, whose portfolios include Science and Innovation, said world-leading research and discovery was taking place in the State every day.
"Clinical trials sponsored by the pharmaceutical industry already contribute about $15million annually to the State's economy. This facility will create even more opportunities," he said.
"Western Australia is fortunate to have internationally recognised clinicians and scientists who are making outstanding discoveries and advances in medical research.
"WAIMR's new facility will further enhance our capacity and capabilities to compete with the rest of the world in medical research."
The facility will be operated by WAIMR's wholly-owned subsidiary Linear Clinical Research Limited.
