On April 9th, the Bridge Program, an expert commercialisation skills training program, will be launched at Docklands in Melbourne. This program is gaining a reputation as a sector
leader due to the contribution of global pharmaceutical companies which are working to build the global medicines industry here in Australia.
98 participants from across Australia will participate in this competitive program designed to equip participants with the necessary skills and networks needed to take pharmaceuticals
from the laboratory right through to the market.
The Bridge Program is a nation-wide collaborative program that combines the expertise of its consortium members who include pharmaceutical companies, industry organisations,
venture capital firms and university partners. Within the past two years, government support for the Innovation Economy has seen times of loud support and times of quiet support. Minister for Health, Greg Hunt MP will be giving an address at the event as part of the opening ceremony showcasing his and the government’s ongoing commitment to the innovation agenda by backing The Bridge Program.
The need for this program originated from a clear gap in the sector where the market translation of new drug discoveries was often difficult due to the scientific, legal, regulatory
and financial hurdles associated with this journey. The Bridge Program specifically addresses these hurdles and is a collaborative effort across industry, education and government that exemplifies the national objective of propelling Australia into an innovation future.
Kirsten O’Doherty AbbVie’s General Manager commented on the value of the Bridge Program, “Drawing on the program’s globally connected groups, the Bridge Program teaches
aspiring Aussie biotech entrepreneurs and academics the strategies and cutting-edge technologies needed to commercialise world-class medicines. The program offers unique
value and is driving 21stcentury skills needed to support innovative Australian jobs.
Recognising its important role in the growth and expansion of this sector in Australia, The Bridge Program is supported by industry matched funding from government body
MTPConnect – the Medical Technology, Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical (MTP) Industry Growth Centre.
MTPConnect’s 10-year Sector Competiveness Plan (SCP) outlines two key goals that are mirrored in the development of The Bridge Program – first, the need to improve the
coordination and collaboration of researchers and industry and second, to grow and expand the commercialisation process and pathway here in Australia.
Sue MacLeman, Managing Director and CEO of MTPConnect, said “The Bridge Program is a fantastic case of the pharmaceutical sector collaborating together to benefit not only the
Australian economy, but the health of the population. Through teaching the skills essential for research translation and commercialisation, the program is set to improve the quality
and quantity of product development and commercial deals arising from Australia’s pharmaceutical research sector.”
As evidence that the sector is indeed benefiting from the push to back innovation futures, MTPConnect has released new sector metrics that show jobs supported by the MTP sector
increased by 10% in 2016, and that manufacturing exports are up by 30% to $5.2 billion.
In both 2017 and 2018, The Bridge Program accepted approximately 100 participants into this selective program and was oversubscribed by an additional 50%. The Bridge Program
is now in its final year of funding even though there are still significant numbers of people looking to gain this rare expertise in the field of commercialisation.
The Bridge Program is hoping for continued financial backing from industry and government to ensure its ongoing place in the expansion and growth of the sector so that we
can continue to expand Australia’s place in the innovation economy.
This year’s launch follows the completion of the inaugural year, which has already seen some key developments in the careers of previous participants. Notably, the four Bridge
Program Pitch Competition Winners (an investment pitch competition that awarded them a travel scholarship to visit the headquarters of major pharmaceutical companies AbbVie,
Amgen and MSD in the U.S.) will be sharing some of their developments and experiences with this year’s cohort at the launch event.