Media Release: NEW CLINICAL TRIAL FACILITY OPENED IN MELBOURNE

FROM THE MINISTER FOR INNOVATION

DATE: Monday, August 29, 2005

NEW CLINICAL TRIAL FACILITY OPENED IN MELBOURNE

The Minister for Innovation, John Brumby, today launched Victoria’s first 24-bed in-patient clinical trial facility to be known as Nucleus Network.

Mr Brumby said the facility would play a vital role in gathering clinical research- critical element in the development process of any new drug or treatment.

The facility is the only of its type in Victoria and is only one of three in Australia able to conduct early phase clinical trials.

“This new facility will allow medical research organisations, pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies to generate valuable intellectual property and investment from being able to conduct clinical trials.

“It will offer Victorian doctors and researchers the opportunity to take part in leading edge globally recognised clinical research.

Mr Brumby said as well as a valuable tool to attract further pharmaceutical and biotech firms to Victorian, the new clinical trial facility would also benefit patients.

“Clinical trials are about improving outcomes for patients by offering access to the most promising new drugs and treatments,” he said.

Mr Brumby said Nucleus Network evolved from the Clinical Trials Victoria and Centre for Clinical Studies organisations that were seeded from an $8 million Victorian Government innovation grant in 2002.

Clinical Trials Victoria will now operate under the Nucleus Network banner, as an independent, commercial enterprise, which will attract business and grow the biotech infrastructure in Victoria.

The Chairman of Nucleus Network, Professor Garry Jennings, said the Network would attract investment from multinational and international biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies.

“Nucleus Network will build on its existing base of over 40 national and international relationships and alliances to provide leadership in the field by operating as a single point of contact,” Prof Jennings said.

“The network oversee the management of new clinical trial centre the with the highest ethical standards and professional practices.”

Nucleus Network is also conducting clinical trials in several medical areas including testing therapies for cardiovascular disease, diabetes and respiratory disease.