Gill Laird-Portch Manager, Brisbane Technology Park Overview Brisbane Technology Park (BTP), an established initiative of the Queensland Government s Smart State program, offers a unique and vibrant location for established and emerging technology based companies. Already, Brisbane Technology Park is home to over 70 prestigious national and multinational companies, including a number of emerging and established biotechnology companies, employing more than 2500 people. As a precinct, the park has come of age and is continuing to grow, with more and more companies taking advantage of the Park s prime location, state-of-the-art resources, infrastructure and cost-effective rates offered. It is expected that the community within the Park precinct will double over the next three years. BTP companies enjoy a highprofile corporate exposure within a technology community, which facilitates the clustering of business sectors involved in the exploitation of scientific and technological research and development, and offers the scope for constructive interaction and exchange between residents. Facilities at the Park include a mix of technology-based office space and specialized laboratories in state-of-the-art corporate buildings, developed and constructed by the Brisbane Technology Park developers, Graystone Group of Companies. A critical mass of technology companies is already established in the Park and several strong BRISBANE TECHNOLOGY PARK A HUB FOR BIOTECH IN QUEENSLAND 962 Volume 11 > Number 14 > 2007 www.asiabiotech.com
clusters of industry types have emerged. Competing and compatible organizations have seen the synergies and benefits of being in such a business environment. Clusters now include: Biotechnology Pharmaceuticals Medicine / Medical Equipment Microelectronics Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Environmental Sciences Engineering Defence Technologies Sectors within BTP Within these sectors, businesses are involved in a variety of business activities including research and development, product development, light manufacturing and technical consulting. Core activities within BTP Brisbane Technology Park also includes at its hub a purpose-built Technology and Conference Center, which provides a welcoming point for visitors and boasts an impressive conferencing facility seating up to 750 people. The Technology and Conference Center can cater for meetings, seminars, conferences, product launches and trade shows. It also includes serviced offices, meeting rooms, state-of-the-art audio-visual equipment, broadband and full onsite catering and function services. At Brisbane Technology Park there are strict entry guidelines that companies, both emerging and established, are required to meet to be allowed into the Park precinct. By applying guidelines, we can ensure that the synergy of technology companies within the Park is maintained. Appointed by the Queensland Government as the managers of the Park, Zernike Australia Pty Ltd an international, dynamic organization specializing in the commercialization of technology and management of seed capital funds and facilities provides park management services with a view to developing a number of value creators such as access to professional advice, networking opportunities, marketing assistance and support from skilled staff. Brisbane Technology Park therefore seeks to accommodate companies who will embrace the objectives of the Park and, in doing so, accelerate and strengthen their own businesses. The business of resident companies, operations on BTP must contribute to the Queensland Government s Smart State policy through the development, enhancement and/or application of innovation and technology. Examples of such tenants could include: Companies engaging in research, development and design of products, services and processes. Operators of high-technology intensive businesses who place knowledge-based innovations that encompass decision making, research, product and market development, advanced and prototype manufacturing, customer support and associated services as a significant part of their operations. Provision of specialist services to increase the capability of companies in technology industries. Supply of technology-based products. Geographical Location Geographically positioned adjacent to the major junction of Brisbane s motorway/freeway system and in close proximity to universities and the Brisbane city center, with fast access to the airport and the Gold Coast, Brisbane Technology Park provides the ideal location for biotech and technology companies. Biotechnology @ BTP Biotech companies, both established and emerging, make up a significant portion of the Brisbane Technology Park community. This includes a purpose-built biotechnology incubator, operated by i.lab Incubator Pty Ltd, another Queensland Government Smart State initiative. Since the construction of the i.lab facility, the Park developers Graystone Group of Companies have modified the design of all their buildings so that they can www.asiabiotech.com Volume 11 > Number 14 > 2007 963
accommodate a mix of office and purpose-built lab space. There is a strong demand for purpose-built facilities to house biotechnology research and development in Queensland because of the great confidence that exists in Australian research, Graystone Group of Companies BTP Leasing Manager John Worley said. Mr Worley said, through the design of the i.lab building, Graystone Group of Companies recognizes the need to make all future buildings flexible enough to house lab modules within them. The requirements of filtered ventilation, separate air conditioning and fume cupboards required to create a clean room environment mean that ceilings have to be higher to accommodate the plant required for this type of environment, Mr Worley said. He said, with the increasing demand for this type of space, it was much cheaper to include it in construction rather than retrofitting later. By modifying all new buildings within the Park, it means we can cater for the increasing demand for lab space as the need arises, he said. The inclusion of secure underground parking in all new buildings also means that there is secured space available to store gases, compressors and sensitive waste products required for the labs. Some of the biotechnology companies based at the park include: Alchemia Ltd Alchemia Limited is a publicly listed drug discovery and development There is a strong demand for purpose-built facilities to house biotechnology research and development in Queensland because of the great confidence that exists in Australian research. company. The company has particular expertise in the design and manufacture of complex carbohydrates. Becton Dickinson (BD Diagnostics) Pty Ltd: BD is a medical technology company that manufactures and sells a broad range of supplies, devices and systems for use by healthcare professionals, medical research institutions, industries and the general public throughout the world. Bio-Layer Bio-Layer is a materials science company that has developed a platform for the rapid design of novel materials for the biotechnology, diagnostics and pharmaceutical industries. CBio Ltd CBio Limited is an Australian headquartered biopharmaceutical company that was established in 2000 to develop and commercialize biological therapeutics. CBio s key focus has been on innate immune modulation technology and the development of its first product, XTollTM, a heat shock protein. Cook Medical Cook Group companies are at the forefront of medical research and worldwide sale of products for endovascular therapy, critical care medicine, general surgery, diagnostic and interventional procedures, bioengineered tissue replacement and regeneration, gastroenterology and endoscopy procedures, urology, and obstetrics and gynecology. MediHerb MediHerb is the first choice for healthcare professionals in herbal products in Australia, New Zealand and USA. In October 2004, MediHerb 964 Volume 11 > Number 14 > 2007 www.asiabiotech.com
introduced a new synergistic nutritional product range called MH Enhance designed to complement MediHerb s herbal range. Smiths Medical Australiasia Pty Ltd Smiths Medical is a leading manufacturer and supplier of devices used during critical and intensive care, surgery, postoperative care during recovery, and in a series of high-end home infusion therapies. Symbio Alliance Symbio Alliance is an independent NATA (National Association of Testing Authorities Australia)- accredited laboratory that specializes in the development and commercial application of R&D as analytical procedures in the chemical and microbiological analysis of food, agriculture and environmental samples for local, import and export industries. i.lab bio.incubator The i.lab bio.incubator was officially opened on 18 January 2006 and is Queensland s first dedicated, independent biotechnology incubator. The facility, occupying more than 850 m 2, currently accommodates seven early-stage biotechnology companies. The facilities available to members include laboratory space, office space, meeting rooms and some shared equipment. i.lab CEO Anne-Marie Birkill said members, through monthly membership fees, pay for their space at commercial rental rates but also benefit by being able to access a tailored package of skills development, mentoring, commercialization support services and networking events. Being a part of i.lab gives companies the opportunity to accelerate their development, by accessing a tailored package of assistance, including engagement through our mentoring program with members of the broader business community, Birkill said. She said the bio.incubator was established to bridge the gap between the relatively protected environment of the research institution and the harsh realities of the commercial world. Incubators like i.lab provide an intermediate solution for start-ups making this transition. Take-up at the incubator since it opened has exceeded expectations with 75% of the laboratory space and all of the office space currently committed. i.lab is currently exploring expansion opportunities. i.lab is currently home to 30 technology companies serviced from its Eight Mile Plains and Toowong incubators, all of whom are great examples of the kind of smart companies the Queensland Government aims to support through its various Smart State initiatives. Our partnerships with the private sector via our mentoring, networking and skills development programs are key to the success of these companies. It is this unique combination of public and private sector support that really benefits our client companies, said Birkill. i.lab bio.incubator companies include: Biochip Innovations Established in 2003 in Brisbane Australia by a vision of accelerating scientific discovery and delivering diagnostic solutions, BioChip Innovations Pty Ltd (BCI) is a biotechnology company developing practical platforms to ride the future wave of demand for lowcost, low-density microarray biochip technologies and rapid, highly multiplexed DNA diagnostic products. Cleveland Biosensors Cleveland Biosensors is a diagnostics company that has created its own device platform the BioFiniti sensor. BioFiniti targets highend diagnostics in point-of-care www.asiabiotech.com Volume 11 > Number 14 > 2007 965
markets, where rapidity, excellent sensitivity and ability to quantify target concentrations distinguish it from other platforms. BTP Just Part of Queensland s Growing Bio-Tech industry Brisbane Technology Park is just one of the Queensland Government s Smart State initiatives designed to nurture science and technology within the state. In the Government s Queensland Biotechnology Strategic Plan 2005 2015 Biotechnology Setting New Horizons (June 2005), State Premier Peter Beattie and the then Minister for State Development and Innovation, Tony McGrady, said that biotechnology had always been at the heart of the Queensland Government s Smart State Strategy. Queensland leads Australia in encouraging the growth of 21st century industries, and the Queensland Government has invested millions of dollars to help build some of the largest and most significant research facilities in the Southern Hemisphere, they said in the report. Our world-class scientists have established an international reputation for creative bioproducts including pharmaceuticals, new agrichemicals and bioremediation products. Queensland is building on its strengths in biotechnology research and our natural advantages such as the State s rich biodiversity, tropical location and proximity to Asia. We have a booming economy and our unemployment rate is the lowest in more than a generation. Biotechnology in Queensland is in fact so strong that biotech research and development is attracting over 22% of national public-sector research funding, with public research institutes making up over 56% of the sector s total number of organizations. Queensland has led Australia Biotechnology/ Biomedical Engineering Advanced Manufacturing Business Services Fig.1. Industry sectors in Australia. Pharmaceuticals & Healthcare ICT Software Development Contact Details: Brisbane Technology Park Address: PO Box 4037 Eight Mile Plains, Queensland 4113 Australia Tel: +61 7 3853 5200 Fax: +61 7 3853 5211 URL: www.brisbanetechnologypark.com.au in developing and implementing initiatives that positively influence the growth of the biotechnology industry, according to the plan. The strategic plan, which details the Queensland Government s commitment until at least 2015, focuses on fast-tracking bioindustry growth: maximizing opportunities and overcoming challenges in the key sectors of health and medical, agricultural, and environmental and industrial biotechnology. It also addresses the key structural drivers of industry financing, skills and expertise, infrastructure, strategic alliances and communication. Industry Consultants Electronics Wholesale/Retail Environmental Communications Others 966 Volume 11 > Number 14 > 2007 www.asiabiotech.com