New directory, funding to support WA life science sector

A new, simple-to-use online directory was launched earlier this month by Life Sciences WA (LSWA) for Western Australia’s life science sector.

The Life Sciences WA Directory, available at www.lifescienceswa.com.au/directory and hosted through the global Biotechgate platform, provides an opportunity for innovative Western Australian life sciences companies to profile their services to investors, partners and customers. The WA Government provided support to LSWA to deliver the directory through its foundation sponsorship under the Health and Medical Life Sciences Industry Strategy.

Directory searches are free and allow investors, partners and customers to discovery WA companies developing and commercialising innovative health and medical products. The directory will also profile support services to the life sciences industries, such as clinical trials providers, research organisations and advisers, as well as agricultural and marine innovation companies.

WA’s Minister for Science and Innovation and Minister for Medical Research, Stephen Dawson, described the online directory as “a fantastic resource for investors and customers alike to quickly find and engage with more than 250 WA life sciences organisations” — with more expected to be added — and said the WA Government is proud to have contributed to the directory’s creation.

Minister for Agriculture and Food Jackie Jarvis said it was wonderful that local agricultural and marine innovation companies would be included in the free and accessible online directory, allowing those within the sector to build their profile and promote their services to a growing range of customers and potential investors.

In the days since the directory’s launch, the WA Government has separately announced significant investment in the state’s life science sector through the Future Health Research and Innovation (FHRI) Fund, including $25 million for 20 health and medical research entities to support the indirect and operational costs associated with research, and $3 million to support projects tackling critical business challenges identified by WA health service providers.

The government has also launched the WA Clinical Trials Roadmap, which sets out a plan to build a strong clinical trials ecosystem that brings together universities, hospitals, medical research institutes, industry sponsors, consumers and the WA Health system.

Dawson said the WA Government is committed to building a strong clinical trials ecosystem that attracts investment, improves care, and puts WA at the forefront of personalised, precision medicine. He added that the government will continue to foster a robust health and medical research environment in WA.

Image credit: iStock.com/Sompong Lekhawattana