Protemix founder named NZ's 'biotechnologist of the year'

Prof Garth Cooper, the president and chief scientist of Auckland-based Protemix, has been named NZBio's 'distinguished biotechnologist of the year' at the New Zealand biotech organisation's conference.

Cooper founded Protemix in 1999, when he had returned to Auckland after a spectacular career in the UK and US. While a Nuffield fellow at Oxford, he discovered the hormone amylin, and developed it into a new therapy for diabetes mellitus. He patented his discoveries and in 1987 founded biopharma company Amylin, which later listed on Nasdaq. Amylin's market capitalisation is now around US$2 billion.

He has stated that his aim in founding Protemix was to create New Zealand's first billion-dollar biotech company.

Accepting his award yesterday evening, Cooper issued a plea to funding bodies not to write off innovative science as mere "fishing expeditions", and put innovation at risk.