Breakthrough cancer treatment being made in Victoria

Victoria has opened Australia’s first facility accredited to manufacture a targeted cancer treatment that significantly improves patient survival rates and quality of life.

Industry and Advanced Manufacturing Minister Colin Brooks opened IDT Australia’s Ehrlich Bioconjugation Centre in Boronia on Monday. The centre is dedicated to producing Antibody Drug Conjugates for research and development, clinical and commercial use.

Described as the “biological missile” for targeted cancer therapy, ADCs deliver potent chemotherapy agents specifically to cancer cells, particularly improving survival rates in breast cancer treatment including metastatic, HER2-positive and triple-negative cancers.

The global ADC market is forecast to reach US$140 billion over the next 15 years as it is expected to displace between 30 per cent to 50 per cent of the traditional chemotherapy market.

The Victorian Government supported the establishment of the facility, though the amount provided was not disclosed. The centre has secured 88 highly skilled local jobs.

IDT Australia chief executive Paul McDonald said the company was pleased with the Victorian Government’s support to accelerate its advanced technology in Antibody Drug Conjugates.

“This new facility enables Victoria and Australia to progress novel ADCs from discovery to treatments that can save lives,” McDonald said.

Victoria’s health technologies sector exports $3.8 billion in pharmaceuticals, accounting for more than half of Australia’s pharmaceutical exports, and employs 51,785 people.

Picture: credit IDT/Linkedin