Today, the National Drug Discovery Centre was opened by the Federal Minister for Health Greg Hunt and Victorian Minister for Health Jenny Mikakos.
Mikakos says the Centre will bring “cutting edge” medical technology to Melbourne.
“This will be a game changer for Victoria’s world-class researchers who now have the equipment they need to turn their biomedical discoveries into new medicines – bringing life-saving treatments to patients, sooner,” she said.
The new research facility is attached to the Walter And Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, which is located in the University of Melbourne’s property. The institution contributed $32 million to the Centre.
Director of the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Prof. Doug Hilton said that the Centre will allow staff to accelerate their “drug discovery journeys.”
“This Centre will allow medical researchers to fast-track the development of new drugs to treat common and rare diseases, improving the quality of life for many Australians,” he said.
The Federal Government will subsidise projects on cancer immunotherapy and Type 2 diabetes, and 90 per cent of the screening cost in order to reduce the cost from more than $300,000 to around $30,000 to $45,000.
“Our governments have worked together to establish this Centre which is the first of its kind in Australia,” Greg Hunt said.
Image from © Nestlé
・Sources
https://www.premier.vic.gov.au/new-drug-discovery-centre-to-fast-track-medicines/
