The $22.3 million Biomedical Translation Bridge (BTB) program is an initiative of the Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) delivered by MTPConnect to nurture the translation of new therapies, technologies and medical devices through to the proof-of-concept stage, with expert industry support and mentoring. The program provided funding of between $100,000 and $1 million to projects for up to two years to accelerate the development of their innovation.

By bringing key organisations together, the BTB program formed an Australian-wide initiative with partners including BioCurate (joint venture between the University of Melbourne and Monash University), UniQuest (through QEDDI, the Queensland Emory Drug Discovery Initiative, a business unit of UniQuest, the commercialisation company of the University of Queensland) and Medical Device Partnering Program (MDPP, led by Flinders University). The BTB program’s education partners, the Bridge and BridgeTech programs, coordinated by the Queensland University of Technology ensured hundreds of early career researchers gained the critical skills needed to translate and commercialise their research outputs.

Launched in May 2019

The BTB program was launched in May 2019 with a series of information sessions conducted in capital cities and major regional centres around Australia, reaching 1,100 individuals to promote the program and engage with the sector ahead of calls for projects. An information session was also released as a podcast episode to broaden national reach and impact.

It has delivered three funding rounds, including a specific COVID-19 round set up swiftly in early 2020 as the pandemic took hold. MTPConnect mobilised resources across its organisation to support this crucial pivot for this unprecedented national health emergency. In what could not be a more challenging time to carry out health and medical research, 19 of the 21 projects successfully completed the program in the two-year timeframe.

The BTB program successfully achieved its key objective to “nurture, de-risk and develop competitive ventures that are attractive for further funding opportunities”. Projects advanced through the BTB program, with regular mentoring, commercialisation advice and project management. Opportunities were given to project teams to participate in the Bridge and BridgeTech Program delivered by QUT, to enhance their commercialisation knowledge, skills, capabilities and build their network.

A Bridge to Commercialisation – the BTB Program’s real and successful project outcomes

Through a series of case studies, the Biomedical Translation Bridge Impact Report highlights the many successes the BTB funded projects have had developing new therapies, technologies and medical devices – from an anti-viral nasal spray already on sale in 30 countries and a “smart” human-grade bionic implant that treats the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease, to identifying a novel preclinical development candidate for the treatment of prostate cancer and developing and manufacturing a patient isolation hood for use in hospitals for COVID-19 and infectious diseases.

The BTB program successfully achieved its key objective to “nurture, de-risk and develop competitive ventures that are attractive for further funding opportunities” and delivered real outcomes:

• 29 new technologies invented or progressed
• seven new products launched
• 56 new jobs created

Through the $22.3 million BTB program, and with industry contributions and substantial amounts of external development capital raised, a total of $156.4 million has been injected into Australia’s MTP sector.

For further details about the BTB program and case studies highlighting the individual projects, see the BTB Impact Report below: