CMAX Clinical Research will celebrate the 30th anniversary of continuous operations in South Australia on 16 December.
The company was established in 1993 as the Faulding Drug Studies Unit, situated in the old Royal Adelaide Hospital. As CMAX, it has expanded in size and influence, servicing the local, national and international biotechnology industry.
The company conducts early-phase clinical trials aimed at supporting the development of new medical treatments to address a variety of conditions and illnesses.
In 2016, the company moved into a new purpose-built facility at 21 North Terrace in Adelaide’s central business district. This site offers a 78-bed capacity, a six-bed outpatient screening area, four on-site laboratories, three of which are PC2 certified, and an on-site PBMC isolation laboratory serviced by Agilex Biolabs.
CMAX, supported by a large team of over 300 staff, said it completes on average 60 clinical trials each year.
COO Lachlan Ophof said, “CMAX takes pride in its diverse workforce, which brings a wide variety of healthcare providers and support staff to each study, reflecting the dynamic nature of the biotechnology sector. Over the past five years, the organisation has experienced remarkable growth, expanding from 159 to 305 staff members. This growth is a testament to CMAX’s progress and the flourishing biotechnology sector in South Australia.”
Over its 30 years, CMAX has conducted over 200 first-in-human trials, ultimately providing new treatment options for people facing previously untreatable medical conditions. In total, it has completed over 800 clinical trials over the last three decades.
CEO Jane Kelly said, “CMAX is the first and oldest dedicated early phase clinical trial facility in Australia, and we’re extremely proud to have been here in Adelaide since 1993. When you walk into a chemist, everything you see on the shelf has had at least one clinical trial. To be able to put South Australia on the map as a key destination for international biotech companies to do these trials is quite humbling.
“Medicine and science is evolving so quickly, and we’re keeping up with that. I’m really proud of our team. Being able to push the boundaries has been a real marker of CMAX’s success, and now we’re looking at pushing more boundaries by taking on a clinical trial with psychedelic investigational medicines.”
