An early phase clinical trials centre, supported by $2.25 million in funding through the McGowan Government’s Future Health Research and Innovation (FHRI) Fund, will be established in Joondalup.
Linear Clinical Research, a not-for-profit organisation, has been allocated the $2.25 million through the FHRI Fund towards creating the facility, which will allow early phase clinical trials to be held in Western Australia.
Early phase trials are the first step in testing new medicines that have been developed in the laboratory.
Linear will renovate and fit-out an existing 930 square metre building on the corner of Lakeside Drive and Boas Avenue, spending at least $2.25 million of its own funding on the project.
More than 1,200 trial participants are expected to take part in clinical trials at the centre each year, with the facility working collaboratively with the WA health system through the Joondalup Health Campus.
The refurbished building will include 24 beds and three separate zones to support infection control and the provision of multiple trial designs.
Clinical trials at the centre will include first-in-human, drug-to-drug interaction, and vaccine and biosimilar trials.
The centre will also house specimen collection facilities, a pre-processing laboratory, clinical trial pharmacy facilities, information and communication technologies, and volunteer recreation facilities.
More information about the new centre can be found on the FHRI website.
As stated by Medical Research Minister Stephen Dawson:
“The Future Health Research and Innovation Fund is a key initiative of the McGowan Government in driving Western Australia’s world-class medical research industry.
“Providing critical resources to establish a state-of-the-art research facility will not only help health and medical research to flourish, it will benefit all Western Australians.
“The project will also create jobs and help to diversify WA’s economy and advance WA’s standing as a leader in health and medical research.”
As stated by Linear Clinical Research CEO Jayden Rogers:
“The COVID-19 pandemic has shown the world just how important clinical trials are, not only in fighting disease, but also in driving medical innovation and economic growth.
“This is evident in Linear’s contribution to the COVID-19 fight and investment in expanding facilities.
“The FHRI Fund support will help us deliver one of the most advanced clinical trial centres in the entire Asia-Pacific region, which will help position WA as a leading destination for biopharmaceutical companies and support Linear’s mission to ‘Nurture Breakthroughs’.”
