Helping to build Australia’s life sciences future at Brisbane’s innovation junction

“Since AbbVie’s inception 13 years ago, we have been rewarded a Great Place to Work - a truly remarkable achievement. This is not by accident, and it is not an easy feat. It takes considered effort and real intentionality," said Nat McNeil, Vice President and General Manager, AbbVie Australia and New Zealand.

In an investor presentation in Auckland, the company said its portfolio now includes eight patented projects, 24 off-patent injectables, and several early-stage commercialisation efforts.

The new IQVIA report found that nearly 200 orphan drug designations were granted between 2018 and 2025, with most progressing to regulatory approval but far fewer gaining reimbursement.

A new global survey, including Australia, has painted a stark picture of how COVID-19 continues to shape daily life for many medically vulnerable people.

Professor Jo Douglass, specialist physician and Professor of Medicine at the University of Melbourne, called the approval of another treatment option a positive development for patients who face ongoing, sometimes life‑threatening breathing difficulties.

Chronic Pain Australia’s '2026 National Pain Report: Pain Lives Here', released during National Pain Week, is calling for action on the disconnect between the widespread impact of chronic pain and the lack of recognition, measurement and action.

Boehringer Ingelheim has partnered with patient groups to launch 'Patient Input Buddy', an AI platform designed to make it easier for people to provide input into Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee evaluations.

ACT, the party led by New Zealand's Deputy Prime Minister David Seymour, has announced an historic pre-election commitment to reversing three decades of chronic under-funding for Pharmac.

What makes ACT's commitment to reverse the 30-year decline in New Zealand's medicines spend so remarkable is its clear demonstration of intent. Compare that to the current state of medicines policy in Australia.

The 2026 PCPA Cancer Summit will bring together leading cancer specialists, policymakers, patient advocates and industry partners in Melbourne on 28 and 29 August to explore solutions to improving access to treatment.

The organisation said the appointment brings expertise in AI governance and privacy to its board, adding depth at a time of unprecedented technological change. 

Misleading claims about patient groups and the industry, combined with an irrational hyperventilation about a rational response to new global realities, have made for an interesting week. The price reduction mantra and whether it can be moderated?

The finalist list for the 2026 Patients Australia awards has revealed a wide range of organisations and professionals whose work is shaping patient care and medical research.

There is a distinct and entirely theatrical moral posturing around debates on pharmaceutical spending and pricing. The language of sin and salvation is consistently used in place of rational analysis and discussion.

The company said its decision to redomicile to the US marks a decisive shift in focus toward that country's market. It says the US offers deeper capital pools, stronger regulatory engagement, and greater commercial partnership opportunities.

The agenda for the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee's November 2026 meeting reveals a diverse range of submissions seeking PBS funding across multiple therapeutic areas.

Professor Andrew Wilson AO, who chaired the Scientific Advisory Committee, said, "They may not entirely replace animal studies in every case, but they can often provide richer, more human‑relevant information. This means we must commit to ongoing, systematic work to keep methods, evidence expectations and review processes up to date."

New Zealand's Pharmac faces a rising tide of demand for new medicines that could swell its Options for Investment list fourfold within two years, a leading patient advocate has warned.

Studies in Australia and new research in the UK have highlighted the success of national HPV vaccination programs, but the importance of sustained high coverage and effective screening.