The Bridge Program

The Bridge Program is convened and administered by Queensland University of Technology and involves a consortium of 15 pharmaceutical companies, universities and industry associations with the aim to boost the commercial outputs of Australian pharmaceutical research, by improving the quality and quantity of commercial deals that arise from Australia’s pharmaceutical research sector. As part of the MTPConnect Project Fund Program, The Bridge Program has been awarded industry matched funding to deliver an exciting education program that will provide the necessary training to enable successful commercialisation of Australian pharmaceutical research. Launched in June 2017, the program selects 100 participants annually from across Australia to take part in face-to-face and online training in the scientific, legal, financial, clinical, regulatory and reimbursement disciplines that contribute to research translation and the commercialisation of medicines. Program participants will also benefit from direct exposure to networking opportunities with top pharmaceutical companies operating globally. The Bridge Program is unique in its integration into venture capital and global pharmaceutical networks and its ability to share specific, detailed and practical know-how that will assist researchers and entrepreneurs to improve the quality and quantity of leads that they could offer for development, and to accelerate the process of commercialisation. The Bridge Program is specifically set up as a national, sector-wide program that will benefit a large number of participants and their organisations, particularly those from the SME sector. The program will not only benefit trainees, it will also improve the planning and execution of research & development in their organisations, and the networking opportunities available to them. This will ultimately deliver more advanced and commercially viable leads, better deal opportunities, and higher returns from Australian research.