Group points way to biotech boom

By COLIN JAMES

Strong endorsement for the Government's partnership approach will come today when biotechnology umbrella group Biotenz launches a development strategy.

Biotenz encompasses 66 organisations, including companies (such as Genesis Research and Lactose NZ), Crown research institutes (such as Industrial Research, and HortResearch), universities (Auckland Uniservices and Canterbury), primary producer bodies (such as the Game Industry Board and the Meat Industry Association) and intellectual property law firms (such as A J Park and Russell McVeagh).

The strategy will be launched at a conference in Christchurch.

The Minister for Research, Science and Technology, Pete Hodgson, will outline Government initiatives.

Biotenz says last month's report of the Royal Commission on Genetic Modification (GM), which gave a cautious go-ahead to genetic research and development, provides "a very solid launching pad" for biotechnology development.

In its strategy, Biotenz looks forward to a New Zealand in 2010 that is innovative in medicine, environmental management and agriculture, and which also marries organic production and biotechnologies.

It expects the biotechnology industry to be contributing as much to the economy as the tourism industry, and the country to be ranked in the top five of the OECD biotechnology indicator table.

This heroic vision is a stark contrast with today's underdevelopment, which Biotenz says results from biotechnology being thought synonymous with GM, a lack of venture capital, a small industry base and non-recognition by policymakers.

This, the Biotenz strategy says, is despite the fact that the economy is based on biology and, "as the Knowledge Wave conference showed, will derive much of its future wealth and sustainable business development from the application of new knowledge and technologies to old products".

The strategy praises Government moves on taxation of research and development and to create a venture investment fund.

"Only an active partnership between Government and industry can address" the disadvantages of misperceptions, lack of capital and a small base.

"The whole industry is in start-up mode," the strategy says, "and needs an incubation environment to realise its potential in a more timely fashion."

The strategy maps out a detailed nine-part programme. It ranges from building a "vision for all stakeholders" and an organisation capable of delivering the vision, through to export marketing and collaboration within the industry and with investors.

Industry capability, skills and public and Government support are also included.