BOOSTED BY BIOTECH BY BOOSTED | Innovating for a Sustainable Future a Sustainable Innovating for AOTEAROA NEW ZEALAND BOOSTED BY BIOTECH Innovating for a Sustainable Future An analysis of the state of biotechnology in New Zealand and its impact and benefits for the economy and society. HUMAN Biotechnology in New Zealand 2020 HEALTH BIOTECH New Zealand's thriving biotech sector includes companies working on products and technologies to help improve our lives and our planet, plus supporting services. The biotech sector is highly innovative, research and development intensive and is constantly evolving with new companies. This map will be regularly updated, so please contact us with your suggested additions: [email protected] Pantone 1778C Pantone 356C Pantone 2955C Monogram height is three times the font Height ENVIRONMENTAL MARINE AGRICULTURE + INDUSTRIAL BIOTECH BIOTECH BIOTECH RESEARCH + EDUCATION ECOSYSTEM sapere Produced by: research group Join BioTechNZ at biotechnz.org.nz version 1.1 November 2020 About BioTech Acknowledgements New Zealand BioTech New Zealand (BioTechNZ) would like to acknowledge the following contributors: BioTech New Zealand's (BioTechNZ) vision is to create a healthy, clean and prosperous New Zealand, boosted by biotechnology. BioTechNZ members who participated Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) We are a purpose driven, membership-funded organisation. Biotechnology is a platform in the survey. The high response and the Ministry of Business, Innovation technology, therefore our members are diverse, with research and development at the heart rate underpins the validity of the and Employment (MBIE) for review of their business. They have the desire to collaborate to maximise the ways biotechnology data presented in this report. and policy input and the BioTechNZ can help address many of the world’s agricultural, environmental and health problems. Executive Council for industry analysis, Our research partners, the team consultation and feedback. BioTechNZ is a neutral centre of gravity for biotechnology discussion, debate, policy at BioPacific Partners for their development and collaboration in New Zealand. We also help raise awareness and increase expertise, analysis and insights The many biotech practitioners, CEOs, understanding of biotechnology to enable our nation to embrace the best opportunities and Peter MacIntyre from Sapere MPs, Government agencies, researchers, biotechnology offers to us daily, helping us live better, healthier and more productive lives. Research for economic analysis. business people and investors that we spoke to for this report. We are aware the global challenges will not be solved by a single technology and will require Lead report author and BioTechNZ collaboration to ensure greater sustainability and climate compatibility. executive director, Dr Zahra Champion. Graeme Muller and Andrea Molloy for We take a practical, but informative and evidence-based approach, drawing on the report direction, reviews and editing. active contributions from our members. Collectively, we focus on both harnessing the opportunities and addressing the issues. BioTechNZ (previously NZBIO) joined the New Zealand Tech Alliance in July 2018. Member of the: 03 Contents CONTENTS Introduction: Aotearoa Boosted by Biotech Figures Introduction: BioTech New Zealand 09 27 Figure 1: National Distribution of Biotechnology Organisations 10 Foreword: New Zealand Government 07 28 Figure 2: Types of Bioscience Undertaken 11 Foreword: AbbVie 29 Figure 3: Raising Funds for Growth 12 Executive Summary 37 Figure 4: New Zealand’s Biotechnology Research Institutes 15 Key Highlights 59 Figure 5: Constraints to Biotechnology R&D in New Zealand 60 Figure 6: Constraints to Biotechnology Commercialisation in New Zealand Part One: The Biotech Landscape 70 Figure 7: Bioeconomy Percentage Shares 18 What is Biotechnology? 70 Figure 8: Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing as a Percentage of GDP for Selected Countries 17 20 History of Biotechnology 71 Figure 9: Breakdown of Estimate of New Zealand's Bioeconomy GDP Contribution 22 Growing Global Importance of Biotechnology 25 New Zealand’s Biotechnology Landscape Tables 26 Table 1: Release of Genetically Modified Organisms in New Zealand Table 2: Number of Core Biotech Firms in New Zealand Part Two: Biotechnology Opportunities for New Zealand 30 31 Table 3: Revenues of New Zealand Biotech Firms, 2020 40 New Zealand Strengths in Biotechnology 33 Table 4: Examples of New Zealand Human Health Biotech Companies 43 Economic Opportunities for New Zealand 39 Table 5: Examples of New Zealand Agri Biotech Companies 54 Biotechnology for a Low-emission Future 34 55 Underpinning New Zealand’s Bioeconomy 35 Table 6: Examples of New Zealand Environmental and Industrial Biotech Companies 36 Table 7: Examples of New Zealand Marine Biotech Companies 40 Table 8: New Zealand’s Biotechnology Strengths Part Three: Boosting New Zealand with Biotechnology 73 Table 9: Key Participants – Red Biotechnology Opportunities and Challenges 58 74 Table 10: Recent Achievements – Red Biotechnology 61 Recommendations 57 75 Table 11: Key Participants – Green Biotechnology 76 Table 12: Recent Achievements – Green Biotechnology Table 13: Key Participants – White/Grey Biotechnology Part Four: Appendix 77 Table 14: Recent Achievements – White/Grey Biotechnology 65 The Research Team 77 66 Research Methodology 78 Table 15: Key Participants – Blue Biotechnology 65 Table 16: Recent Achievements – White/Grey Biotechnology 73 New Zealand Biotechnology Companies 78 79 Biotechnology Definitions 04 05 Introduction Aotearoa Boosted 07 by Biotech INTRODUCTION: AOTEAROA BOOSTED BY BIOTECH Thank you to all our Project Supporters Introduction: BioTech New Zealand INTRODUCTION: Project Partners When BioTechNZ began this report, the world was pre-COVID. At the time, the media featured the demands of increasing global population, the impact AOTEAROA BOOSTED BY BIOTECH BY BOOSTED AOTEAROA of industrialisation and urbanisation on the environment. This included air pollution, water pollution, climate change, global warming, depletion of ground water level, change of biodiversity and ecosystem. On 22 April 2020, the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, was unlike any other. With COVID-19 causing public health lockdowns around the world, the news showed empty streets, no cars, closed shops and MANYA SABHERWAL people keeping their distance. Subsequently, the Chair skies were clearing of pollution and wildlife was BioTechNZ returning to newly clear waters. A few months ago, environmentalists could only dream of this scenario on the 50th anniversary of Earth Day. The coronavirus pandemic has displayed a contrasting consequence. It has created a positive impact on the environment, however it has also executed worldwide destruction on human lives. Due to our relative isolation, New Zealand has experienced a different journey to the rest of the We can use this experience to maximise the world. However, we are still faced with the same opportunity of new ways of working, consuming, issues as the rest of the world, including keeping travelling and living sustainably. There has never New Zealander's safe while moving towards a been a more important time to elevate the science Research Partners more sustainable and carbon neutral economy. of making our world more resilient by sustainably For years, the demands of an increasing population, transforming the food system, protecting our industrialisation and urbanisation have mounted environment, and facilitating breakthroughs in and we are now in crisis. It’s time for change, health, green energy and biobased manufacturing. accountability and innovative solutions. Let’s As this research report demonstrates, New sapere learn from this period of disruption and encourage Zealand’s growing biotechnology sector can research group entrepreneurs and innovators to work alongside make a difference by helping us live better, Government to create the future we want. healthier and more productive lives. 08 09 INTRODUCTION: AOTEAROA BOOSTED BY BIOTECH FOREWORD FOREWORD New Zealand Government AbbVie INTRODUCTION: The potential of the New Zealand biotechnology industry is enormous. To truly “We don’t do this because it’s easy, we do it because it’s hard.” become a leader in this area, we need to identify and unlock that potential. AOTEAROA BOOSTED BY BIOTECH BY BOOSTED AOTEAROA New Zealand is recognised globally for our innovation This is the answer given by AbbVie’s global CEO, Rick potential in biotech. Scientific American Worldview KAREN ADAIR Gonzalez whenever he is asked why we invest in so scored New Zealand’s potential as fourth in the world Deputy Director-General much primary research for hard to treat diseases, when behind the US, Singapore, and Denmark in a range of the risk is so high? Why not just invest when the hard Agriculture & Investment ANDREW TOMPKIN categories such as IP protection, enterprise support, and Services, Ministry for work is done? General Manager, policy stability. With the global biotechnology market Primary Industries Finding treatments for the most serious diseases AbbVie Limited expected to reach NZD 1.1 trillion by 2025, it makes presents a challenge like no other and while this sense that we explore all possible opportunities. has always been the case, in the last half century, The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) chose to organisations in both the public and private sector had support this report through our Sustainable Food & a tendency to want to go it alone. Well