Taiwanese biotechnology company Intelligene establishes Australian headquarters within Griffith University’s Institute for Biomedicine and Glycomics
The Gold Coast Health & Knowledge Precinct (GCHKP) continues to strengthen its position as a growing hub for biotechnology and health innovation, with Taiwanese biotechnology company Intelligene establishing its Australian headquarters within Griffith University’s Institute for Biomedicine and Glycomics (IBG).
The move marks another significant step in the growth of the Gold Coast’s biotechnology ecosystem, bringing international industry directly into one of Australia’s leading biomedical research environments.
Intelligene will work alongside Griffith researchers to help advance RNA therapeutics and extracellular vesicle (EV) technologies, supporting the development of future treatments and vaccines targeting infectious diseases and other major global health challenges.
Chairman and CEO of Intelligene, Jerry Huang said the Gold Coast’s combination of research capability, infrastructure and lifestyle made it the ideal location for the company’s Australian expansion.
“The Gold Coast was our first choice for establishing a base in Australia because of its location and the strong ecosystem of research and industry support around it,” Mr Huang said.
“You can do your hard research, and then you can enjoy the beach. It’s a perfect match.”
The partnership reflects a growing trend of global biotech companies embedding directly within connected research ecosystems to accelerate innovation, translation and commercialisation.
Professor Lee Smith, Deputy Vice Chancellor (Research) at Griffith University, said the precinct’s co-location model was helping bridge the gap between cutting-edge research and real-world application.
“What’s really exciting is we can take what’s really cutting edge in the lab space and then on the bench to application and really translate that into commercialisation,” Professor Smith said.
The announcement also reinforces the rapid growth of biotechnology on the Gold Coast. Just months after Southern RNA established operations within the precinct, Intelligene’s arrival further strengthens the region’s position as an emerging hub for advanced therapeutics, translational research and future manufacturing capability.
GCHKP Director Craig Rowsell said the announcement reflects the growing international interest in the Gold Coast’s innovation ecosystem.
“We’re seeing global companies choose to embed themselves within the precinct because of the unique environment we’ve built here, where research, healthcare, industry and government are all connected,” Mr Rowsell said. “This is exactly the type of collaboration the Gold Coast Health & Knowledge Precinct was designed to support.”
Mayor Tom Tate said the continued growth of biotechnology within the precinct reflects the Gold Coast’s emergence as a destination for global companies looking to innovate in health and medical research.
Looking ahead, Intelligene has ambitions to further expand its Australian operations on the Gold Coast, including future clinical trials and pilot manufacturing capability, reinforcing the company’s long-term commitment to the region.
The announcement reflects growing international confidence in the Gold Coast Health & Knowledge Precinct and its ability to bring together research, healthcare, government and industry within one globally connected innovation ecosystem.
Read Griffith University’s full story here
