QIMR Berghofer

What QIMR Berghofer does

QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute is a statutory, government-owned medical research institute headquartered at 300 Herston Road, Brisbane, Australia, established in 1945 under the Queensland Institute of Medical Research Act 1945. It operates with over 1,000 scientists, staff, and students organized into four research programs: Cancer Research, Infection and Inflammation, Brain and Mental Health, and Population Health. The institute conducts translational research across hundreds of diseases and conditions, supported by access to exceptionally large genetic and clinical datasets, including genome-wide association studies of nearly 700,000 participants.

The institute's commercial and technology footprint centers on Q-Gen Cell Therapeutics, a wholly-owned TGA-licensed GMP cell therapy contract manufacturing subsidiary with 12 Grade B/ISO 7 cleanrooms, 3 Grade D cleanrooms, and 25+ years of operational experience. Q-Gen offers end-to-end process development, technology transfer, clinical trial production (preclinical through Phase III), and quality control laboratory services. The institute additionally develops and out-licenses proprietary drug discovery platforms — notably the first-in-class SETDB1-targeted epigenetic platform licensed to Kazia Therapeutics — and conducts foundational research underpinning approved therapeutics such as NIKYTIMO (axatilimab), a TGA-approved CSF-1R antibody for chronic graft-versus-host disease commercialized in Australia, New Zealand, and Singapore by Specialised Therapeutics under exclusive partnership with Incyte.

QIMR Berghofer's revenue model is hybrid and non-profit in structure. Income derives from government and charitable grants (notably NHMRC and Cancer Council funding), individual and corporate donations, contract research collaborations with pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, contract manufacturing fees through Q-Gen, and technology licensing royalties. The institute serves pharmaceutical and biotechnology enterprise clients (e.g., Kazia, Alloplex, Specialised Therapeutics) at the commercial level, while engaging patients, clinical trial participants, and the broader public through research studies, registries, education programs, and fundraising channels. AI capabilities are applied rather than foundational, including AI-integrated epigenetic drug discovery and an AI pathology screening tool for cancer detection in tissue samples.

Name

QIMR Berghofer

Legal name

QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute

Website

https://qimrb.edu.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

1945

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

QIMR Berghofer is a Brisbane-based, government-owned medical research institute with 1,000+ scientists conducting translational research across cancer, infection, brain and mental health, and population health, with commercial operations in GMP cell therapy manufacturing (Q-Gen) and drug discovery platform licensing.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Biomedical Research Services

NAICS

Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714), Scientific Research and Development Services (5417), Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (54171)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Services-Medical Laboratories (8071)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYHLAGADAF

Molecular & Genetic Testing (PCR/NGS/qPCR)

Healthcare & Life Sciences/Life Science Tools & Services (CRO/CDMO/Lab Services)/Laboratory Testing & Analytical Services

SECONDARYHLAAALAA

Molecular Diagnostics (PCR/qPCR, NGS-based assays)

Healthcare & Life Sciences/Biotechnology & Biologics/Diagnostics (Biotech-related)

SECONDARYHLAIACAB

Immunology & Autoimmune Specialty Pharmaceuticals

Healthcare & Life Sciences/Pharmaceuticals/Specialty Pharmaceuticals

Keywords

• Biomedical research services
• Cell therapy manufacturing
• Drug discovery platforms
• Clinical research services
• GMP manufacturing services

Headquarters

HQ city

Brisbane

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Contract Manufacturing Services: Q-Gen Cell Therapeutics provides GMP cell therapy manufacturing services to pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies. Revenue generated from process development, technology transfer, clinical trial production, and quality control services.
2. Technology Licensing: Licensing of proprietary drug development platforms and intellectual property to pharmaceutical companies. Example: SETDB1 platform licensed to Kazia Therapeutics for approximately $1.39 million upfront plus tiered revenue sharing.
3. Research Grants and Funding: Government and charitable funding including National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) grants, cancer council funding, and donations from supporters.
4. Collaborative Research: Contract research arrangements with pharmaceutical partners including Specialised Therapeutics (NIKYTIMO commercialization), Alloplex Biotherapeutics, and others.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

QIMR Berghofer is a medical research institute conducting translational research across cancer, infectious diseases, brain and mental health, and population health. Its commercial arm, Q-Gen Cell Therapeutics, provides GMP-compliant contract manufacturing of cell therapies from pre-clinical through Phase III clinical trials. The institute also licenses proprietary drug discovery platforms (e.g., SETDB1 epigenetic platform) to pharmaceutical companies and operates patient registries and research tools.

Product overview

QIMR Berghofer is a world-leading medical research institute with over 1000 scientists conducting research across cancer, infection and inflammation, brain and mental health, and population health. The institute's commercial arm is primarily centered on Q-Gen Cell Therapeutics, Australia's leading cell therapy contract manufacturer offering GMP-compliant manufacturing services through its purpose-built facility. The institute also develops and licenses drug discovery platforms (such as the SETDB1 epigenetic platform licensed to Kazia Therapeutics) and maintains research infrastructure including patient registries like the Australian Haemochromatosis Registry. Additionally, the institute provides online tools including a melanoma risk calculator and is developing AI-powered diagnostic tools for pathology.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• 74% overall response rate in pivotal AGAVE-201 trial for NIKYTIMO in chronic graft-versus-host disease
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability2 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• CTMC (Cell Therapy Manufacturing Center)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 June 2026Strategic partnership through CTMC Global Network Alliance to strengthen international collaboration in cell and gene therapy research, translation, workforce development, and advanced manufacturing. Combines QIMR Berghofer's Q-Gen facility and translational research capabilities with CTMC's cell therapy development, manufacturing, and regulatory strategy expertise. Supports NextGen, Australia's Centre for Cell and Gene Therapy Innovation and Manufacturing to strengthen Australia's sovereign capability in advanced therapeutics.
• Kazia TherapeuticscoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing Partner · 28 April 2026Licensed drug development platform from QIMR Berghofer for approximately $1.39 million to strengthen Kazia's oncology platform capabilities alongside existing paxalisib program and PD-L1 platform.
• Kazia TherapeuticscoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing Partner · 13 April 2026Licensed first-in-class SETDB1-targeted epigenetic drug development platform including lead candidate MSETC. Transaction involved upfront payment of approximately $1.39 million plus tiered revenue-sharing structure with no clinical or regulatory milestone obligations. Platform designed to restore immune signaling in tumors resistant to immunotherapy.
• Ibnova TherapeuticsmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 March 2026New biotech company launched through Australian-Danish research partnership between Murdoch Children's Research Institute (MCRI), QIMR Berghofer, and Danish institutions backed by BioInnovation Institute and Novo Nordisk Foundation. Aims to accelerate stem cell-based treatments for heart disease with plans for human clinical trials within 3-5 years. QIMR Berghofer Professor James Hudson contributes research on lab-grown human heart muscle that restores heart function after heart attacks in animal models.
• Specialised TherapeuticscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorExclusive partnership with Incyte to commercialise NIKTIMVO (axatilimab) in Australia, New Zealand and Singapore. Specialised Therapeutics pursuing PBS reimbursement. NIKTIMVO is first-in-class colony stimulating factor-1 receptor-blocking antibody approved for chronic graft-versus-host disease with 74% overall response rate in pivotal trial. Australian-led research from QIMR Berghofer played foundational role in drug discovery.
• King's College LondonmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative research partnership identifying 74 genomic locations linked to anxiety symptoms (39 newly discovered) in study of nearly 700,000 people of European ancestry. Published in Nature Human Behaviour. Largest genome-wide association study on anxiety to date.
• Alloplex BiotherapeuticscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerQ-Gen partnered with Alloplex to develop cellular therapy to treat cancer where activated cells target tumours with no harm inflicted on normal tissue. Alloplex CEO cited Q-Gen's expertise, GMP manufacturing capability, and regulatory approval status.
• TFBS BiosciencemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerQIMR Berghofer and TFBS Bioscience signed MOU to advance cell and gene therapies. Collaboration aims to strengthen capabilities in cellular immunotherapy technology development.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Lonza Cell & Gene Technologies: Global leader in cell and gene therapy contract manufacturing with multiple facilities worldwide. Direct competitor to Q-Gen for GMP cell therapy manufacturing services, representing the dominant global CDMO that QIMR Berghofer benchmarks against.
• Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre: Australia's largest dedicated cancer hospital and research center combining clinical treatment with laboratory research. Comparable to QIMR Berghofer's cancer research program and translational drug discovery efforts, with broader clinical service delivery.
• WuXi Advanced Therapies Unit: Major global cell and gene therapy contract development and manufacturing organization. Comparable to Q-Gen for cell therapy manufacturing services as a direct global competitor with broader service portfolio and geographic scale.

Direct peers

• Centenary Institute: Sydney-based non-profit medical research institute focused on cancer, immunology, and infectious diseases. Comparable as an Australian non-profit medical research institute operating translational programs of similar scope.
• Francis Crick Institute: One of Europe's largest biomedical research institutes with 1000+ scientists across multiple disease programs. Comparable to QIMR Berghofer in scale, translational mission, and discovery-to-commercial pipeline, providing a benchmark for advanced research institute operations.
• Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute: Australian medical research institute with disease-focused translational programs and a similar not-for-profit, grant-funded operating model. Comparable in mission scope, public-affiliation status, and clinical-translational research structure.
• Garvan Institute of Medical Research: Sydney-based medical research institute with significant genomics, cancer, and immunology focus. Directly comparable to QIMR Berghofer in translational research mission, genomic dataset scale, and government-affiliated non-profit status.
• Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research (WEHI): Australia's largest medical research institute based in Melbourne with a similar four-program research structure and deep commercialization arm (WEHI spinouts). Directly comparable in scale (1000+ staff), not-for-profit status, and breadth covering cancer, immunology, and infectious diseases.
• Murdoch Children's Research Institute (MCRI): Australia's largest child health research institute and explicit QIMR Berghofer partner via the Ibnova Therapeutics launch. Comparable as an Australian medical research institute pursuing co-development partnerships and translational commercialization.

Emerging players

• KBI Biopharma: Contract development and manufacturing organization with growing cell therapy capabilities. Comparable to Q-Gen in offering GMP cell therapy manufacturing and process development services for biotech sponsors.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/QIMRB_Institute
• Facebookfacebook.com/QIMRBInstitute
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/qimrb-institute

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about QIMR Berghofer