Queensland Clinical Trials Network Inc (QCTN) is an independent, not-for-profit, incorporated industry organisation for preclinical and clinical trials service providers, located in Queensland. The broad base of QCTN's membership clearly extends beyond clinical trials alone, with entities ranging from biotech companies, medical services and research organisations to more service-related companies like World Courier.

According to Pennisi, the overarching objective of QCTN's activity is to promote Australia as a destination for doing clinical research, "with an emphasis of course on Queensland". To achieve this, QCTN acts as the primary point of contact or link for domestic and international organisations seeking to undertake preclinical and clinical research anywhere in Australia, or simply to have a presence here.

"Basically, we help identify and connect organisations (sponsors) with appropriate research institutions, hospitals, contract research organisations (CROs) and other life sciences service providers" Pennisi says. QCTN has established strong relationships with entities in many other parts of the world including Germany, Japan, Korea, New Zealand and North America.

QCTN also facilitates education, training and accreditation for clinicians, clinical trial managers, data managers, research nurses and other sector professionals, as well as raising public awareness of the need for and value of clinical trials in different forums.

With a background in managing laboratory medicine services, Pennisi was involved in establishing the first Queensland-based 'central laboratory' in the mid-1990s to service international trials in the Asia-Pacific region. A few years later, Pennisi assisted with founding Queensland's first CRO.

"As the sector and need grew, a number of service providers then got together and formed a marketing entity called Affiliated Clinical Trials Services (ACTS) - a research organisation, laboratory, Phase I facility and a later-phase facility. It worked basically to cross-promote each other's services around the world." The idea was that by working together, everyone could save money and generally achieve more.

At the same time, Brisbane City Council (BCC) decided that clustering of like-minded businesses was a good thing, and so formed a fledgling clinical trials cluster in Brisbane. ACTS was one of the first stakeholders. "What happened then was quite interesting - suddenly hospitals on the south side of the river were talking to hospitals on the north side of the river about clinical trials and research, heaven forbid!"

About the same time, the then premier of Queensland, Peter Beattie, was rolling out his 'Smart State' policies. As part of this initiative, state government representatives started coming to the clinical trials cluster meetings, and immediately saw both the market opportunity and common sense in making it a state government activity.

According to Pennisi, Beattie announced plans for a Queensland Government-backed network of clinical trials service providers at BIO in 2004, and by the same event in 2005, Pennisi had been appointed, the funds had been allocated and the entity established. "By any measure of government activity, it was remarkably fast - and a clear sign of the Government's commitment," Pennisi says.

And because the BCC-backed cluster was already established, the marketplace and service providers were semi-organised, with a small cohort ready to deliver on the initiative. QCTN was thus born, starting with seven entities. Three years later, the membership totals 66 entities and growing, with all committed to promoting clinical and pre-clinical research in Australia.

Activities range from discovery through to marketing and cover all clinical fields and therapeutic areas - products and devices, small molecules, 'first-in-human', biologics, dermatology, oncology, cardiology, endocrinology and neutraceuticals. "We are basically a one-stop shop for people wanting to do preclinical and/or clinical research," he says