Medicines New Zealand: Value of Medicines Awards 2022

Since 2011, Medicines New Zealand has rewarded outstanding researchers for undertaking innovative research into the use of medicines or vaccines through the Value of Medicines Award. In 2022 Medicines New Zealand relaunched the award scheme, after a brief hiatus due in part to the COVID-19 Pandemic.

The Award Scheme now includes two awards:

The Innovation Jump Start Award designed to provide financial assistance for an early career researcher.
The Award for Excellence in Innovative Medicines Research which recognises an already established researcher for the contribution they have made to biopharmaceutical research in New Zealand.

Applications for the 2024 Innovation Jump Start Award have now closed.

The Innovation Jump Start Award

2024 marks the third year of the Innovation Jump Start Award.

Designed to support a new or continuing project in the area of drug discovery and development, the Innovation Jump Start Award will be awarded to one of New Zealand’s potential future leaders in biopharmaceutical innovation.

This Award is open to applications from early career scientists* including current postgraduate students (Masters and PhD Candidates) in life-science disciplines which are relevant to the biopharmaceutical sectors such as pharmacology, genetics, physiology, biochemistry and immunology to Health Care Professionals who are pursuing a research-focussed career.

Member companies of Medicines New Zealand will also be able to assist the award recipient, by reaching out to their networks of international affiliate companies in order to gain opportunities for industry experience. 

 *As the Award is intended for early career researchers, applicants’ highest qualification is anticipated to have been conferred within the past ten (10) years. 

Value of the Award

The Award recipient will receive a prize package with a total value of up to $30,000⁺ NZD. This includes: 

$20,000 to support project costs. 
Career support funding of up to $10,000 to enable the winner to participate in an educational programme or another career-enhancing opportunity (industry internship etc).

⁺Total value of up to $30,000 exclusive of GST

Recipients of the Innovation Jump Start Award

Current Holder: Dr Ian Liddle (2024)

Development of PROTAC-antibiotics to mediate targeted protein degredation in drug resistant bacteria

^{Parmjeet Parmar MP (ACT) with 2024 Value of Medicines Innovation Jumpstart Award Winner, Dr Ian Liddle.}

Dr. Ian Liddle’s research addresses the urgent challenge of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) by exploring a novel drug discovery strategy: bacterial-PROTACs. These molecules hijack bacteria’s waste disposal systems, such as the ClpXP protease complex, to induce targeted protein degradation (TPD) of essential bacterial proteins, eliminating their function entirely. This innovative approach builds on the success of PROTACs in oncology and represents a new paradigm for antibiotic development. Ian’s work involves synthesizing bacterial-PROTACs, testing them against pathogenic bacteria, and analyzing their mechanisms to advance this promising strategy.

Previous Recipients of the Innovation Jump Start Award

Dr Rory Little (2023)

Dr Emma Wade (2022)

The Award for Excellence in Innovative Medicines Research

The Award for Excellence in Innovative Medicines Research continues the traditions of the earlier Value of Medicines Award (2011-2018) which was awarded for an outstanding research project involving innovative use of medicines or vaccines. This award takes a broad view of success and is designed to recognise and celebrate the efforts of an established New Zealand researcher who has made a significant scientific or clinical contribution to the development of innovative medicines or vaccines.

The winner of this award is selected by Medicines New Zealand, and is presented with the Value of Medicines Trophy.

Current Holder: Professor Ed Gane (2024)

^{Parmjeet Parmar MP (ACT) with 2024 Award for Excellence in Innovative Medicines Research Recipient, Professor Ed Gane}

Professor Ed Gane, a Hepatologist and Professor of Medicine at the University of Auckland, is renowned for his contributions to liver transplantation and hepatitis research. He led the establishment of New Zealand's first liver transplant unit and developed the first oral cure for hepatitis C. Professor Gane has published over 450 papers and has numerous accolades, including Member of the Order of New Zealand for Services to Medicine and the New Zealand Innovator of the Year (2017). Professor Gane continues to focus on finding a finite cure for hepatitis B.