Boost for medical research with new blood processing service for clinical trials at Malaghan

Chief Technology Officer Kylie Price says the Hugh Green Technology Centre’s infrastructure, state-of-the-art technology platforms, flow cytometry expertise and deep understanding of the immune system uniquely positioned it to establish a small, high-quality bioanalytical service. This service not only addresses a national need but also strengthens the Malaghan’s own biomedical research capabilities.

“The Malaghan Institute and the Hugh Green Foundation have a shared commitment to giving New Zealanders early access to breakthrough medical treatments. Building capability for clinical trials in New Zealand is one way of doing this, and the response from the clinical trials community has been overwhelmingly positive,” she says.

“This capability will directly support more investigator-led studies, enhance research translation, and make New Zealand a more attractive destination for clinical trials. It also aligns with the Hugh Green Foundation’s vision for the Hugh Green Technology Centre to become a sustainable hub of innovation.”

Ms Price says the concept for delivering bioanalytical services at the Malaghan Institute stemmed from an unmet and urgent need during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“At the time, New Zealand’s unique COVID-naïve population attracted significant international interest. Pharmaceutical companies and research organisations sought access to blood samples from healthy New Zealanders to analyse immune responses to vaccination. However, there was no centralised and accredited provider to meet this demand,” she says.

“While global demand for New Zealand blood samples has since stabilised, this period revealed a more enduring need – a lack of dedicated, high-quality, regulated services to support clinical trials in New Zealand. Existing services were either limited in scope, overburdened, or unavailable for external trials.

“By establishing this capability, we are not only closing a longstanding gap but also strengthening New Zealand’s attractiveness as a destination for clinical research.”

The Malaghan Institute’s Hugh Green Technology Centre recently received IANZ accreditation to ISO/IEC 17025 for its blood processing (for peripheral blood mononuclear cells and gDNA isolation), a gold standard in demonstrating technical competency and robust quality systems.

“This accreditation is not just a certification, it's a statement of trust, precision and quality that positions our bioanalytical services at the forefront of clinical trial support in Aotearoa New Zealand.”