Neurologists in Victoria will soon have access a bionic device manufacturing facility that will give them early access to novel devices for treating conditions such as epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease and stroke.

Neo-Bionica is a joint venture between the Bionics Institute and the University of Melbourne, that will have a highly specialised laboratory purpose-built with the latest cleanroom technology, cutting edge robotic equipment, enhanced 3D printing and precision engineering tools needed to develop prototypes and manufacture medical devices for clinical trials.

Bionics Institute CEO Robert Klupacs said the facility would build on the institute’s track record of developing medical devices such as the cochlear implant, the Minder epileptic seizure monitoring device and a unique nerve stimulation technique for the treatment of IBD.

By providing medical researchers and engineers with the capability to build clinical trial grade medical devices in Australia it would speed up the time from initial concept to clinical application, he said.

“The opening of Neo-Bionica in July will completely change how we translate Australian innovation, enabling home grown inventions to be manufactured rapidly in Australia for the benefit of patients throughout the world. We estimate that Neo-Bionica will enable the translation from research to clinic of at least 20-30 new medical devices over the next 10 years.”

Professor Mark Cook, Chair of Medicine and Director of Neurology at St Vincent’s Hospital where Neo-Bionica is located said the launch of the new facility would enable clinicians, scientists, engineers and industry partners to collaborate closely in the quest to find solutions for people with hard-to-treat diseases such as epilepsy.

“The ability to walk from my consulting rooms to the Neo-Bionica facility and talk to the engineers developing prototypes for my patients to test will have a huge impact on the speed of developing new treatments, and the future of medicine in Australia,” said Professor Cook.

The Bionics Institute and the University of Melbourne are seeking $25 million in philanthropic, investment and government funding for employment, manufacturing capacity and equipment at Neo-Bionica.