Where health science meets economic strategy
“The biggest thing that ChristchurchNZ did for us was they made it easy,” says John Robson, Managing Director of BioOra, a New Zealand company developing next-generation CAR-T cell therapy.
As the city’s economic development agency, ChristchurchNZ’s role is to connect innovation with infrastructure, helping future-focused companies find fertile ground to grow in Ōtautahi Christchurch, and beyond.
Helping BioOra set up a new biotech facility in the city — one that could redefine cancer treatment in New Zealand — was therefore a no-brainer.
Why Christchurch was the right city for a world-changing idea
Behind the science of BioOra lies a complex logistical challenge — manufacturing, regulatory compliance, data infrastructure and a clinical pipeline that demands world-class collaboration. Robson and his team needed a city that could hold all those moving parts together.
“There were so many facets to this business that all needed to come together into one location,” says Robson. “And ChristchurchNZ really came to the party quite quickly.”
Since 2022, ChristchurchNZ has been the quiet connector behind the scenes — linking BioOra with investors, partners and research institutions, and helping the company find its footing inside the city’s Te Papa Hauora Health Precinct.
“We’ve worked seamlessly alongside BioOra to help them access capital, identify the right business model for them here in Christchurch, find the right partners to deliver their service, help them find the right location to build their facilities,” says Ali Adams, CEO of ChristchurchNZ. “It’s an ongoing partnership and a real team effort.”
It’s a long-term approach that’s paying off. BioOra is expected to create 482 permanent, high-value jobs and inject over a quarter of a billion dollars into Christchurch’s GDP over three years. But as Adams notes, this project goes beyond economics.
“The most exciting thing for me is that this BioOra project is not just about the economic benefit for the city, but it really will give Kiwis access to life-changing technology and medical intervention that they wouldn't have been able to access otherwise.”
