Professional Services - CMAX Clinical Research

Finalists

Find out about the Australian Export Award finalists across all national award categories. Be inspired by their success.

CMAX Clinical Research

Adelaide (Kaurna), South Australia.

Australian Export Awards celebrates Australia's role in advancing global health

Being recognised as the 2025 winner of the Professional Services award is a proud recognition of our team’s dedication and a powerful endorsement of our global growth strategy.

Jane Kelly, Chief Executive Officer.

CMAX Clinical Research: High-quality healthcare starts here

For 31 years, CMAX Clinical Research has delivered Aussie efficacy to the global pharmaceutical and biotech industries.

Leveraging Australia’s efficient research approval process, the independent clinical trial facility and winner of the 2025 Professional Services award category, delivers fast results to the highest safety and quality standards.

Its services are in huge demand, especially from the US and Asia where trial approval timelines are typically slower.

Since 1993, CMAX has delivered more than 800 early-phase clinical trials, including over 200 first-time-in-human studies.

Export sales on the rise

In the past year, CMAX has achieved remarkable international growth, with export sales rising across key global markets.

Exports to the US rose by 44%, China by 86% and South Korea by 7%. In Europe, a whopping 570% increase from the previous financial year has driven further expansion.

‘These gains reflect the success of our targeted market strategies, improved brand positioning, and greater direct-to-client engagement with global biotechs and pharma sponsors,’ says Jane Kelly, Chief Executive Officer at CMAX Clinical Research.

Reputation and trust as the foundations of global growth

Australia’s scientific rigour, efficient regulatory processes, and high-quality healthcare give CMAX an advantage in exporting world-class clinical trials.

‘Competition for clinical trial sites is strong globally and within Australia. We are addressing this by emphasising our speed, quality and expertise,’ says Kelly.

‘We believe reputation and trust are the true foundations of global growth.’

CMAX expansion crosses continents

South Korea has recently become a key market for CMAX.

‘While we always saw potential there, the rapid growth in demand for early-phase clinical research has exceeded our expectations,’ says Kelly. ‘Our investment in local conferences and relationships has helped us establish a presence quickly.’

The company’s next target market is Europe, a key growth region with strong biotech activity. ‘This expansion supports our goal of delivering high-quality Australian clinical expertise to more global partners,’ says Kelly.

The future is digital

A recent make-or-break moment for CMAX was embracing digital transformation across its operations.

‘We’ve implemented e-Source, a participant portal, e-screening, e-consent, and other digital initiatives,’ says Kelly. ‘This has strengthened our resilience, improved efficiency, and modernised our clinical trial capabilities.’

These initiatives reflect CMAX’s broader values of transparency, sustainability, ethical practice and social impact. These values are resonating strongly with its international clients.

Austrade’s support in facilitating introductions, providing market insights, and promoting Australian clinical research expertise has accelerated our global growth.

Australian Export Awards celebrates Australia’s role in advancing global health

This is CMAX’s third recognition in the Australian Export Awards. It won the Professional Services award category in 2021 and was a 2018 finalist in the Business Services award category.

‘We applied to highlight Australia’s important role in advancing global health through world-class clinical research,’ says Kelly.

‘Being recognised as the 2025 winner of the Professional Services award is a proud recognition of our team’s dedication and a powerful endorsement of our global growth strategy.’

Austrade facilitates meaningful connections

Kelly notes that Austrade has been invaluable in connecting CMAX with partners across the US, Asia, Europe and beyond.

This has strengthened the company’s foothold in critical export markets.

‘Austrade’s support in facilitating introductions, providing market insights, and promoting Australian clinical research expertise has accelerated our global growth,’ says Kelly.

A legacy in global healthcare

After more than 3 decades, CMAX continues to forge strong working relationships with medical experts. This enables clinical trials to be delivered across a wide variety of therapeutic areas.

‘Our legacy will be helping bring new medicines to patients faster through world-class clinical trials,’ says Kelly.

‘Making a real difference in patient lives and advancing tomorrow’s healthcare is what drives everything we do.’

Visit CMAX Clinical Research website.

(Host) We now move on to professional services. This award is for outstanding international success in the field of professional services which includes legal, accounting, administration and support services, business management and consultancy, marketing services, franchising and licensing, engineering, financial and insurance, market research, translation services and tourism and business events. A huge range.

CMAX Clinical Research

CMAX clinical research conducts research for local and international clients specializing in a range of early phase trials and first time inhuman studies.

Medical rescue

Medical rescue specializes in providing medical support in remote and austere environments across Australia, the Asia- Pacific and Saudi Arabia.

Novotech

Novotech transforms scientific advancements into therapies, improving global health outcomes.

Pasture.io

Pasture.io delivers cutting edge satellite backed pasture management and grazing solutions.

The Reeves Envico Group

The Reeves Envico Group delivers infrastructure projects ensuring essential access to clean water, climate resilient buildings and urgent climate mitigation initiatives.

Tape Ark

Tape Ark are a world specialists in tape to cloud mass migration, helping organizations manage their backup data and aging corporate documents.

Terron Labs

Terron Labs is a cyber security testing laboratory specializing in testing of information and communications technology products.

(John Hopkins – Export Finance Australia) Good evening. Firstly, I'd like to thank uh Paul and the Austrade team for a wonderful event this evening and of course to congratulate all the nominees. At Export Finance Australia, we don't have a Black Friday sale, but we do believe that no one should take on the world alone. For almost 70 years, we've supported Australian businesses to grow and succeed internationally. And tonight, it's a real privilege to celebrate the people and the organizations that have uh made an impact on the global stage. So, it's my great pleasure to announce this year's winner in the professional services category and the winner is CMAX Clinical Research.

(Jane Kelly - CMAX Clinical Research) Wow, that is a huge thrill and totally unexpected. I know everyone says that, but I really that was a huge surprise. Um, thank you to all the organizers of this great event. Thank you for the judging panels. I've also got to thank Austrade. I've got to thank uh the South Australian Department of State Development as well as the South Australian Business Chamber who support us. But really this award goes to all the participants that have taken part in clinical trials.

Um CAMAX um so I'm the CEO at CMAX. Uh we've been in existence for 32 years. Um we've grown from starting with five staff to now having 400 staff. This goes to the 400 staff that work tirelessly. They work 24 hours a day, seven days a week. That's the operation that we have. Um, but also all those volunteers, whether they're healthy volunteers or patients that actually volunteer and come in to do a clinical trial, we wouldn't have a business without them.

Um, and I'm also thrilled to see that there's so many other uh companies that work within the clinical research industry space here in the room tonight. So, well done to all of us. We sell Australia to the world as far as clinical research. So, thank you so much.

(Host) Congratulations CMax. Now, give us a day in the life of CMAX and and why do you think you're so successful overseas and clinical trials um you know have to be so trusted. Um what is it about CAMX do you think that's um been able to make it overseas?

(Jane Kelly - CMAX Clinical Research) Yeah, I think it's not only CMAX, it's actually Australia. We have a really good regulatory ethical system, speed to start up and and you know getting a a clinical trial started early that's that's you know time is money as they say but high quality it's all about safety it's all about quality in our industry and we all do a great job and we sell it uh in the you know across the world so 90% of our work that comes into CMAX is for international sponsors the US, China, Taiwan, Korea um and Europe as well

(Host) Actually are there any clinical trials that you're most proud of that they come to mind are there any clinical trials that that you've done that you've that you're most proud of? I know it's probably a big question because.

(Jane Kelly - CMAX Clinical Research) It's a big question because we do so many and there's so many um interesting and unique innovations. Um you know we did you know we were really busy during covid, we were probably one of the few industries that really were busy uh continuing just with that development of new medicines because really the business is all about advancing tomorrow's health care and it's getting new medicines available quicker to the world and to Australians.

(Host) Congratulations, CMAX research. Yay.

Professional Services winner – CMAX Clinical Research. For the full transcript please visit the Professional Services Award 2025 - CMAX Clinical Research video on YouTube.

Professional Services finalists

National category winners

Agribusiness, Food and Beverages - Marquis Macadamias

For outstanding international success in the field of manufactured foods, beverages or agricultural products.

Creative Industries - Orbitkey

For outstanding international success in any creative industry.

e-Commerce - Humanitix

For outstanding international success selling goods or services to customers overseas via e-Commerce, including cross-border e-Commerce and online sales.