New Zealand life sciences: regulatory reforms, funding shifts, and opportunities

New Zealand’s life sciences landscape is shifting – fast. In the past month, the Government has released key policy documents, advanced regulatory reforms, and announced significant public investment in life sciences innovation and commercialisation. Below we highlight several key developments that will shape the regulatory and commercial environment for the sector.

 

Medical Products Bill documents released by Cabinet

Cabinet has this week released various documents regarding changes to New Zealand’s life sciences laws under the Medical Products Bill, which is set to be introduced to Parliament next year. Key proposed changes to be aware of include new rules around advertising of unapproved medicines and medical devices, promoting unapproved medicines at medical conferences and trade shows, and pharmacies no longer needing to be majority owned by pharmacists.

 

Health Committee reports back on the Gene Technology Bill

The Health Select Committee has recommended to Parliament that the Gene Technology Bill be passed, with some amendments. The Bill proposes to establish a regulatory regime for gene technology and genetically modified organisms in New Zealand, including the creation of an independent Gene Technology Regulator within the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA). The Committee’s recommendations include strengthened oversight of gene editing and clarification of the Gene Technology Regulator’s powers. This signals continued momentum towards a modernised framework for gene technologies in New Zealand.

 

New Biodiscovery Platform in the works

The New Zealand Government has announced NZD42.8 million in funding over seven years for the Biodiscovery Platform, to be hosted by the Bioeconomy Science Institute. The initiative is designed to accelerate the development and commercialisation of high-value, bio-based products – such as natural pharmaceuticals, functional foods, and biomaterials – derived from New Zealand’s unique biodiversity. It will support collaboration across researchers, Māori enterprises and industry.

 

DLA Piper Global M&A Intelligence Report 2025 Life Sciences Supplement

The second edition of DLA Piper’s Life Sciences M&A supplement is now available. This is DLA Piper’s bi-annual analysis of the trends, challenges, and opportunities in the global life sciences M&A market. It examines a selection of our international corporate life sciences transactions to identify trends and developments that can provide valuable intelligence for those operating in the sector or considering M&A activity, both domestically and internationally.

 

Pharmac consultation closes on proposed funding for new treatments

Consultation on Pharmac’s proposed funding of five new treatments – including for multiple sclerosis, breast cancer, lung cancer, and eye diseases – closed on 8 October. The proposed treatments aim to benefit over 1,700 people and save an estimated 7,500 hospital infusion hours in the first year of funding. We are watching out for the outcome of this consultation.

 

Two-agency medical device procurement

New Zealand’s updated approach to medical device procurement will see Health New Zealand (Te Whatu Ora) and Pharmac sharing responsibility for procurement of certain medical devices, with mechanisms in place for collaboration. The approach is intended to provide medical device manufacturers with greater certainty about which agency is responsible for their devices and to encourage confident innovation.

 

Law Commission releases Ia Tangata Report

The Law Commission has released its Ia Tangata Report on protections under the Human Rights Act 1993 for people who are transgender, non-binary, or have innate variations of sex characteristics. The Report highlights that there is no legally defined or consistent meaning of ‘sex’ in New Zealand medical contexts and legislation generally. These are functional terms used in different ways depending on the context.