Singapore: Living Cell Technologies (LCT), which is based out of Australia and New Zealand, has been named as New Zealand's top bioscience company. Dr Doug Wilson, a biotechnologist, has been honored as the Janssen Distinguished Biotechnologist at the 2013 NZBIO Conference Awards.

Dr George Slim, CEO of NZBIO, says the judges rewarded LCT for taking a complex, world-first treatment technology over some very tough regulatory hurdles to show considerable promise in human trials.

"The company has a strong portfolio of follow on products and has recently entered into a partnership deal with a major international pharmaceutical company," the judges said.

Dr Slim said it had been tough selecting the top bioscience company, because among the finalists there was a range of excellent businesses, all of which had different business models.

The top biotechnologist, Dr Doug Wilson, is a graduate from the University of Auckland medical school. He did post graduate research in London before starting an academic career in Auckland. In 1987 he changed tack and became NZ medical director of Boehringer Ingelheim in New Zealand.