A Melbourne-based life science research and development company has invested more than £3 million in Wales.

The move comes as part of a deal by Medical Ethics, a firm which develops products to alleviate pain and minimize suffering associated with wounds and surgical procedures in animals to make Cardiff its new base in the northern hemisphere.

The UK hub will be responsible for progressing the development for humans.

Secretary of State for Wales Alun Cairns said: “This announcement is testament to the strong appetite worldwide for investing in the UK and is a real vote of confidence in Wales’ growing stature as a hotbed of life sciences expertise," reported Lauren Dean in Farmers Guardian.

“It also showcases the commitment of the UK government’s globally based network of trade experts to connect international investors with the right partners for their needs."

“Companies like Medical Ethics are helping to change health dynamics on a global scale and are quickly discovering Wales is the go-to place to develop, manufacture and commercialize their innovations.”

According to the firm, it chose to invest in the UK for its expertise in fields including regulatory affairs, manufacturing and clinical studies, tax subsidies and patent box incentives.

It has worked with the Department for International Trade (DIT) for two years.

“For us, Wales was the obvious choice in the UK, especially given our sector – life sciences,” Allan Giffard, managing director of Medical Ethics said. “Wales offers the skills, expertise and infrastructure for our business to thrive.

“Through DIT, we have been able to participate in the Global Entrepreneur Programme, enabling us to overcome a number of initial challenges.

“DIT, along with Innovate UK, also supported us with introductions to key experts including the Wales Wound Institute in Cardiff – an introduction which had a significant impact on our decision to choose the UK.”