Oritain wins biotech company of year title

Dr Olya Shatova, of Oritain, holds the award for NZ's biotechnology company of the year at the NZBIO awards ceremony.

Winning New Zealand Biotechnology Company of the Year at the NZBIO awards has capped off a busy year for Oritain.

The company, founded in 2008, uses forensic science to determine food, fibre and pharmaceutical provenance.

Chief executive Grant Cochrane was proud of his team's achievements, saying he was delighted with the recognition they were getting.

''They're doing some ground-breaking work. It's a great team and a real privilege to be part of it,'' he said.

NZBIO chief executive Zahra Champion praised the achievements of New Zealand biotechnology companies.

''Biotechnology will be central to addressing many of the world's current and future problems, in health, medicine, agriculture and environment.

''I don't think New Zealanders understand the changes that are rapidly taking place. Yet we have some pockets of innovative greatness in New Zealand that are already contributing to solving those problems,'' she said.

Earlier this year, Oritain secured a partnership with global medical technology giant GE Healthcare.

It also opened offices in Sydney and was pursuing further growth in the United Kingdom and United States.