BioCurate’s Proof-of-Concept Fund: Developing a Better, Cheaper, and Safer Plasma Product to Address Global Shortages

Team Members from Monash University and BioCurate
From left to right: Ms. Taru Panjikar, Mr. Johnny Nguyen, Mr. Rex Anane, Mr. Gordon Lloyd, Associate Professor Ruby Law, Professor James Whisstock, Mr. Michael Vovos; from BioCurate: Dr. Heique Bogdawa, Dr. Tifelle Reisinger.

 

In Australia, approximately 2% of the population suffers from chronic wounds, resulting in an estimated healthcare cost of $3 billion annually. Affected patients include those with diabetes, who face complications such as foot ulcers—conditions that tragically lead to over 4,400 amputations each year. Another significant concern is pressure injuries (bedsores), which disproportionately affect aging patients in hospitals, with incidence rates exceeding 20% in some settings.

Plasminogen, a critical enzyme essential for effective wound healing, has shown high efficacy in plasminogen replacement studies. However, its clinical utility has been severely limited by its reliance on plasma fractionation for production restricting its global availability and accessibility, and its poor pharmacokinetic profile, limiting its utility.

Recognizing this urgent need, Associate Professor Ruby Law and Professor James Whisstock at Monash University, in collaboration with leading clinical experts, have embarked on a mission to address these barriers. Their innovative research seeks to:

• Unravel the mechanisms underlying plasminogen’s role in wound healing.
• Engineer improved plasminogen biologics with enhanced pharmacokinetics.
• Develop cost-effective production methods to ensure broader accessibility for patients worldwide.

Image above: Mechanism of synthetic plasminogen function
Uptake of Plasminogen (displayed in magenta) by macrophages, visualized with green cell outlines and blue nuclei, play a key role in promoting wound healing.

 

The BioCurate Proof-of-Concept Fund has been instrumental in advancing this initiative, providing the critical resources needed to accelerate research and development. This funding has enabled:

• Recruitment of key expertise and collaboration with industrial partners.
• Transition from laboratory innovation to scalable production processes.
• Production of high-grade plasminogen for preclinical studies, paving the way to validate its therapeutic potential in wound healing.

“This partnership is fundamentally critical to making this valuable biologic accessible to patients who depend on plasminogen for survival due to genetic deficiencies or as a clinical adjunct for wound healing.” said Associate Professor Ruby Law.

“BioCurate’s support is absolutely essential to making plasminogen available in Australia and globally, restoring hope for patients who have been deprived of a normal life.” Professor James Whisstock added.

With promising preclinical data already in hand, the team is advancing toward production optimisation and pre-clinical proof of concept. This effort holds the potential to develop a novel, affordable therapeutic for wound healing that could dramatically improve the lives of patients with chronic wounds and other debilitating conditions.

Together, these advancements mark a transformative step in reducing the immense burden of chronic wounds and offering hope to millions of patients worldwide.

The support from BioCurate enabled this project to secure additional funding through the Australia’s Economic Accelerator Seed Grant, facilitating further studies to refine the design and explore its therapeutic potential in disease models beyond diabetic wounds. Together, these investments provide crucial support, accelerating project progress and strengthening opportunities to secure further funding for clinical translation.

Find out more about the AEA case study here.

About BioCurate

Jointly formed by the University of Melbourne and Monash University, with support from the Victorian State Government, BioCurate identifies promising biomedical research discoveries and manages their translation into high-quality pre-clinical candidates for novel human therapeutics. We operate in the under-resourced yet critical early phases of therapeutic development to drive early decisions and overcome common barriers to success.

BioCurate is operationally independent, with a team of experts who bring decades of scientific and commercial expertise. This expertise enables us to recognise and realise real-world potential and provides a critical bridge between academia and industry. With an extensive global network within the biotechnology sector, we are well-positioned to drive the most feasible commercial path forward for Australian innovations.

Return to News