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.

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Victorian therapeutics incubator BioCurate is partnering with UniQuest’s small molecule drug discovery and development engine QEDDI to develop a new effective treatment for neuropathic pain with potential to become a safe alternative to opioids.

This partnership is enabled by the National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy (NCRIS), administered by Therapeutic Innovation Australia (TIA).

An estimated 5 per cent of the global population suffers from neuropathic pain. While opioids are one of the most effective pain treatments they come with the significant risks of opioid addiction and treatment resistance, and non-opioid treatments are urgently needed.

To address this, BioCurate and QEDDI are collaborating to develop a new class of inhibitor targeting two ion channels that are found at the site of generation of pain signals. This collaboration aims to deliver novel inhibitors that have maximal  pain reduction properties with a high safety margin.

BioCurate Associate Director of Small Molecule Therapeutics, Dr Belinda Huff, said “Collaboration with groups of QEDDI’s calibre is a strategic priority for BioCurate, ensuring that our projects can be developed towards the best possible outcomes, providing synergistic expertise and resources to increase our chances of success in translating biomedical discoveries into quality therapeutic candidates. We are excited about the prospect of developing an effective and safe treatment for neuropathic pain, alongside the QEDDI team.”

UniQuest CEO Dr Dean Moss said that this collaboration aligns with our shared goal of translating biomedical discoveries into quality therapeutic candidates.

“We are thrilled to partner with BioCurate on its mission to bring about a much-needed new treatment,” he said.

UniQuest’s Head of Strategic Partnerships Dr Andrew Harvey said partnerships are key in drug discovery.

“Working with BioCurate’s experienced team will extend what we are capable of doing nationally and leverage QEDDI’s world-class drug discovery and computational chemistry expertise. We are grateful for the enabling support of Therapeutic Innovation Australia.”

BioCurate CEO Dr Kathy Nielsen said it was exciting to join forces with QEDDI to advance world-class research towards helping people experiencing neuropathic pain. “There is so much need for new treatments and pooling resources and expertise through early-stage partnerships such as this one between BioCurate and QEDDI is vital to success.”

BioCurate will apply its industry-driven preclinical drug development expertise to co-develop the intellectual property with QEDDI.

QEDDI will use its state-of-the art drug discovery capabilities to co-develop the potential new treatment with BioCurate.

NCRIS is a research infrastructure support scheme supported by the Australian Government’s Department of Education.

L-R: Dr Belinda Huff, Dr Andrew Harvey, Dr Matthew McLachlan, Dr Malika Kumarasiri, Dr Eric Hayes, Dr Nick Matovic, Dr Brian Dymock, Dr Julia Beveridge

Media contacts:

UniQuest, Brooke Baskin; b.baskin@uniquest.com.au; +61 438 454 029.

BioCurate, Metani Rooms; m.rooms@biocurate.com; + 61 429 463 872

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.

About QEDDI

QEDDI is a division of UniQuest, is a small molecule drug discovery and development group dedicated to translating academic biomedical research into new medicines.  QEDDI is a world class facility and the only example of its kind in an Australian university, with an industry-experienced team dedicated to advancing biomedical research into new candidate therapies to enable commercial partnerships and accelerate new drug development.  QEDDI’s pipeline is targeting new treatments for some of the world’s most challenging diseases, including cancer, inflammatory diseases and neurodegenerative disorders, such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.

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A novel treatment for pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is being developed by a multidisciplinary team at Monash University, with critical funding and support from BioCurate’s Proof of Concept (POC) Fund. BioCurate’s involvement has been pivotal in advancing this project, providing both financial backing and industry insights to push the research forward.

PAH predominantly affects women, causing pulmonary vessel remodelling and hypertension, and eventual right-sided heart failure. It is progressive and incurable, with current treatments only providing symptomatic relief. This critical gap has led translational pharmacologist Dr Helena Qin and her team to explore small molecule drug candidates that target a G-protein coupled receptor involved in lung vessel inflammation and remodelling. They hope to develop a novel disease-modifying therapy that can halt the progression of PAH, preventing right heart failure and ultimately reducing mortality.

The support from BioCurate’s POC Fund has come at a crucial time, bridging a funding gap and helping the team to identify early leads obtained from high-throughput screening performed with the National Drug Discovery Centre that show promise for development into a lead series.

“We’ve found that there are quite limited resources in Australia for translational projects,” Dr Qin explained. “The POC fund targets early-stage therapeutic projects, which aligned perfectly with the stage of our project.”

BioCurate’s contribution has gone beyond financial support, offering valuable expertise and fresh perspectives on the scientific and commercial processes.

“We were very impressed with their thinking about both the scientific and commercial aspects of the project,” Dr Qin said. “Some of those discussions were challenging – they really encouraged us to push our boundaries and think about whether we were taking the right approach.”

These discussions have led Dr Qin’s team to carefully consider the unmet need their project addresses, and think ahead to developing commercialisation and marketing strategies to ensure their project will be commercially feasible in the long term. This preparation has impacted the project on all levels, streamlining workflows and enhancing the translatability of the research.

The team led by Dr Qin is highly multidisciplinary, including chief investigators Professor Rebecca Ritchie, Head of the Heart Failure Pharmacology laboratory, Professor Paul Stupple, Director of the Australian Translational Medicinal Chemistry Facility, Dr Lauren May, Head of the GPCR Cardiac Biology laboratory, Dr Kieran Stockton, post-doctoral research fellow, and Dr Katie Leach, and Julian Vultaggio from the Business Development team at Monash University.

Collaboration with clinicians from Alfred Hospital and Monash Health has ensured that the research remains aligned with real-world patient needs and current clinical management guidelines. The diversity of experience within this team is complemented by BioCurate’s industry expertise.

As the teams work together towards their goal of developing a novel therapeutic for PAH, they remain driven by the potential impact on patients’ lives. “This process has brought us closer to our consumers and end-users, which feels really special,” Dr Qin said. “We all have the same alignment of goals and mission – delivering a disease-modifying therapeutic for this devastating disease.”

From left to right: Dr Katie Leach, Dr Helena Qin, Prof. Paul Stupple, Dr Kieran Stockton, Julian Vultaggio, Dr Lauren May, Prof. Rebecca Ritchie.

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.

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In the fast-paced world of medical research and drug development, innovative ideas often struggle to gain traction due to funding constraints. BioCurate’s Proof of Concept Fund is working to change this trend by providing crucial support to address critical gaps in promising projects, as exemplified by the groundbreaking work on Interleukin-38 (IL-38) led by Professor Claudia Nold from The Hudson Institute of Medical Research and Associate Professor Andrew Ellisdon from the Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute.

IL-38, once an unsung hero in the cytokine world, has emerged as a potential game-changer in treating inflammatory diseases. Unlike its inflammatory counterparts in the interleukin family, IL-38 exhibits unique anti-inflammatory properties. However, researching this molecule posed challenges due to limited tools and its complex nature.

Professor Nold and Associate Professor Ellisdon, joined by experts from Monash University, including Professor Marcel Nold, Professor Eric Morand and Professor James Whisstock, embarked on a mission to uncover the mechanism of action (MOA) of their IL-38 mimicking molecule. This step is crucial in therapeutic development, as it ensures the highest standards of both safety and effectiveness.

BioCurate’s support came at a critical juncture, providing the resources needed to maintain momentum and recruit essential expertise within the team. This support ensures continuity in this vital research, offering reassurance that the successful development of their IL-38 candidate is within reach.

Beyond financial support, BioCurate’s involvement catalysed the project’s progress by connecting the team with contract research organisations. These collaborations facilitated validation and complementary experiments, contributing significantly to understanding the MOA.

“Seeing academic research translated into patient treatments is the ultimate goal, but it needs strong partnerships and support of the kind we receive from Biocurate.” said Professor Claudia Nold.

“In an increasingly competitive research landscape, BioCurate’s assistance has been instrumental in accelerating all aspects of the project,” said Associate Professor Andrew Ellisdon.

As the team moves forward with toxicology and efficacy studies, the potential for developing a new class of anti-inflammatory therapeutics looks promising.

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.

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BioCurate is delighted to announce the opening of the POC Fund for 2024. This commercial funding scheme is designed to support early stage therapeutic projects that need further experimental validation to address key scientific gaps, generate additional compelling data to support the opportunity, de-risk projects and propel them to the next value inflection point.

The POC fund is expanded for this year to welcome applications from eligible companies alongside academic researchers. Successful applicants can receive up to $500K in funding over a period of 12-24 months to expedite therapeutic discoveries. In addition to financial support, recipients will benefit from BioCurate’s industry expertise and mentoring, which includes assistance in developing commercialisation and IP strategies, as well as crafting experimental plans to advance the opportunity and mitigate project risks. BioCurate staff will provide support throughout the project to maximise the chances of a successful outcome.

Dr. Kathy Nielsen, CEO of BioCurate Pty Ltd, states, “BioCurate is pleased to announce our new, flexible model for POC project funding. By expanding the scheme to include spin-outs from our shareholder universities and eligible medical research institutes (MRIs), we are adapting to include a greater range of commercialization pathways. We look forward to continuing to fund early-stage therapeutic projects with promising commercial potential, from academic and now, eligible spin-out companies. This provides further support for researchers and founders, leveraging third-party funding, and helping to maximise the chance of a tangible commercial outcome.”

Eligibility for this funding scheme includes researchers from the University of Melbourne, Monash University, or their affiliated Medical Research Institutes as well as companies which are either spin-outs from these research organisations, or where the IP underpinning the project originated from them.

Unlike traditional granting schemes, the POC scheme is a source of both funding and drug development support in a flexible arrangement that can lead to a number of commercialisation pathways. Following successful completion of a POC, the project may receive further BioCurate support, through in-licensing or extended POC funding, or alternatively through investment into a spin out.

The application consists of an online component with links to a downloadable Expression of Interest form (separate templates for academic and company applicants).

Submissions are due by 5:00 pm on Friday, 6th September 2024.

Click here to view the online application form and access the EOI templates.

Click here to download the slide deck from 2024 POC info sessions and here for a list of FAQs.

We encourage all qualified researchers and eligible companies to apply and seize this unique opportunity to advance their therapeutic discoveries with BioCurate’s support and funding. For more information, please contact the BioCurate POC team at poc@biocurate.com.

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