BioCurate, the independently operated joint venture between the University of Melbourne and Monash University, announced today it has appointed Dr. Kathy Nielsen to the role of Chief Executive Officer. Dr. Nielsen brings over 25 years of experience in senior leadership and advisory roles primarily in the life science sector, with deep experience in technology transfer, venture capital, creating and advancing spin out companies, and operating in the nexus between research and the pharmaceutical industry.

BioCurate Chair, The Hon John Brumby AO, said; “The Board and I are delighted to welcome Kathy to the role. Aside from her stellar track record as a team leader, she has a rare combination of governance, technical, IP and commercialisation capabilities, along with industry connections that will be incredibly valuable to our mission.”

Dr. Nielsen said; “I’ve been a long-time supporter of BioCurate from its genesis and an advocate for its work in my role at Monash Innovation. I’m privileged to have the opportunity to join such an exceptional team and channel my skills and expertise into supporting its mission to translate promising medical research into quality preclinical candidates for the bio-pharmaceutical industry.”

Dr. Nielsen joins BioCurate from Monash Innovation (Senior Director Commercialisation), having led the growing Commercialisation team, and managed a large and dynamic portfolio of early stage assets. She has had a strong transaction focus, brokering numerous deals with major pharmaceutical companies, as well creating more than 25 Monash spin offs for the development of new therapeutics, many of which have secured multi-million dollar investments. Dr Nielsen has strong corporate governance experience, having held 17 Directorships and 5 Observer positions.

Previously, Dr Nielsen was Senior Investment Manager at Queensland Investment Corporation, which managed several funds both in Australia and USA, investing in more than 20 biotech/life science companies and generating significant returns for Australian investors. Dr. Nielsen has also held senior roles in technology transfer at the University of Queensland and its spin outs including ElaCor Pty Ltd, Nanomics Biosystems Pty Ltd and Xenome Ltd.

Dr. Nielsen has also made substantial non-commercial impacts during her career, including through her role as Director, Research & Advocacy at Ovarian Cancer Australia. She was crucial in developing a National Action Plan for high impact research and to inform, engage and amplify the voices of women with ovarian cancer, through consumer-driven research.

The Hon. John Brumby AO, Chair of the BioCurate Board, said:
“The Board and I would like to thank Henry Jones for his interim leadership during the search, as well as the entire BioCurate team for the substantial progress they have achieved, including the achievement of all key project milestones, the expansion of our early opportunity pipeline through our Proof of Concept Scheme, and for securing extensions to, and new strategic partnerships with major biotech companies.”

Prof. Mark Hargreaves, Acting Deputy Vice Chancellor (Research), The University of Melbourne, said:
“Kathy is an outstanding addition to the BioCurate leadership team. She is a well-known and highly regarded leader who is well-placed to further the translation and impact of the world-class biomedical research in our city.”

About BioCurate

BioCurate is a bold, collaborative venture, dedicated to delivering benefits to the community by helping to advance Australian research and innovation globally. 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 with the aim to develop potential novel human therapeutics.

We operate in the under-resourced, yet critical, early phases of therapeutic development to overcome common barriers to success and drive early decisions. BioCurate is operationally independent, with a team of experts that brings decades of scientific and commercial expertise, enabling us to recognise and realise real-world potential and providing a critical bridge between academia and industry.  Governance is provided by an experienced Board with an independent Board Chair, the Hon John Brumby AO, supported by Directors with specialist backgrounds in biotechnology, investment and corporate governance.

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BioCurate, the independently-operated joint venture between The University of Melbourne and Monash University, today announced the renewal of its partnership with Takeda to identify and collaborate on projects to advance promising early stage therapeutic research.

The alliance increases each partner’s access to scientific and commercialisation expertise, as well as exposure to candidate projects in key therapeutic areas for collaboration, including potential for co-investment.

On selected projects, the two partners will work together to overcome the barriers to their translation and commercialisation, providing critical advice and expertise to streamline the therapeutic development process.

Dr. Eric Hayes, Director of Partnerships at BioCurate, said:

“We’re thrilled to renew our strategic alliance with Takeda, whose world-class team has a proven track record of successful collaborations to bring new, commercially viable medicines to market. We have some of the world’s best medical research teams operating out of Victoria’s laboratories; Takeda’s expertise will help ensure this research has the best possible chance of becoming therapies that improve people’s lives.”

Dr. Michael Martin, Head of Takeda’s Center for External Innovation said:

“Continuing our collaboration with BioCurate renews our bond with their internationally renowned team, and our connection with the thriving ‘Parkville Precinct’ medical research community. We look forward to identifying promising projects for collaboration, and jointly pursuing the potential to create transformational new therapies for patients.”

About BioCurate

BioCurate is a bold, collaborative venture, dedicated to delivering benefits to the community by helping to advance Australian research and innovation globally. 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 with the aim to develop potential novel human therapeutics.

We operate in the under-resourced, yet critical, early phases of therapeutic development to overcome common barriers to success and drive early decisions. BioCurate is operationally independent, with a team of experts that brings decades of scientific and commercial expertise, enabling us to recognise and realise real-world potential and providing a critical bridge between academia and industry.  Governance is provided by an experienced Board with an independent Board Chair, the Hon John Brumby AO, supported by Directors with specialist backgrounds in biotechnology, investment and corporate governance.

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With renewed funding from its Shareholders universities, BioCurate continues its mission to translate discoveries from Victoria’s world-class bioscience laboratories into high quality therapies that can save and improve people’s lives. BioCurate is pleased to announce a significant project funding increase to its successful Proof-of-Concept (POC) Fund. Projects awarded POC funding from the next round of project applications will now be able to access up to $500K of funding over a period of 12-18 months, to accelerate therapeutic discoveries.

“BioCurate is pleased to be able to announce an increase in POC project funding of up to $500K. We are building on the success and excellent momentum we have been able to generate since the POC fund’s inception. With the increase in funding, we look forward to continuing to fund those early stage projects with the greatest commercial potential, provide further support for researchers, and ensure the greatest chance of a tangible commercial outcome.” – Dr Christopher Chan, BioCurate Executive Director, Research and Development

The POC Fund is designed to support both early-stage and more mature projects that require additional experimental validation to address key scientific gaps, and to generate additional compelling data to de-risk projects to reach the next value inflection point. In addition to funding, Researchers will benefit from BioCurate’s industry expertise and mentoring in crafting commercialisation and IP strategies, as well as designing experimental plans to address key project risks. During the project, BioCurate staff are on hand to provide support to the investigators to maximise the chances of reaching a successful outcome. For POC projects successfully completing milestones, BioCurate offers a path to commercialisation with licensing opportunities and further investment.

This funding scheme is open to both University of Melbourne and Monash University research projects, as well as from affiliated Victorian Medical Research Institutes.

Investigators retain ownership of the IP rights in the Technology and will own any improvements to its Background IP and IP arising from the performance of the POC Project.

Application forms are succinct and easy to complete, and researchers are encouraged to submit an application to accelerate the translation of their therapeutic discovery.

Call for BioCurate Opportunity Assessment (BOA) applications open 7 August 2023 and close 15 September 2023.

BioCurate invites Researchers and Commercialisation Managers to attend our information sessions to be held on Wednesday August 9 at Melbourne Connect and Thursday August 10 at Monash University Clayton to find out about BioCurate investment opportunities, eligibility and success criteria and the funding process.

Registrations are required for our Melbourne Connect information session. Click here for more information and to register via Eventbrite.

For further information, contact Dr Andy Allen (a.allen@biocurate.com) and info@biocurate.com.

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BioCurate, an independently operated joint venture between the University of Melbourne and Monash University, announced today it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Experimental Drug Development Centre (EDDC), Singapore’s national platform for drug discovery and development hosted by the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR). The agreement will see both parties share complementary scientific and business development expertise between their teams, and explore opportunities for co-development on projects to bring new commercially viable therapies to market.

EDDC has well-established capabilities in-house for the discovery and development of small and large molecule therapeutic compounds. This includes expertise in assay development, medicinal chemistry, peptide chemistry, therapeutic protein and antibody discovery, in vivo pharmacology and biomarker development. In addition, EDDC has successfully progressed projects from discovery to development and has a track record of partnerships with companies. Such expertise and capabilities will strengthen collaborative projects between EDDC and BioCurate.

The partnership is expected to expand the number and types of projects both parties can support, by increasing the knowledge, expertise and resources that each organisation has access to.

The Hon. John Brumby AO, Chair of the BioCurate Board, said:

“Bringing new drugs to market is notoriously difficult and requires substantial scientific and commercial expertise and resources. Collaborations like this improve the prospects of success, and we are honoured to partner with EDDC toward this common goal.

“I am excited about the possibilities of this collaboration, particularly to advance some of the world-class research happening in Victoria’s foremost academic research laboratories, which is BioCurate’s core focus.”

Dr. Eric Hayes, Director of Partnerships at BioCurate, said:

“Collaboration with organisations of EDDC’s calibre is a strategic priority for BioCurate, leveraging complementary strengths and capabilities to ours, and our Shareholders. These partnerships extend what we’re capable of doing and increase our chances of success in translating biomedical discoveries into quality therapeutic candidates.

“The Partners are now able to undertake a mutual review of portfolio opportunities and we are looking forward to identifying projects for collaboration.”

Prof. Damian O’Connell, Chief Executive Officer of EDDC, said:

“EDDC is excited to embark on this strategic partnership with BioCurate, a like-minded partner working towards a common goal. Bringing together both organisations’ strong complementary capabilities, we will accelerate our efforts towards translating groundbreaking biomedical discoveries into therapeutics that address unmet medical needs. I am excited about the potential opportunities that this collaboration will bring to Singapore and the region.”

About BioCurate

BioCurate is a bold, collaborative venture, dedicated to delivering benefits to the community by helping to advance Australian research and innovation globally. 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 with the aim to develop potential novel human therapeutics.

We operate in the under-resourced, yet critical, early phases of therapeutic development to overcome common barriers to success and drive early decisions. BioCurate is operationally independent, with a team of experts that brings decades of scientific and commercial expertise, enabling us to recognise and realise real-world potential and providing a critical bridge between academia and industry.  Governance is provided by an experienced Board with an independent Board Chair, the Hon John Brumby AO, supported by Directors with specialist backgrounds in biotechnology, investment and corporate governance.

About EDDC

The Experimental Drug Development Centre (EDDC) is Singapore’s national platform for drug discovery and development, formed from the integration of the Experimental Therapeutics Centre (ETC), Drug, Discovery and Development (D3), and Experimental Biotherapeutics Centre (EBC) in 2019. EDDC aims to develop therapeutics and diagnostics that save and improve the lives of patients in Singapore, Asia and around the world. Hosted by the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), EDDC works collaboratively with public sector and industry partners to translate the great science arising from Singapore’s biomedical and clinical sciences R&D into innovative healthcare solutions. For more information about EDDC, please visit http://www.eddc.sg/

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BioCurate, an independently operated joint venture between The University of Melbourne and Monash University, and NLC, the European Healthtech Venture Builder based in the Netherlands, announced today they have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), which paves the way for sharing of scientific and commercial expertise and collaboration on projects to bring new therapies to market. 

BioCurate and NLC share complementary strengths which, when combined, could unlock vast potential for healthcare innovation. The partnership offers significant strategic value, as both share a similar mission; to transform top-tier innovations and ideas into life-changing products or services that advance health-related science.  

Both companies target early-stage projects, and the partnership seeks to improve the chances of success of current and future projects in each organisation’s portfolio by improving their access to the scarce skills and resources required for the translation of scientific discoveries into commercially viable therapies.  

The Hon. John Brumby AO, Chair of the BioCurate Board, said: 

“We’re thrilled to expand BioCurate’s network of international strategic partners through this new agreement with NLC.   

It takes a village to produce new, commercially viable therapies. This partnership helps to ensure the fantastic research taking place in Victoria’s leading academic laboratories has a better chance of becoming medicines that improve people’s lives. It also means NLC has access to the incredible talent we have in Victoria to support the success of the projects in their portfolio.” 

Dr. Eric Hayes, Director of Partnerships at BioCurate, said: 

“NLC was an obvious choice of partner for BioCurate because of the quality and breadth of its complementary expertise, as well as its presence in, and access to the European pharmaceutical market.  

“We look forward to evaluating our combined project portfolio’s to identify specific opportunities for collaboration.” 

Bert-Arjan Millenaar, CEO of NLC, commented: 

“By collaborating with BioCurate, a leader in translating novel technologies to therapeutics, NLC is taking an exciting step forward in the biotech space and expands its expert network and reach to the southern hemisphere. We consider BioCurate a strategic partner for our joint mission to create novel therapies for unmet needs and we look forward to bringing science to life together.” 

About BioCurate 

BioCurate is a bold, collaborative venture, dedicated to delivering benefits to the community by helping to advance Australian research and innovation globally. 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 with the aim to develop potential novel human therapeutics.  

We operate in the under-resourced, yet critical, early phases of therapeutic development to overcome common barriers to success and drive early decisions. BioCurate is operationally independent, with a team of experts that brings decades of scientific and commercial expertise, enabling us to recognise and realise real-world potential and providing a critical bridge between academia and industry.  Governance is provided by an experienced Board with an independent Board Chair, the Hon John Brumby AO, supported by Directors with specialist backgrounds in biotechnology, investment and corporate governance. 

About NLC 

NLC is the leading European healthtech venture builder. NLC identifies the best early-stage healthcare inventions and brings them to market, acting as the connecting link between technology innovation and entrepreneurship in medtech, biotech and digital health. To optimize patient care and enhance its positive impact, NLC collaborates with corporates and academic and healthcare institutions, such as Mayo Clinic. NLC leads the ventures it builds to success, by providing access to its established network and a team of experts. 

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Combined with funds in reserve, the renewed commitments enable the continued delivery for several years against BioCurate’s mission to grow the Victorian and Australian biotech sector by translating promising early-stage research into high-quality, preclinical pharmaceutical candidates.

Funding will support the advancement of projects already in BioCurate’s portfolio, in therapeutic areas from oncology to anti-infectives, along with new projects identified for support under BioCurate’s Proof of Concept Fund.

The BioCurate board also announced several leadership changes, including the resignations of CEO, Dr. Damien Bates, and COO and Company Secretary, Linda Peterson, and the promotion of Dr. Chris Chan, to Executive Director, Research and Development.

Dr. Bates, who joined BioCurate four years ago and has served as CEO since 2021, is stepping down in April to take on a new role as Vice President, Head of Cell Therapy Development at Novo Nordisk, based in the United States.

Ms. Peterson, who has served as COO and Company Secretary since the company’s inception in 2016, will step down in March and is planning a short career break before taking on new opportunities in the sector.

Dr. Bates and Ms. Peterson have contributed enormously to BioCurate’s progress during their tenures, helping to build an exceptional team, strengthening the profile and reputation of the organisation across academia and industry, and attracting a stable of renowned industry partners.

The board has commenced its search for Dr. Bates and Ms. Peterson’s replacements.

Dr. Chris Chan, who is being promoted to Executive Director, Research and Development, joined BioCurate four years ago as Director of Protein Therapeutics. His promotion recognises his significant expertise & track record in commercialising research, and driving projects through key milestones. As Executive Director, Dr. Chan will lead BioCurate’s scientific teams and provide expert oversight across its portfolio of projects.

BioCurate has built a portfolio of promising research projects, which are receiving expert translational support from BioCurate and its industry partners. In addition, BioCurate’s Proof of Concept Fund is providing focused mentorship and support to research teams whose projects require additional experimental validation, with a view to bringing them into the BioCurate portfolio.

The Hon. John Brumby AO, Chair of the BioCurate Board, said:

“BioCurate is an important force in Australia’s biomedical research sector. The renewed funding is a vote of confidence and gives BioCurate the runway to continue its important work in translating discoveries from Victoria’s world-class bioscience laboratories into high quality therapies that can save and improve people’s lives.”

“The board and I are deeply grateful for the contributions Damien and Linda have made. Their passion and dedication have been instrumental in shaping BioCurate into what it is today. We wish them the very best in their future endeavours.”

“We congratulate Dr. Chan on his well-deserved promotion. BioCurate’s scientific teams and portfolio of projects will benefit from his significant experience and leadership and we look forward to working with him in his new role.”

Ken Jefferd, Managing Director, Research, Innovation and Commercialisation at The University of Melbourne, said:

“BioCurate is building important capabilities and expertise in translating local discoveries from our laboratories into commercially viable therapies. We remain committed to the collaborative BioCurate model, and are excited about its potential to make a real difference in tackling disease and solving some of the world’s most pressing health challenges.”

Leigh Petschel, Chief Financial Officer and Senior Vice-President, at Monash University, said:

“BioCurate provides a critical bridge between our world-class local medical researchers and industry, so our most promising discoveries have the best chance of becoming viable medicines that deliver real world impacts. We are pleased to extend our funding commitment and continue our work with BioCurate to drive positive health outcomes and economic returns.”

About BioCurate

BioCurate is a bold, collaborative venture, dedicated to delivering benefits to the community by helping to advance Australian research and innovation globally. 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 with the aim to develop potential novel human therapeutics.

We operate in the under-resourced, yet critical, early phases of therapeutic development to overcome common barriers to success and drive early decisions. BioCurate is operationally independent, with a team of experts that brings decades of scientific and commercial expertise, enabling us to recognise and realise real-world potential and providing a critical bridge between academia and industry.  Governance is provided by an experienced Board with an independent Board Chair, the Hon John Brumby AO, supported by Directors with specialist backgrounds in biotechnology, investment and corporate governance.

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Damien joined BioCurate as Chief Scientific Officer and Head of Translational Medicine in May 2019.  He has played a critical role in driving the progression of projects along their respective development pathways through close collaborations with the Universities’ researchers and innovation staff, implementation of industry best practice across all aspects of project management, portfolio evaluation, industry engagement and resource allocation, and strong staff support and management.

Since being appointed as Acting CEO earlier in the year, Damien has worked closely with the BioCurate Board and management team to position the company strongly and achieve a number of important milestones, including:

Establishment of oncology start-up company Pio Therapeutics Pty Ltd (Pio Tx)

• Commercial vehicle for research emanating from Monash University.
• Company now fully incorporated with two Shareholders, Monash Investment Holdings and BioCurate, and an Independent Chair appointed.
• Mission to develop novel, innovative and targeted medicines that increase endogenous anti-tumour immunity that addresses current clinical challenges associated with immunotherapy.

Pipeline building initiatives

• Revision and streamlining of the BioCurate Opportunity Assessment (BOA) process
  • Two rounds each year.
  • Eligible projects to be sourced from University of Melbourne, Monash University and their respective affiliated medical research institutes (MRIs).
• New Proof of Concept Fund implemented, with two projects awarded to date and additional projects undergoing evaluation.
  • Opportunity for researchers to obtain targeted funding and industry-informed, expert guidance to help get their early project on a clear translational pathway.
• Showcasing researchers’ translation success stories via a range of platforms including promotional videos, media release, social media, press article and Shareholder’s communication channels.
• Helping to build understanding of the translational and commercial process required for successful novel drug development via focused information sessions.

Advancement of portfolio projects

• All projects continuing to progress through their Go/NoGo milestones.

Assistance with expansion of the Board and Investment Committee

• Additional members appointed with international experience in drug development and asset management.

 

BioCurate Chair, The Hon John Brumby AO commented “I am confident that with Damien’s leadership, our talented staff and committed Board and Shareholders, we will be able to continue delivering on our mission of translating medical research into high quality preclinical candidates for the bio-pharmaceutical industry and eventually new safe & effective therapies for the community.”

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The research, led by Professor Roger Daly, who heads the BDI’s cancer program, has already identified two proteins that are required by TNBC cells to grow. These proteins represent potential targets for small molecule drugs that could be used to treat this type of cancer.

Triple negative breast cancer represents around 15 percent of breast cancers and is an aggressive form of cancer with limited therapy options. Chemotherapy is the most common treatment, but has detrimental side effects that negatively affect quality of life.

“Our aim was to identify new targeted treatments that could avoid the side effects of chemotherapy. To do this we applied a screening approach that characterizes cellular proteins that transmit growth regulatory signals in the cancer cell,” said Professor Daly. “Understanding this is important because now we can identify new targets to go after that may open up new therapies against this devastating disease.”

“Following a rigorous selection process we are excited to provide our first Proof of Concept funding to this early stage research.  We believe it has significant clinical potential and aligns perfectly with our mission to translate medical research into high quality pre-clinical candidates. Hopefully this will be a key funding bridge to further collaboration and investment,” said BioCurate Acting CEO, Dr Damien Bates.

Professor John Carroll, Director of Monash BDI, said that the BDI vision has long been to foster an innovation-led research environment where researchers are encouraged to develop and maintain strong links with industry.

“We are thrilled to work with BioCurate to help accelerate this research into the development of new cancer therapies,” Professor Carroll said.

 

 

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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 that brings decades of scientific and commercial expertise, enabling us to recognise and realise real-world potential and providing 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.

For more information about BioCurate, visit www.biocurate.com

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About the Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute at Monash University

Committed to making the discoveries that will relieve the future burden of disease, the newly established Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute at Monash University brings together more than 120 internationally-renowned research teams. Spanning six discovery programs across Cancer, Cardiovascular Disease, Development and Stem Cells, Infection and Immunity, Metabolism, Diabetes and Obesity, and Neuroscience, Monash BDI is one of the largest biomedical research institutes in Australia.  Our researchers are supported by world-class technology and infrastructure, and partner with industry, clinicians and researchers internationally to enhance lives through discovery.

 

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Media contact

Wendy Smith – Communications Manager Monash University
E: wendy.smith1@monash.edu
T: +61 (0) 425 725 836

For more Monash media stories, visit our news and events site

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BioCurate is excited to have these two highly-skilled women with extensive international experience join the Company and provide guidance to our mission to translate new discoveries into novel therapies and take these to the global market.

Dr Marie Lindner has worked in executive roles in pharmaceutical, biotech, venture capital, start-up and medtech companies with experience across therapeutic areas and modalities for over 30 years. This has included working in business and clinical development at several medium-large biotech and pharma companies, such as Novartis Pharmaceuticals, co-founding two startups, being a partner at a startup biotech VC group, and playing a senior role in a cell therapy company.

Marie also has experience as a practising clinician, having been a board-certified doctor specialising in internal medicine and clinical nutrition at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Now retired, Marie maintains several consultancies and is active on a number of boards.

“I am delighted to bring my global experience to support this innovative Melbourne venture succeed in the development of novel therapeutics, and to highlight to the world the exciting combination of pairing high quality medical research with the capability of BioCurate’s world class team,” said Marie.

Josephine Wu has over 19 years of hedge fund, family office and global asset management experience including over 10 years of listed, pre-IPO and early-stage Pan-Asia healthcare investment experience. She is the founder and current CIO of Aionious Capital Limited, a dedicated healthcare investment company which invests and provides business development and commercialisation strategies in the pan-Asia region, specifically in China.

Josephine brings an extensive network of experts in operational, clinical, market positioning and regulatory knowledge in the Pan-Asia healthcare landscape. Her investments in healthcare companies at different stages have led to the successful commercialisation launches of pharmaceutical products, regulatory approvals, and the signing of strategic partnerships in commercialisation transactions and IPOs.

“Australian universities are renowned for their high-quality research. With that, I am excited to apply my specialised global investment experience and knowledge to help commercialise this research into products that will be available to patients around the world,” said Josephine.

We welcome Marie and Josephine to BioCurate and look forward to working with them as the Company embarks on its next phase of growth.

Click here to read more about Marie.

Click here to read more about Josephine.

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About BioCurate

BioCurate is a bold, collaborative venture, dedicated to delivering benefits to the community by helping to advance Australian research and innovation globally. 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 with the aim to develop potential novel human therapeutics.

We operate in the under-resourced, yet critical, early phases of therapeutic development to overcome common barriers to success and drive early decisions. BioCurate is operationally independent, with a team of experts that brings decades of scientific and commercial expertise, enabling us to recognise and realise real-world potential and providing a critical bridge between academia and industry. Governance is provided by an experienced Board with an independent Board Chair, the Hon John Brumby AO, supported by Directors with specialist backgrounds in biotechnology, investment and corporate governance.

For more information about BioCurate, visit www.biocurate.com

Follow us:  LinkedIn Twitter

 

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Media contact

Linda Peterson, COO and Company Secretary
E: l.peterson@biocurate.com

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The launch of Pio Tx demonstrates the benefits and potential of the BioCurate model. Jointly formed between Monash University and the University of Melbourne with generous support from the Victorian State Government, BioCurate aligns financial resources with proven scientific and commercial experience to accelerate the commercialisation of promising biomedical research.

Pio Tx’s mission is to develop novel, innovative and targeted medicines that increase endogenous anti-tumour immunity. It will focus on expediting further development of its first-in-class agonist antibody, PIO-001, that addresses current clinical challenges associated with immunotherapy, such as improving the rate and quality of responses in a variety of solid tumours.

The research that led to the discovery and initial characterisation of PIO-001 was conducted at Monash University’s Biomedicine Discovery Institute in the laboratories of Professor Charles Mackay, Professor Di Yu, and Dr Remy Robert.

This launch is a major milestone representing another example of the Monash and BioCurate vision that sees collaboration moving exceptional research forward into commercial tangible benefits for the community.

A world-class team has been assembled to lead Pio Tx, combining decades of international scientific and commercial expertise, with proven success in therapeutic discovery, preclinical, clinical, regulatory, and commercial stages of drug development.

Dr Damien Bates, Acting CEO of BioCurate, and CEO & Managing Director of Pio Tx, commented, “Pio Tx is the culmination of many months of hard work by a highly dedicated and collaborative team. It’s an incredibly exciting development that shows what can happen when outstanding research in Australia’s universities receives commercially focused research translation and financial support, helping to turn biotech discoveries into viable therapies.”

Dr George Morstyn, a pioneering drug developer with many years’ experience in the biotechnology industry, has been appointed Chair of Pio Tx. “Having worked in global and local drug development companies for over 25 years and experienced first-hand what it takes to drive a promising discovery through to clinical impact, I am confident that BioCurate has a team of very accomplished drug developers – I am genuinely thrilled, and honoured, to be part of this exciting initiative.”

Dr Alastair Hick, Senior Director of Monash Innovation and member of the Pio Tx Board, adds ‘I am looking forward to being part of this new company and continuing to develop strong links with industry, government and partners to leverage our research. This collaboration is a great example of bringing some of the best people together to bring fundamental discoveries to market.’

Click here to find out more information about Pio Tx.

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About BioCurate

BioCurate is a bold, collaborative venture, dedicated to delivering benefits to the community by helping to advance Australian research and innovation globally. 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 with the aim to develop potential novel human therapeutics.

We operate in the under-resourced, yet critical, early phases of therapeutic development to overcome common barriers to success and drive early decisions. BioCurate is operationally independent, with a team of experts that brings decades of scientific and commercial expertise, enabling us to recognise and realise real-world potential and providing a critical bridge between academia and industry. Governance is provided by an experienced Board with an independent Board Chair, the Hon John Brumby AO, supported by Directors with specialist backgrounds in biotechnology, investment and corporate governance.

For more information about BioCurate, visit www.biocurate.com

Follow us:  LinkedIn Twitter

 

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About Monash University

Monash University is Australia’s largest university. In the 60 years since foundation, we’ve built a reputation for world-leading, high-impact research, quality teaching, and inspiring innovation and learning culture.

Our size and scale – along with our growing global network – enable us to dial-up our education and research on an international scale. With four campuses in Australia, and a presence in Malaysia, China, India, Indonesia and Italy, our people are part of a thriving connected community.

At Monash, we’re redefining what it means to be a university. We transcend disciplines and boundaries, going beyond education and research to see the connections and intersections that others don’t. Our role is as a catalyst for resolving the complex challenges facing our world now and for every generation to come. And we know that it’s through deep, robust, sustainable partnerships with industry, government and the community that we’re going to do it.

Click here to learn more about Monash University.

 

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Media contact

Scott Thomson
Forge Communications
scott@forgecomms.com

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