Multidrug Resistance Protein 1 Inhibitors To Sensitise Cancers To Chemotherapy
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$840,166.00
Summary
Multidrug resistance protein 1 (MRP1) is often present at high levels in cancer cells, where it pumps chemotherapy drugs back out, causing drug resistance. Inhibitors that block MRP1 would increase the effectiveness of chemotherapy. We have developed MRP1 inhibitors with promising activity in cancer cells and mouse tumours and will now develop these inhibitors for clinical application and commercialisation.
Novel Membrane-targeted Antibiotics Against Drug-resistant Gram-positive Bacterial Infections
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,351,496.00
Summary
This project aims to develop a best in class antibiotic, Vancapticin, with superior efficacy, broader spectra of action and improved therapeutic index than existing therapies for Gram-positive (G+ve) bacterial infections. The research team has identified lead candidates that offer equivalent &/or superior potency, efficacy & pharmacokinetic profiles compared to several clinical comparators. NHMRC Development funding is required to select a candidate for an Investigative New Drug application.
Potent Antibiotics Against Drug-resistant Tuberculosis
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$531,410.00
Summary
Tuberculosis (TB) is a significant killer and caused 1.7 million deaths in 2009. The disease affects all countries, including Australia, in which the incidence in the indigenous population is 14 times higher than that in the non-indigenous population. We will develop a new anti-TB drug that can replace or enhance the current drugs that are not effective against drug resistant TB.
Lipopeptide Antibiotics For XDR Gram-negative Infections
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$994,897.00
Summary
The polymyxins are a drug class considered to be a last-resort treatment option for multidrug-resistant (MDR) and extremely drug resistant (XDR) Gram-negative infections. Unfortunately resistance is rapidly developing against these antibiotics, leaving no effective therapies and resulting in patient death. This project aims to develop an antibiotic with superior spectra of action and improved safety profiles compared to the polymyxins, with activity against polymyxin-resistant bacteria.
Bismuth Compounds And Materials As Antibacterial Agents
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$476,535.00
Summary
Antimicrobial resistance has been identified by the World Health Organisation as one of the greatest threats we face globally. The amount of effective antibacterial agents is rapidly diminishing. The threat of antimicrobial resistance is greatest in hospitals and health-care facilities. Our project aims to produce a new range of bismuth based antibacterial materials, which will be used in devices, coatings and surfaces in the clinic, to combat the rise of infections caused by resistant bacteria.
OctapeptinX Potentiators To Treat XDR Gram-negative Infections
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,377,149.00
Summary
There is an urgent need for the development of new antibiotics to treat drug-resistant infections, with the World Health Organisation and other agencies warning of a critical threat to human health. Potentiators are drugs that help obsolete antibiotics regain activity against resistant bacteria. We aim to develop a novel class of potentiators, the octapeptins, to resurrect the activity of old antibiotics so they can be used to treat infections caused by highly-resistant Gram-negative bacteria.
Development Of Follistatin As Novel Cancer Therapeutic
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$494,324.00
Summary
In this project, we aim to rapidly commercialise our discovery that Follistatin, an endogenous hormone, can dramatically improve the efficacy of platinum-based chemotherapy in lung cancer.
Development Of A New Class Of Broad-Stage Antimalarial Agents
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$729,037.00
Summary
In 2017, there were almost 220 million cases of malaria across 90 different countries, associated with 435,000 deaths, and with 65-70% of all malaria deaths tragically being children under the age of 5 years old. No significant progress in reducing global malaria cases has been made over the last 4 years and the need for new and better treatments remains dire. In this research and development plan, we will develop novel and safer drugs for the treatment of drug resistant malaria.
Proteasome Inhibitors As Reversers Of Resistance To Artemisinin-based Antimalarials
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$473,534.00
Summary
Current antimalarial control is highly dependent on Artemisinin Combination Therapy (ACTs), which makes recent reports of decreased clinical efficacy of artemisinins extremely concerning. This project will develop proteasome inhibitors to synergise the activity of artemisinins - effectively reversing resistance. We will confirm that the selected compounds have good bioavailability, low cytotoxicity in human cell lines and efficacy in mouse models of malaria.
Development Of Antimalarial Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$573,676.00
Summary
Human histone deacetylases (HDACs) are enzymes clinically validated as targets for cancer chemotherapy. Different HDAC enzymes are important for survival of infectious organisms, such as protozoan Plasmodium parasites that cause malaria. This project will develop promising drug leads that kill the parasites without damaging human cells through preclinical studies in mice towards a future clinical trial for the treatment of malaria in humans.