Peptide Therapeutics For The Treatment Of Autoimmune Diseases: Stability, Delivery And Disposition
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$368,467.00
Summary
Autoimmune diseases affect around 120 million people worldwide. This project will progress the development of a peptide that suppresses disease-causing autoantigen-specific immune responses without affecting protective responses. Different routes of delivery for this peptide will be evaluated, as well as slow-release formulations that will extend its in vivo lifetime. The outcome will be a patient-friendly form of this therapeutic lead that can be taken forward to preclinical evaluation.
Novel Inhalation Formulation Of Bacteriophages Against ‘superbugs’ Causing Respiratory Infections
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$563,621.00
Summary
Emergence of superbugs has led to life-threatening respiratory infections that are resistant to most antibiotics. There is an urgent need for alternative treatments not relying on antibiotics. Bacteriophages (or ‘bacteria eaters’) are natural predators of bacteria and are unaffected by antibiotic resistance. This multi-disciplinary project will develop novel therapeutics using inhaled bacteriophages against bacterial infections in the lungs.
New Treatments For Malaria Targeting Both The Sexual And Asexual Stages Of The Causative Parasite, Plasmodium Falciparum
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$731,155.00
Summary
We have discovered a potent antimalarial compound class. In this research plan we will improve their metabolic stability such that we can progress them as potential oral cures for malaria. We will also elucidate their mechanism of action and this will aid therapeutic development.
Improving Cancer Survival By Optimising Drug Exposure At Sites Of Cancer Metastasis
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$463,652.00
Summary
The metastatic spread of cancer is responsible for 90% of cancer related deaths. While the standard of care is to administer high doses of toxic drugs to kill the cancer, this often leads to life threatening side effects without guarantee of a cure. This work is aimed at identifying how nanometer sized chemotherapeutic ‘nanomedicines’ can be optimally developed to enhance drug targeting towards sites of tumour growth and metastasis and maximise therapeutic success whilst limiting side effects.
Optimising The Therapeutic Efficacy Of Protein-based Drugs Against Lymph-resident Diseases
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$348,330.00
Summary
Effective treatments for lymphatic diseases (such as HIV and lymph-metastatic cancers) are limited by the lack of drug assess towards the lymphatic sites of disease progression. Improving the access of drugs into lymph therefore has the significant potential to improve the treatment of these illnesses. We will therefore explore a novel approach to improving the lymphatic uptake and retention of protein-based drugs using a useful and widely used biologically compatible polymer.
Specific Targeting Of Nanosystems By Cutaneous Delivery
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$985,026.00
Summary
Substances have long been applied to the skin for therapeutic or cosmetic purposes, but the range of suitable compounds is limited. Consequently, there is a need for a wider range of compounds which can be delivered effectively into the skin for targeted treatment, diagnostic imaging and vaccination. New nanomaterial drug delivery systems are being increasingly used for these purposes. We seek to understand the properties of nanosystems that will enable improved drug targeting via the skin.