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Therapeutic Development Of A Novel EphA4 Antagonist For Spinal Cord Injuries
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$687,105.00
Summary
Spinal cord injuries impose a significant burden on patients and their carers. At present, there are no treatments for spinal cord injury that provide functional improvement. This research program will develop a novel therapeutic molecule, EphA4-Fc, which promotes axonal regeneration and delivers significant functional improvement. We will determine the most effective protocol for EphA4-Fc administration and the physiological and functional outcomes of these treatment regimes.
RNA Interference In Model Systems Of Macular Degeneration.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$166,500.00
Summary
Exudative age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the most common cause of irreversible severe vision loss in the elderly, with an estimated 25-30 million people worldwide blind due to AMD. There is currently no standard treatment for AMD. A safe, specific and effective pharmacologic agent for AMD, therefore, has enormous therapeutic, social and economic benefits. AMD is underpinned by vascular leakiness and new blood vessel formation. We have demonstrated that Egr-1, a nuclear transcription f ....Exudative age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the most common cause of irreversible severe vision loss in the elderly, with an estimated 25-30 million people worldwide blind due to AMD. There is currently no standard treatment for AMD. A safe, specific and effective pharmacologic agent for AMD, therefore, has enormous therapeutic, social and economic benefits. AMD is underpinned by vascular leakiness and new blood vessel formation. We have demonstrated that Egr-1, a nuclear transcription factor, plays a key regulatory role in a diverse array of angiogenic processes. In this project, we will use novel gene-targeting agents (Egr-1 siRNA) to provide preclinical proof-of principle evidence of their therapeutic potential in established animal models of AMD. These studies will pre-empt Phase IA safety trials in AMD patients.Read moreRead less
The Next Generation Of Biomaterials; In Vivo Assessment Of Lumbar Spinal Fusion Biodegradable Interbody Cages
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$85,932.00
Summary
Back pain represents one of the major health and economic problems facing the western world. Surgery is an inevitable outcome for many sufferers and involves the implantation of metallic rods screws, plates or cages. Biodegradable implants have theoretical advantages, but until now no material has existed that can sustain he rigours of implantation into a load bearing site. We have developed such a material which will lead to improvements in the treatment of many orthopaedic conditions.
Control Of Refractive Error Through Ionically Driven Fluid Movements
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$208,600.00
Summary
Myopia affects about half the world's population with recent studies suggesting epidemic proportions among some Asian schoolchildren though we are not seeing this in Australia. Costs associated with detection, monitoring and optical correction of low and high myopia are huge. High myopes (15% with > 6D) also have a greatly increased risk of blindness between the ages of 30 and 50 years due to secondary disorders associated with impaired fluid balance (retinal and choroidal oedema, macula oede ....Myopia affects about half the world's population with recent studies suggesting epidemic proportions among some Asian schoolchildren though we are not seeing this in Australia. Costs associated with detection, monitoring and optical correction of low and high myopia are huge. High myopes (15% with > 6D) also have a greatly increased risk of blindness between the ages of 30 and 50 years due to secondary disorders associated with impaired fluid balance (retinal and choroidal oedema, macula oedema, retinal detachment and glaucoma). Currently there is no accepted pharmaceutical treatment for myopia though our studies in chick have provided the theoretical rationale and experimental data for a potential therapy and patent. This patent is now at the PCT stage and attests that changes in the abundance of the ions of the subretinal space control fluid movements across the retina to choroid and can be modulated therapeutically by diuretics to control fluid flow and hence axial growth and myopia. This application aims to take our current knowledge about fluid control in myopic chick into a mammalian model prior to preclinical trials in monkey. We anticipate it will take 1 year to establish the feasibility of diuretic control of experimentally induced myopic refractive errors in guinea pigs and the best drug and best the dosage range. These studies will contribute to the scientific understanding and bring the proposed pharmaceutical therapy for myopia in adults and children to a point of full commercialization. We believe that the results found in chick will have significance for early and late-onset myopia in humans as it is highly likely that the same mechanisms of ocular growth regulation operate throughout life.Read moreRead less
Development Of Novel Anti-epileptic Drugs Targeting Vesicular Endocytosis
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$202,950.00
Summary
Our team developed a drug program targeting a novel mechanism for epilepsy treatment, neuronal synaptic vesicle endocytosis. This project will develop the most promising series of drugs. Preclinical development is advanced, lacking only efficacy data across models predictive of the spectrum of human epilepsies to enable candidate selection for clinical trials. The program will advance a totally new concept for the treatment of epilepsy.
Novel System For Non-Invasive Delivery Of Drugs To The Interior Of The Eye
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$200,213.00
Summary
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of visual loss for adults in the developed world. Treatment is now by needle injection into the back of the eye, which is painful for the patient and is costly for the health-care system. Seagull Technology Pty Ltd has developed a non-invasive device for treating the back of the eye without the need for a needle injection. This project will test the new device in animals and then move to a first safety study for human AMD patients.