Development Of Modified IGF-binding Proteins As Novel Anti-cancer Chemotherapeutics
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$77,375.00
Summary
We propose to enhance the effectiveness of current anti-cancer treatments by co-administering a protein to sequester growth factors that promote the resistance of cancer cells to chemotherapy. We aim to achieve improved destruction of breast and colorectal cancers but with reduced adverse side effects. Our in vitro data show the effectiveness of this novel co-therapeutic which is a modified form of a natural carrier protein for these growth factors. This application seeks funding to enable proof ....We propose to enhance the effectiveness of current anti-cancer treatments by co-administering a protein to sequester growth factors that promote the resistance of cancer cells to chemotherapy. We aim to achieve improved destruction of breast and colorectal cancers but with reduced adverse side effects. Our in vitro data show the effectiveness of this novel co-therapeutic which is a modified form of a natural carrier protein for these growth factors. This application seeks funding to enable proof of concept in vivo in order to attract commercial funding for clinical trials.Read moreRead less
Pre-clinical Assessment Of Novel Growth Factor Complexes As A Topical Agent In The Treatment Of Deep
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$156,870.00
Summary
Healing of deep burns, unlike that of superficial injuries, often resolves with scarring. Scarring is reduced with rapid closure of burns. The CIs have discovered and patented novel growth factor complexes that stimulate the growth and migration of keratinocytes, cells derived from skin. Hence these complexes hold therapeutic potential for wounds that require rapid closure such as deep burns. This application will provide pre-clinical, proof-of-principle data to facilitate future patient trials.
Development Of A Computer-based Retinal Imaging Program For Identification Of People At Risk Of Cardiovascular Disease.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$254,714.00
Summary
Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death and imposes an enormous financial and healthcare burden on the Australian community. This project will develop and deliver a novel clinical prediction tool, incorporating retinal vascular imaging and assessment, to improve identification of asymptomatic people who are at high risk of cardiovascular disease at an early stage, allowing implementation of preventative strategies and medical interventions to effectively prevent CV disease.
GM-CSF Regulation Of Preimplantation Embryo Development
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$481,320.00
Summary
Treatment of infertility using IVF technology has been enormously successful. However, there are major concerns regarding the high incidence of multiple pregnancies (caused by the transfer of more than one embryo) and the potential adverse health outcome of adults conceived from this technology. Multiple pregnancies place both mother and infant at enormous risks, with increased obstetrics care, prematurity, increased neonatal care and neurological disorders such as cerebral palsy. This can be ov ....Treatment of infertility using IVF technology has been enormously successful. However, there are major concerns regarding the high incidence of multiple pregnancies (caused by the transfer of more than one embryo) and the potential adverse health outcome of adults conceived from this technology. Multiple pregnancies place both mother and infant at enormous risks, with increased obstetrics care, prematurity, increased neonatal care and neurological disorders such as cerebral palsy. This can be overcome simply by the transfer of a single embryo. However, patient and clinical expectations are that single embryo transfer should be achieved with little to no reduction in pregnancy rate, and currently this is not possible because our methods for culturing embryos are inadequate. Studies in animals suggest that laboratory growth of mammalian embryos can lead to small-for-gestational age babies (even when the effect of multiple births is taken into consideration). This backed by recent studies which agree that babies born from IVF are smaller than expected. This might lead to health problems in later life, as smallness at birth is associated with higher risks of cardiovascular disease and diabetes, especially as age progresses beyond 40 years. However, the oldest IVF child is currently 23 years of age. Previously we have shown that a protein growth factor, called granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), found normally in the reproductive tract, has dramatic beneficial effects on human and mouse embryos grown in the laboratory. Furthermore, we have shown in mice that embryo exposure to GM-CSF alleviates the detrimental side effects of in vitro culture on foetal growth and body structure after birth. Our research is now focussed on understanding why this protein is beneficial to embryo growth and to test if we can increase pregnancy rates and produce normal healthy infants from the transfer of single embryos treated with GM-CSF.Read moreRead less
A Novel Method For The Early Detection Of Cardiovascular Disease Through The Direct Measurement Of Tissue Wall Elasticit
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$196,000.00
Summary
Changes in the structure and function of blood vessels are an early stage in the development of arterial disease. A simple means of assessing this damage will allow for early detection of arterial disease and will provide a tool for monitoring outcomes of treatment and preventive medicine. We have developed a novel method for measuring vessel wall displacement throughout the cardiac cycle. This study aims to provide proof of principle data through the validation of these measurements against the ....Changes in the structure and function of blood vessels are an early stage in the development of arterial disease. A simple means of assessing this damage will allow for early detection of arterial disease and will provide a tool for monitoring outcomes of treatment and preventive medicine. We have developed a novel method for measuring vessel wall displacement throughout the cardiac cycle. This study aims to provide proof of principle data through the validation of these measurements against the physical properties of the vessel and application of the technique to a clinical setting.Read moreRead less
Development Of Engineered Novel Growth Factors For Infertility Treatment
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$410,439.00
Summary
Infertility comes at an enormous social and financial cost to Australian society. The aim of this proposal is to improve the success rate of an innovative technology that matures eggs in the laboratory and so eliminates the need for the hormones normally used in IVF. To achieve this a newly discovered egg-secreted protein first has to be produced in the laboratory.
Exploitation Of Unique Growth Factors To Develop New Products For Infertility Treatment
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$132,525.00
Summary
Infertility comes at an enormous social and financial cost to Australian society; infertility is a major psychological burden on young couples and the technologies used to treat infertility, such as in vitro fertilisation (IVF), require expensive drugs to stimulate the ovary. The cost of these drugs to Medicare is expected to exceed $100 million p.a. over the next decade. A reproductive technology, which has always shown great potential to elevate some of this burden, is oocyte (egg) in vitro ma ....Infertility comes at an enormous social and financial cost to Australian society; infertility is a major psychological burden on young couples and the technologies used to treat infertility, such as in vitro fertilisation (IVF), require expensive drugs to stimulate the ovary. The cost of these drugs to Medicare is expected to exceed $100 million p.a. over the next decade. A reproductive technology, which has always shown great potential to elevate some of this burden, is oocyte (egg) in vitro maturation (IVM), which drastically reduces the use-cost of drugs and the stress to patients. However, oocyte IVM has been slow to live up to its potential and the technology is still not in widespread clinical practice, mainly due to disappointing success rates in women. We have been studying oocyte IVM in animals for many years, and have recently made a significant technological breakthrough, improving success rates by ~50%. In this field, a 50% increase in efficiency is substantial and has significant clinical and commercial application. Currently, we are the only group worldwide with this technology. Over the course of this 2-year project we will conduct follow-up experiments to refine this discovery and investigate the feasibility of using this approach to treat human infertility. We are already in negotiations with two medical device manufacturers to licence this technology. We expect that this project will lead to a series of products and technologies that will enter a clinical trial for the treatment of infertility within 2-3 years.Read moreRead less
The proposed project is part of a research programme aimed at developing a new drug to reduce the side effects of cancer radiotherapy. These side effects result from the radiation damage to normal tissues close to the tumour. Since in many instances the normal tissues at risk are accessible to topical application (eg. skin in breast cancer patients, rectal mucosa in prostate cancer patients, oral mucosa in all patients being treated for tumours in the head and neck region) the concept is very si ....The proposed project is part of a research programme aimed at developing a new drug to reduce the side effects of cancer radiotherapy. These side effects result from the radiation damage to normal tissues close to the tumour. Since in many instances the normal tissues at risk are accessible to topical application (eg. skin in breast cancer patients, rectal mucosa in prostate cancer patients, oral mucosa in all patients being treated for tumours in the head and neck region) the concept is very simple. A drug which makes cells less sensitive to X-rays (these drugs are called radioprotectors) is simply applied topically to the normal tissues at risk. For this purpose, we have developed a new radioprotecting drug called methylproamine which is 100-fold more potent than previously-developed radioprotectors. Unfortunately, methylproamine is not suitable for our purpose because at higher concentrations it is toxic to some cells. This hurdle must be overcome in order to make the project attractive to potential commercial sponsors. Our aim is to modify methylproamine by removing the molecular features that cause the cytotoxicity. We have established that this is feasible, by synthesising and evaluating a small family of methylproamine analogues. Some less toxic family members have already been identified. With this knowledge, we now propose to use special computer programmes to design a much larger family of methylproamine analogues, and to synthesise and test each one in order to identify the most promising candidate for our purpose. Once the efficacy window hurdle is passed, the subsequent milestones to commercialisation and clinical implementation can be addressed, with appropriate sponsorship. An Australian company has already expressed strong interest and is evaluating the opportunity.Read moreRead less