Development Of AD214 A Novel Anti-fibrotic Treatment For Advanced Age Related Macular Degeneration
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$687,994.00
Summary
Age related macular degeneration remains the leading cause of blindness in this and other industrialised countries. Although treatment is available for an advanced form of the disease, many do not respond, or lose significant amounts of vision with long term treatment. This proposal will provide critical data for commericalizing a novel therapy called an i-body (AD214), that reduces vision loss in this disease by blocking the formation of scarring with reduced need for injections.
X-RATE: A Novel Radiation Detector Platform To Realize New Opportunities In Radiotherapy At The Australian Synchrotron
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$347,541.00
Summary
Microbeam Radiation Therapy (MRT) is an emerging X-ray radiosurgery modality that offers new hope for the treatment of brain cancer and other human brain diseases. A tissue equivalent radiation dosimetry system is essential for upcoming MRT human trials to precisely verify treatment plans. We are recognized world leaders in real-time silicon detector instrumentation for radiation dosimetry. We plan to develop and demonstrate X-RATE, the X-ray Real-time Active Tissue Equivalent dosimeter.
Pre-clinical Development Of A Novel Second Generation Chemotherapeutic For Cancer Therapy
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$584,907.00
Summary
Cancer cells have a high iron requirement for DNA synthesis and many clinical trials have shown that iron chelators are effective anti-cancer drugs. Their potential to act as anti-tumour agents has been confirmed by the entrance of the iron chelator, Triapine, into widespread NCI clinical trials. In this NHMRC Development Grant, we will perform toxicological studies to enable clinical trials of our most potent and selective anti-cancer agent to commence.
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.
BrachyVision: A Novel Multipurpose Probe For In-body Radiation Imaging And Dosimetry.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$532,627.00
Summary
BrachyVision is an in-body imaging and dosimetry system to assist physicians in providing efficient and optimized permanent seed implant brachytherapy cancer treatment. The system allows intra-operative preplanning, image guided treatment, post implant verification and direct rectal dosimetry. It represents a major advance in clinical technology that can improve quality of life of prostate cancer patients and, through reduced post treatment complications, lead to significant health cost savings.
Development Of A Molecular Point-of-care Test For Hepatitis C To Increase Uptake Of Curative Antiviral Treatment
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$781,353.00
Summary
This project seeks to develop a new point-of-care test to detect hepatitis C virus infections. This will enable the diagnosis and initiation of curative treatment in a single healthcare visit. It is expected that this will overcome a major barrier to treating high-risk groups with these highly effective medications and will lead to higher number of cured patients.
Robotic Surgical System For Image Guided Non-invasive Focused Ultrasound Induced Ablation Of Liver Cancers
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$582,231.00
Summary
According to National Cancer Institute, liver and bile duct cancers are the fifth most common cancer in men and the seventh in women. Due to poor prognosis involving surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy, our aim is to develop a novel image-guided, radiation-free, non-invasive robotic HIFU system with means for compensation of organ movement during treatment. The objective is to produce damage to the target in a predictable and reproducible manner while sparing overlying surrounding tissues.
New Drugs To Counteract The Side Effects And Premature Ageing Caused By Chemotherapy
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$577,658.00
Summary
During cancer treatment, commonly used chemotherapy drugs cause profound side effects that include pain, nausea, heart problems, hair loss and can affect almost every system in the body. Even after chemotherapy treatment has stopped, cancer survivors face an increased risk of diseases which resemble the effects of old age. We are testing newly discovered anti-ageing molecules for their ability to reduce these side effects, and drastically improve the quality of life for cancer patients.
Monoclonal antibodies, such as the breast cancer therapeutic Herceptin, have revolutionised the treatment of cancer and inflammatory conditions. Will over $30 billion sales in 2011, they have also spawned a growing biotech industry. We have a generated a highly specific monoclonal antibody, which has shown efficacy in models of disease. This project will further advance and develop this monoclonal, allowing us to initiate clinical studies in patients.
Development Of A Humanised Antibody To MIC-1/GDF15 For Therapy Of Anorexia/cachexia Of Cancer
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$587,349.00
Summary
Severe starvation and weight loss (cachexia) is a complication that affects about one quarter of cancer patients. In many this is due to the cancer producing a powerfula appetite suppressive protein called MIC-1/GDF15. This weight loss can be prevented by blocking the protein with an antibody drug. We have already shown that we can treat mice in this way by using a mouse antibody. We now aim to engineer these antibodies by making them more human-like. This will allow us to treat weight loss in h ....Severe starvation and weight loss (cachexia) is a complication that affects about one quarter of cancer patients. In many this is due to the cancer producing a powerfula appetite suppressive protein called MIC-1/GDF15. This weight loss can be prevented by blocking the protein with an antibody drug. We have already shown that we can treat mice in this way by using a mouse antibody. We now aim to engineer these antibodies by making them more human-like. This will allow us to treat weight loss in human cancer patients.Read moreRead less