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.
Development Of An Extended Release Oral Formulation Of Milrinone For Patients With Advanced Heart Failure
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$467,083.00
Summary
Heart failure is a debilitating condition associated with frequent hospitalization. Milrinone is an effective intravenous drug used to treat acute deteriorations. Previously, oral milrinone failed because of the lack of availability of appropriate formulations. We have developed an oral formulation which provides stable release of the medication. This application will evaluate the effectiveness of the drug in man and provide the documentation to take the project forward for partnership with indu ....Heart failure is a debilitating condition associated with frequent hospitalization. Milrinone is an effective intravenous drug used to treat acute deteriorations. Previously, oral milrinone failed because of the lack of availability of appropriate formulations. We have developed an oral formulation which provides stable release of the medication. This application will evaluate the effectiveness of the drug in man and provide the documentation to take the project forward for partnership with industry as a means to clinical translation.Read moreRead less
Prostaglandin D2 (PGD2) is a key driver of asthma and allergic rhinitis. We have developed drug-like compounds that block the synthesis of PGD2 by inhibiting the hematopoietic prostaglandin D2 synthase (HPGD2S) enzyme. This project aims to develop these compounds further to ultimately treat a subset of the asthma population that are not well treated, refractory asthmatics.
Steroid-enhancing Selective Casein Kinase Inhibitors: First In Class Novel Inhaled Anti-asthma Agents
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$538,064.00
Summary
Chronic lung diseases reduce quality and duration of life of 0.5 billion globally (1 in 4 Australians). Current drugs fail to adequately reduce the decline in lung function. This development is based on the discovery of an enzyme pathway contributing to poor lung function. The project will identify the best doses of the drug and the best combinations with existing drugs to reduce the lung scarring and inflammation. These new findings support efforts to secure investment for clinical testing.
Sensitizing Tumours To Immunotherapy: Development Of An RNA-based Therapeutic For Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma That Targets The Immunosuppressive Tumour Microenvironment.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$192,347.00
Summary
The blood vessels of tumours are highly abnormal resulting in leakiness and hypoxia within the microenvironment. These abnormalities contribute both to the pathology and also to resistance to treatment. We have developed a new drug that is able to inhibit vascular leak, better the response to therapies and improve disease outcome. This work will generate essential data for the development of this drug towards Clinical Trials through interaction with International Pharma.
Development Of Small Molecules For The Treament Of Colon Cancer
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$684,379.00
Summary
Colon cancer remains one of the leading causes of cancer related deaths in Australia and in the developed world. Despite improvements in prevention and therapies, there remains a considerable need for efficacious therapeutic options. We have identified a lead compound inhibiting the growth of cancer cells. We will progress this series further toward clinical trials and aim to provide patients with a new orally available molecule with potent activity against colon cancer.
Optimisation Of A Potent And Fast Acting Antimalarial Class That Is Orally Efficacious In Vivo
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$683,916.00
Summary
Malaria is a devastating disease that results in 600 000 deaths annually. Current therapeutics used to combat malaria have a limited duration of use in the clinic due to the onset of resistance. We have identified a highly active antimalarial series that we propose to further develop to meet the prerequisites required for partnership with the Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV) for progression into the clinic.
Development Of A Modified Gp130 Ligand To Treat Obesity-induced Insulin Resistance
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$438,533.00
Summary
IC7 is a mixture of two naturally occurring proteins, CNTF and IL-6. These gp130 receptor ligands have been shown to have positive metabolic effects in humans, but individually they are not suitable for therapeutic use. IC7, the novel molecule this technology is based upon, is a combination of CNTF and IL-6 in a specific design to avoid the negative effects. Preliminary results suggest that IC7 has positive metabolic effects but further development is required to increase its effectiveness in tr ....IC7 is a mixture of two naturally occurring proteins, CNTF and IL-6. These gp130 receptor ligands have been shown to have positive metabolic effects in humans, but individually they are not suitable for therapeutic use. IC7, the novel molecule this technology is based upon, is a combination of CNTF and IL-6 in a specific design to avoid the negative effects. Preliminary results suggest that IC7 has positive metabolic effects but further development is required to increase its effectiveness in treating insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes.Read moreRead less
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.
Preclinical Development Of Complement C5aR Antagonists For The Treatment Of Motor Neuron Disease
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$593,326.00
Summary
There is no cure for Motor Neuron Disease (MND) resulting in 2 Australian’s dying each day. Modification of the inflammation is one potential means of slowing MND. Our research team has identified a new series of potent anti-inflammatory compounds that may have potential to treat this disease. Our project will test these compounds in animal models of MND, and validate their usefulness in human MND samples. Ultimately, this work may contribute to the discovery of a new treatment for MND.