A Novel Strategy To Enhance T Cell-mediated Immunity To Vaccine Antigens
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$234,592.00
Summary
Globally there are about 33 million people living with HIV. The disease has already resulted in 23 million deaths and 2.5 million people are newly infected each year. Similarly, TB kills nearly 2 million people every year and infects about 1% of the worldÍs population every year. A vaccine is the best and also likely the only long-term solution for HIV/TB disease prevention. This research proposal looks at novel strategies to increase the efficacy of vaccines for diseases such as HIV/TB.
Development And Validation Of A Latent Tuberculosis Diagnostic
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$534,865.00
Summary
Globally, tuberculosis is a leading cause of death with 9.6 million new diagnoses in 2014. The diagnosis of latent TB infection is important, but is difficult to make because current assays are suboptimal. We have developed a very simple assay which detects responses to TB antigens by co-expression of two surface markers expressed by CD4+ T cells. We propose to develop this into a highly standardised kit for the diagnosis of TB with our commercial partner Cytognos.
A Novel Vaccine Formaultion To Prevent Birth Defects
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$530,922.00
Summary
Congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is one of the TORCH infections (toxoplasmosis, rubella, cytomegalovirus, and herpes simplex) and is one of major cause of birth defects. Transmission of CMV infection from mother to unborn babies can lead to deafness, blindness, small head syndrome (microcephaly), seizures and mental retardation. There is an urgent need to develop an effective vaccine against CMV. This project is aiming to develop a novel CMV vaccine formulation for clinical testing in ....Congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is one of the TORCH infections (toxoplasmosis, rubella, cytomegalovirus, and herpes simplex) and is one of major cause of birth defects. Transmission of CMV infection from mother to unborn babies can lead to deafness, blindness, small head syndrome (microcephaly), seizures and mental retardation. There is an urgent need to develop an effective vaccine against CMV. This project is aiming to develop a novel CMV vaccine formulation for clinical testing in humans.Read moreRead less
Preclinical Development Of Q2361, A Transforming New Drug For Skin Cancer Prevention In Organ Transplant Recipients
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$724,957.00
Summary
Patients that receive organ transplants need additional medications in order to prevent organ rejection. Unfortunately, these drugs carry an unwanted side-effect - they permit the development of skin cancer. Currently, other than surgery, little can be done to help these patients. Our preliminary data suggest that a new drug may prevent these skin cancers from forming. This project aims to deliver key insights into the influence of this drug and its role in skin cancer prevention.
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.
Development Of CD96 Antibodies For Cancer Treatment
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$820,821.00
Summary
There is an unmet medical need to develop new immunotherapies that are safer and potentially allow the treatment of a broader range of cancers. Inhibiting the immune checkpoint CD96 function represents an opportunity that may parallel and indeed complement the activity and impact of other lymphocyte checkpoint inhibitors in human cancer (eg. CTLA-4 and PD1/PD-L1). While developing a new human therapeutic antibody we will also learn more about an important checkpoint in the immune response.
We will work with Coridon Pty Ltd to optimize the practical administration of a vaccine designed to cure people already infected with cancer-promoting papilloma viruses.
Novel Therapy For Enhancing Organ Maturation In Pre-term Babies
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$694,323.00
Summary
This project is developing a factor to enhance organ maturation and repair that may provide a new therapy for premature babies and fetuses with birth defects. This exciting new finding allows for the development of treatments of underdeveloped organs, in particular the lungs of premature and growth restricted babies. We are also trialing this factor in unborn babies with defects to the kidneys and lungs of which there is currently no cure.
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 A Safe Live Genetically Attenuated Blood Stage Malaria Vaccine
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$822,191.00
Summary
Malaria presents an enormous global health problem, and also has a significant impact on social and economic development in countries where the disease is endemic. Our project will produce a live genetically-modified vaccine against Plasmodium falciparum, the parasite that causes the form of malaria mostly deadly to humans. Our development plan will include the first ever clinical trials of a malaria vaccine of this kind and will look at vaccine safety and effectiveness.