THE UNIVERSITY OF QUEENSLAND

$1.25 Million Boost for Novel Prostate Cancer Drug QED-203 Targeting Advanced Disease

9 days ago

• The University of Queensland's innovative prostate cancer drug QED-203 has received $1.25 million from the US-based Critical Path Institute's Translational Therapeutics Accelerator to advance toward clinical trials. • QED-203, developed by the Queensland Emory Drug Discovery Initiative (QEDDI), targets a unique mechanism discovered through Professor Greg Monteith's 15-year research on calcium signaling in cancer progression. • The funding will support critical preclinical studies, manufacturing optimization, and safety evaluations for a potential new treatment option for the approximately 280,000 annual cases of metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer.

World-First Immunotherapy Trial Aims to Reprogram Immune System in Type 1 Diabetes

23 days ago

• Australian researchers at The University of Queensland have dosed the first five participants in a groundbreaking clinical trial of ASITI-201, an immunotherapy designed to rebalance immune response in Type 1 diabetes. • The novel treatment combines pancreatic protein fragments with vitamin D to prevent immune attacks on insulin-producing cells, potentially preserving pancreatic function and reducing insulin dependence in recently diagnosed patients. • If successful, the therapy could fundamentally change treatment approaches by addressing the root cause of Type 1 diabetes, with future applications potentially including prevention in high-risk individuals and adaptation for other autoimmune conditions.

Breakthrough Blood Test for Early Ovarian Cancer Detection Enters Clinical Trials in Australia

3 months ago

• The University of Queensland is launching a clinical trial of a novel blood test that has shown 94% accuracy in detecting early-stage ovarian cancer, potentially revolutionizing screening for this deadly disease. • The innovative screening method targets extracellular vesicles and boasts a remarkably low false-positive rate of 4%, making it highly suitable for population-based screening programs. • The study will recruit 1,500 postmenopausal women across Queensland to validate the test's performance under real-world conditions, supported by major research foundations.

Vaxxas Advances Revolutionary Needle-Free Vaccine Patch in Largest HD-MAP Clinical Trial

3 months ago

• Vaxxas has completed enrollment for a groundbreaking clinical trial of their High-Density Microarray Patch (HD-MAP) technology, testing both adjuvanted and adjuvant-free vaccine formulations for enhanced delivery. • Previous clinical studies demonstrated HD-MAP technology achieved comparable immune responses using just one-sixth of traditional vaccine doses, potentially revolutionizing vaccine administration. • Research suggests implementing HD-MAP technology for just 10% of COVID-19 vaccinations could have reduced the pandemic duration by 150 days and prevented 16.4 million cases in the US.

Major Milestone for UQ Spin-Out's Promising MND Drug

5 months ago

A new treatment for motor neurone disease (MND) developed by NuNerve, a company spun-out from The University of Queensland, has shown promising results in a Phase 1 clinical trial. The drug, NUN-004, was found to be safe and effective, offering hope for slowing disease progression and improving motor movement in patients.

Clinical Trial Underway for Novel RSV and hMPV Vaccine in Older Adults

6 months ago

• A Phase I clinical trial is recruiting older adults to assess the safety and immunogenicity of a new vaccine targeting respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and human metapneumovirus (hMPV). • The vaccine candidate, developed by Vicebio using the University of Queensland's molecular clamp technology, aims to reduce the burden of respiratory illnesses in vulnerable populations. • The trial, coordinated by UniSC Clinical Trials, seeks 120 healthy participants aged 60-83 who have not had a documented RSV or hMPV infection in the past year. • This innovative vaccine could be a turning point in reducing hospitalizations and health problems associated with RSV and hMPV, especially in older adults.

Spider Venom-Inspired Drug Hi1a Advances to Clinical Trials for Heart Attack Treatment

8 months ago

• A drug derived from the venom of the K'gari funnel-web spider, Hi1a, is set to enter human clinical trials to treat heart attacks and protect donor hearts. • Hi1a has shown promise in preclinical studies by protecting heart tissue from damage caused by oxygen deprivation during heart attacks or donor heart retrieval. • The clinical trial, supported by $17.8 million in funding, will assess Hi1a's efficacy in improving patient survival, quality of life, and expanding the pool of viable donor hearts. • If successful, Hi1a could become the first drug to limit heart cell loss during an attack or protect donor hearts, addressing a significant unmet medical need.

Vicebio Secures $100 Million to Advance RSV and hMPV Combination Vaccine

8 months ago

• Vicebio Ltd. has secured $100 million in Series B funding to advance its next-generation vaccines for respiratory illnesses, including RSV and hMPV. • The funding will support Phase I testing of VXB-241, a bivalent vaccine targeting RSV and hMPV, with initial readouts expected in mid-2025. • Vicebio will also use the funds to develop VXB-251, a trivalent vaccine targeting RSV, hMPV, and parainfluenza virus 3 (PIV3). • Vicebio's Molecular Clamp platform stabilizes viral glycoproteins, enhancing the immune response and offering broad applicability to various viruses.

AI Deep Learning Models Show Promise in Accelerating Lung Cancer Biomarker Detection

8 months ago

• Two groundbreaking deep learning strategies presented at IASLC 2024 demonstrate high accuracy in detecting lung cancer biomarkers using whole slide images, potentially reducing testing turnaround time from 14 days. • The DeepGEM model achieved superior predictive performance across multiple genes with an AUC of 0.842 for gene mutation detection in external validation, showing particular strength in identifying EGFR and KRAS mutations. • Novel AI analysis of tumor microenvironment revealed distinct metabolic patterns associated with immunotherapy response, with tumors showing high PPP+ metabolic state demonstrating resistance to PD-1 agents.