THE UNIVERSITY OF QUEENSLAND

Vaxxas has expanded its global IP portfolio to 42 patents, securing exclusive rights to manufacture and sell its needle-free vaccination technology, the high-density microarray patch (HD-MAP), in the US, Europe, Asia, and Australia. The patents cover the HD-MAP technology, applicator device, vaccine formulations, and methods for vaccine delivery. Vaxxas aims to transform the vaccine market by improving vaccine performance and reducing logistical challenges associated with traditional vaccination methods.

A clinical trial is recruiting participants to test a vaccine candidate developed by Vicebio using The University of Queensland's molecular clamp technology against RSV and hMPV, which cause severe respiratory diseases. The trial, facilitated by UniSC Clinical Trials, aims to determine the vaccine's safety and immunogenicity. 120 older adults aged 60-83 are needed, with participants paid for their time.

UQ's $65 Plant Futures Facility, completed in 2021, enables precision plant research by controlling temperature, light, humidity, and CO₂. This facility aims to improve crop productivity and food security, with experiments focusing on the interplay between plant genetics and environmental conditions.

Scientists are testing a spider venom-inspired drug, Hi1a, to reverse heart attack damage by preventing tissue acidity. A clinical trial in Australia is planned for next summer. Hi1a could also increase donor heart availability for transplantation and may not need immediate administration post-heart attack.

UQ-led project to develop Hi1a, a peptide from K’gari funnel web spider venom, for heart attack treatment and donor heart protection, receives $17.8M for human trials. Hi1a showed efficacy in animal models, aiming to improve survival, expand donor heart pool, and reduce healthcare costs.

TC BioPharm partners with Carnegie Mellon University's Dr. Wei Wu to develop AI for optimizing donor screening and matching in cell therapy, aiming to enhance patient outcomes and manufacturing efficiency.

Vicebio Ltd secured US$100m led by TCGX, Goldman Sachs Alternatives, Avoro Ventures, venBio, UniQuest, and Medicxi. Funds will advance Phase I testing of VXB-241 (RSV, hMPV) and VXB-251 (RSV, hMPV, PIV3). Initial Phase I results for VXB-241 expected mid-2025. Vicebio’s Molecular Clamp platform, co-developed by Keith Chappell, stabilizes viral glycoproteins, applicable to various viruses. Board expansion includes Cariad Chester (TCGX), Colin Walsh (Goldman Sachs), and Mark Chin (Avoro Ventures).

The Thalidomide tragedy has influenced how medicine use during pregnancy is regulated, leading to ethical concerns, cost, and legal risks that prevent many drugs from being tested. Despite societal fears, medication use in pregnancy has increased, with most remaining 'off-label'. Barriers to testing include historical exclusion of pregnant women from trials, unwillingness of drug companies due to ethical and financial risks, and prescriber and patient concerns. Greater investment in trials during pregnancy is needed to ensure safety.

Two strategies at the IASLC 2024 World Conference on Lung Cancer demonstrated combining pathology findings with deep learning AI to expedite biomarker detection for lung cancer patients. The first study, DeepGEM, showed high accuracy in detecting biomarkers from lymph node biopsies, while the second identified distinct metabolic patterns in the tumor microenvironment of patients responding to checkpoint inhibitor therapy.