Ellison Medical Institute and UniQuest Partner to Advance First-in-Class TRPV6-Targeting Therapy for Resistant Prostate Cancer
核心洞察
Ellison Medical Institute (搜索) secures exclusive license from UniQuest (搜索) to develop QED-203, a novel small molecule for metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (搜索).
QED-203 is a potential first-in-class therapy targeting TRPV6 (搜索), a calcium ion channel linked to aggressive prostate cancer progression.
The partnership aims to accelerate the program toward first-in-human clinical studies projected for early 2027.
The Ellison Medical Institute (搜索) (EMI) has entered into an exclusive licensing agreement with UniQuest (搜索), the commercialization arm of The University of Queensland (搜索) (UQ), to advance QED-203 — a novel small molecule therapeutic targeting advanced and therapy-resistant prostate cancer — toward first-in-human clinical studies. The deal, announced June 22, 2026, brings together EMI's integrated translational capabilities and UQ's foundational research to address one of oncology's most persistent treatment challenges.
QED-203 is being developed for metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (搜索) (mCRPC), an advanced stage of disease in which patients frequently exhaust standard therapeutic options. The molecule represents a potential first-in-class approach, targeting TRPV6 (搜索), a calcium ion channel that has been associated with aggressive prostate cancer.
A Novel Mechanism Targeting Calcium Signaling
The scientific foundation for QED-203 rests on more than 15 years of research led by Professor Greg Monteith from UQ's School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, whose work has focused on the role of calcium signaling in cancer progression. The drug candidate was developed at the Queensland Emory Drug Discovery Initiative (QEDDI), UniQuest (搜索)'s dedicated small molecule drug discovery group.
"Patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (搜索) often face very limited options once existing therapies stop working," said Dr. Brian Dymock, Head of QEDDI. "Our goal has been to develop a novel treatment approach that could ultimately improve clinical outcomes for patients with advanced and therapy-resistant disease."
Dr. Monteith described the licensing deal as an important milestone. "It reflects the collaborative work behind a completely new therapeutic approach for patients with advanced disease," he said.
Accelerating Toward the Clinic
Under the terms of the agreement, EMI will lead the continued development of QED-203, deploying its integrated capabilities spanning AI-enabled discovery, translational research, human-relevant preclinical models, and in-house clinical expertise. In partnership with UQ, these efforts are designed to reduce development risk and accelerate progress toward first-in-human studies, which are anticipated in early 2027.
"We are excited to advance the development of QED-203 to address urgent unmet needs in metastatic prostate cancer and meaningfully benefit patients," said Dr. David Agus, Founding CEO of the Ellison Medical Institute (搜索). "EMI is uniquely positioned to push this work forward, with deep expertise in oncology and a translational mission built for programs like this."
Translational Infrastructure and Funding Support
The QED-203 program has been supported by several funding mechanisms, including the Biomedical Translation Bridge — an initiative of the Medical Research Future Fund delivered by MTPConnect — as well as the Critical Path Institute's Translational Therapeutics Accelerator and the National Health and Medical Research Council Development Grant scheme. These grants have funded key preclinical studies, manufacturing, and safety activities.
UniQuest (搜索) CEO Dr. Dean Moss emphasized the significance of the partnership model. "This partnership demonstrates the value of building dedicated drug discovery and translation capability around outstanding university research and pairing it with a development partner equipped to advance promising programs toward the clinic," Dr. Moss said. "QEDDI was established to help transform promising discoveries from UQ into high-quality development candidates, and this partnership with EMI is a strong example of that model in action."
Institutional Strengths
Established in 2016, the Los Angeles-based Ellison Medical Institute (搜索) integrates artificial intelligence molecular analytics, translational research, and clinical expertise to accelerate the development of new approaches to disease prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. UniQuest (搜索) brings a track record that includes the blockbuster cervical cancer vaccine Gardasil and startup companies Spinifex Pharmaceuticals and Inflazome, both among the largest university startup exits in Australian history. In 2025, Sanofi acquired UQ vaccine company Vicebio for US$1.15 billion upfront, with potential milestone payments of up to US$450 million — the largest deal involving intellectual property from an Australian university.