Monash University and The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health researchers were announced as joint winners at AusBiotech 2024's Early-Stage Innovation Forum (ESIF), at our annual conference in Melbourne.
Dr David Bibby and Dr James Tran presented novel screening, optimization, and development of next-generation medicines for the treatment of key mental health disorders, and a novel platform to deliver next generation genetic medicines to the central nervous system (CNS), respectively, and both went home as ESIF winners.
The twice-annual ESIF competition featured presentations from Australia's research institutes, universities, hospitals and pre-series A companies in the areas of human therapeutics and enabling technologies. Fifteen presenters from across Australia pitched technologies to an expert panel, receiving feedback intended to be helpful to their technology's commercialisation journey.
Monash University alumnus Dr David Bibby represented Monash University and Pacalis Therapeutics, a Monash spin-out pioneering the development of next-generation medicines, targeting serotonin signalling in the brain, which plays a crucial role in mood regulation.
Pacalis Therapeutics combines neuroscience and mental health expertise, high calibre drug discovery capability, and commercialisation. The team is developing a portfolio of best-in-class and first-in-class agents. The company was started, utilising Monash University's expertise in medicinal chemistry, pharmacology and pharmaceutical science, as well as the co-founder's expertise in drug development and industry.
Their team is developing New Chemical Entities (NCEs) that act on the serotonin receptor as therapies for treatment-resistant mental health conditions. In targeting compounds that act on the 5-HT2A receptor, PacalisTherapeutics focuses on two approaches, being best-in-class, orally bioavailable agonists and first-in-class Positive Allosteric Modulators (PAMs) that act like a 'rheostat' to selectively increase the activity of the receptor.
Pacalis Therapeutics uses state-of-the-art computational and biochemical approaches to identify these NCEs. The research is in partnership with Monash University's Neuromedicines Discovery Centre.
"I very much enjoyed the ESIF session. To present the work of Pacalis Therapeutics to such a well-regarded panel and an audience of industry peers is a great opportunity. Events such as the ESIF serve the dual purpose of getting the message out regarding the great science being developed by Australian biotechs and enable the start-ups themselves to gather important feedback on their efforts. My thanks to the panel and organising committee of AusBiotech 2024 Conference, " said Dr David Bibby.
Alastair Hick, Chief Commercialisation Officer, Monash University said "Monash Innovation has supported Pacalis Therapeutics with investment and mentoring since they were founded, through to becoming one of the first companies participating in the Monash Venture Studio. It is great to see their research and commercial progress to win this coveted award acknowledging their potential as they look to close their funding round."
Dr James Tran, CEO of Centron Bio, a spin out company from The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, is developing next generation genetic medicines by leveraging a novel CNS delivery platform.
Centron Bio's shuttle technology leverages stealth endogenous peptides combined with elegant click chemistry to create IV-administered CNS and neuromuscular therapeutics that enhance tissue uptake and cellular utilization of diverse cargos. These therapeutics bypass cellular machinery, such as lysosomes that often limit the effectiveness of such treatments. Centron Bio's endogenously-derived peptides are non-immunogenic, avoiding immunogenicity concerns of naked genetic medicines, LNPs, and antibody shuttles.
The company is progressing their lead programs towards IND-enabling studies and accelerating their treatments to the clinic.
Dr James Tran said "I'm incredibly grateful for the opportunity to present at the AusBiotech Early Stage Innovation Forum to such an esteemed panel of investors and the broader AusBiotech community. The engagement and discussions that followed have been invaluable in shaping our path forward, as we work to further develop our therapeutics and bring them closer to patients in the clinic."
