Investees
Investees
We are delighted to share our confirmed investees. The company profiles are listed in alphabetical order from A-Z. Click on the company logo to jump to the information.
Amplia Therapeutics Limited | ASX:ATX
Amplia Therapeutics Limited (ASX: ATX) is an Australian, clinical-stage, drug development company focused on the development of two potent, orally-available inhibitors of Focal Adhesion Kinase (FAK) for the treatment of cancer and fibrotic diseases.
Amplia’s pipeline drugs were originally developed by the Cancer Therapeutics CRC (CTx), an Australian industry/academic collaboration that included leading cancer and drug discovery researchers at Australia’s top cancer research institutes. Amplia was established to advance these promising drugs into clinical development and commercialisation.
Amplia’s Board and Management teams include highly experienced and well-credentialed life-science executives who have extensive international experience in drug development, pharmaceuticals, and life-sciences deal-making.
Arovella Therapeutics | ASX:ALA
Arovella is a biotechnology company focused on developing its invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cell therapy platform to treat blood cancers and solid tumours.
Arovella’s lead product is ALA‐101, consisting of CAR19‐iNKT cells that have been modified to produce a Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) that targets CD19. CD19 is an antigen found on the surface of numerous cancer types. iNKT cells also contain an invariant T cell receptor (iTCR) that targets glycolipid bound CD1d, another antigen found on the surface of several cancer types. ALA‐101 is being developed as an allogeneic cell therapy, which means it can be given from a healthy donor to multiple patients.
Arovella is also expanding into solid tumour treatment through its CLDN18.2‐targeting technology. Arovella will also incorporate its armouring IL‐12‐TM technology into its solid tumour programs.
Atticus Medical Pty Ltd
Atticus Medical Pty Ltd is developing impactful treatments for infectious diseases that disproportionately affect people who live with social and financial disadvantages. The company was founded in December 2019 with seed capital provided by Medicines Development for Global Health (Melbourne) and the Global Health Investment Fund (New York).
The company’s strategy focuses on developing de-risked later-stage products and using the financial opportunities in high-income country pharmaceutical markets to benefit shareholders and patients in both high- and low-income countries.
Atticus' lead product, moxidectin, is approved by the US FDA for the treatment of river blindness. Atticus holds exclusive rights to moxidectin for multiple indications and is actively developing it for conditions that have significant global market opportunities.
BiomeBank
BiomeBank is a leading microbiome therapeutics company with a mission to restore human gut microbial ecology. BIOMICTRA,TM is the first approved donor derived microbiome therapy in the world (approved by TGA in 2022 for C.difficile infection).
BiomeBank’s CONSORTIOMETM drug development platform, leverages data from BIOMICTRA use in discovery trials in novel disease indications to create therapies disease specific cultured microbiome based therapies. The CONSORTIOME TM platform contains the ability to co-culture >100 of the most prevalent species covering >90% of known gene families in a healthy human gut microbiome into one drug substance.
Cultured therapy BB265 has been designed to treat ulcerative colitis and will enter a phase 1b/2a human study in 2025. Due to similar disease mechanisms, BB265 is expected to also have efficacy in treating Crohn’s disease. In addition, BB128 is being positioned for orphan disease indication and discovery trials are underway in 4 other novel disease indications.
BlinkLab Limited
BlinkLab, a company founded by neuroscientists at Princeton University, over the past several years has fully developed a smartphone based diagnostic platform for autism, ADHD, and other neuropsychiatric conditions.
BlinkLab’s most advanced product is an autism diagnostic test that leverages the power of smartphones, AI and machine learning to deliver screening tests specifically designed for children as young as 18 months old. This marks a significant advancement, considering traditional diagnoses typically occur around five years of age, often missing the crucial early window for effective intervention.
BlinkLab is led by an experienced management team and directors with a proven track record in building companies and vast knowledge in digital healthcare, computer vision, AI and machine learning. Company’s Scientific Advisory Board consists of leading experts in the field of autism and brain development allowing to bridge their most advanced technological innovations with groundbreaking scientific research.
Cambium Bio Limited | ASX:CMB
Cambium Bio Limited (ASX:CMB) is a Sydney-based clinical-stage regenerative medicine company developing innovative biologics for ophthalmology and tissue repair. The company's proprietary technology, derived from human platelet lysate, underpins a pipeline of novel therapeutics with a primary focus on ophthalmology. Cambium Bio's lead product candidate, Elate Ocular®, targets significant unmet medical needs in dry eye disease. Additionally, the company's stem cell platform, Progenza™, is being applied to develop therapies for knee osteoarthritis and other tissue repair indications. Cambium Bio is dedicated to advancing its pipeline through rigorous clinical development and commercialisation, aiming to deliver transformative treatments that improve patient outcomes. With a strong foundation in regenerative medicine and a clear focus on addressing critical medical needs, Cambium Bio is well-positioned to succeed in the regenerative medicine sector.
Carina Biotech
Carina Biotech is an unlisted Australian immunotherapy company established to research and develop chimeric antigen receptor T cell (CAR-T) therapies to treat solid cancers. CAR-T therapy is a revolutionary treatment option that uses a patient’s own immune system to fight their cancer.
Carina has a pipeline of novel CAR-T programs for the treatment of a range of solid cancers, with the lead candidate, CNA3103, targeting LGR5, a cancer stem cell marker. CNA3103 is in Phase I/II clinical trial for the treatment of third line metastatic colon cancer under a US FDA IND. Other LGR5 driven tumours include ovarian, head and neck, and gastric cancers.
The company’s proprietary multi-functional chemokine receptor platform enables CAR-T cell arming, homing and access to tumours, the ACE platform increases directed CAR-T cancer cell killing whilst Carina’s rapid CAR-T cell manufacturing process promotes serial cancer cell killing and persistence within tumours.
Chimeric Therapeutics
Chimeric Therapeutics is a clinical stage cell therapy company and an Australian leader in cell therapy, focused on bringing the promise of cell therapy to life for more patients with cancer. To bring that promise to life for more patients, Chimeric’s world class team of cell therapy pioneers is focused on the discovery, development, and commercialization of the most innovative and promising cell therapies.
Chimeric has a diversified portfolio including autologous CAR T cell therapies and best in class allogeneic NK cell therapies. These are being developed across multiple disease areas of oncology with four clinical stage programs.
EBR Systems | ASX:EBR
EBR Systems (ASX: EBR) is dedicated to superior treatment of cardiac rhythm disease by providing more physiologically effective stimulation through wireless cardiac pacing. The WiSE® CRT System was developed to eliminate the need for cardiac pacing leads, historically the major source of complications and reliability issues in cardiac rhythm disease management.
WiSE is the world’s only wireless, endocardial (inside the heart) pacing system in clinical use for treating heart failure. WiSE enables cardiac pacing of the left ventricle with a novel cardiac implant that is roughly the size of a large grain of rice.
EBR Systems released their positive pivotal SOLVE-CRT trial results in May 2023 meeting both its safety and efficacy endpoints.
EBR Systems submitted their final PMA module to the FDA in August 2024 and expects FDA approval in Q1 2025.
Evithé Biotechnology
Evithé Biotechnology is a global bio-pharmaceutical company, specializing in the development of novel, patented botanical prescription drugs. The company has successfully produced new treatment modalities for inflammatory diseases, with a focus on Rheumatoid Arthritis.
Evithé Biotechnology's botanical drugs demonstrate superior performance over conventional pharmaceuticals, leveraging natural ingredients. The phase I clinical trial is affirming the safety of this innovative approach towards the treatment of a significant unmet need. The company is manufacturing at commercial scale in Australia, with a commitment to sustainable and FDA aligned processes.
Driven by a team of industry experts, Evithé Biotechnology is actively preparing for Phase II clinical trials, scheduled for 2025.
We anticipate launching our botanical drug into the $52 billion global Rheumatoid Arthritis market within the next six years. Additionally, we have a medical food product that is ready for licensing.
FivepHusion
FivepHusion is an advanced clinical-stage biotech company focused on developing superior, next generation cancer therapies to improve patient treatment outcomes and quality of life.
FivepHusion is differentiated through its development of cancer therapies which are considerably de-risked compared with typical drug development, by optimizing proven drugs to treat patients with significant unmet medical needs in substantial global markets.
The company lead asset is Deflexifol™, an innovative co-formulation of the standard of care chemotherapy 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and its biomodulator leucovorin (LV), a drug that enhances 5-FU potency. Deflexifol™ offers superior anti-tumour activity, safety and tolerability compared to standard treatment for various solid tumours, including colorectal, breast, pancreatic, and gastrointestinal cancers.
FivepHusion is led by an experienced Board and management team and has established global collaborations with Pfizer CentreOne, Syneos Health and Allarity Therapeutics, which contribute leading capabilities and expertise to rapidly advance and commercialise the FivepHusion pipeline.
Immuron Limited | ASX:IMC
Immuron develops and commercialises orally delivered treatments for infectious diseases utilising proprietary technology based on polyclonal immunoglobulins (IgG) derived from hyper-immune bovine colostrum which have capability of producing highly specific immunoglobulins to any enteric pathogen.
Immuron has two commercial products – Travelan® and Protectyn® and four clinical programs: two Phase 2, one Phase 4, one pre-IND.
Travelan® (IMM-124E) contains significant levels of polyclonal antibodies specific for ETEC antigens LPS, CFA-I and Flagellin.
IMM-529 contains antibodies targeting three C. diff virulence components: Toxin B (TcB), the spores and the surface layer proteins of the vegetative cells.
This unique 3-target approach demonstrated in pre-clinical infection and relapse models: Prevention of primary disease (80% P =0.0052); Protection of disease recurrence (67%, P <0.01) and Treatment of primary disease (78.6%, P<0.0001; TcB HBC). IMM-529 antibodies cross-react with whole cell lysates of many different human strains of C. diff including hypervirulent strains.
Imugene | ASX:IMU
Imugene is a clinical stage immuno-oncology company developing a range of new and novel immunotherapies that seek to activate the immune system of cancer patients to treat and eradicate solid tumours and blood cancers. Its unique platform technologies seek to harness the body’s immune system against cancer, potentially achieving a similar or greater effect than synthetically manufactured monoclonal antibody and other immunotherapies. Imugene is supported by a leading team of international cancer experts with extensive experience in developing new cancer therapies with many approved for sale and marketing for global markets.
Imugene’s vision is to help transform and improve the treatment of cancer and the lives of the millions of patients who need effective treatments. This vision is backed by a growing body of clinical evidence and peer-reviewed research.
Together with leading specialists and medical professionals, Imugene believes its immuno-oncology therapies will become foundation treatments for cancer.
Invion | ASX:IVX
Invion (ASX: IVX) is a clinical stage company developing the next-generation Photodynamic Therapy (PDT), called Photosoft, for the treatment of a range of cancers, atherosclerosis and infectious diseases. Invion is undertaking its Ph I/II human trials on skin cancer this year and more trials to treat other cancers are scheduled over the next 12-24 months.
Pre-clinical results undertaken by Invion's research partners, the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre and Hudson Institute of Medical Research, showed that the technology completely regressed a range of cancers, such as triple negative breast and ovarian cancers, stimulated the body's immune system to continue fighting the cancer and appeared to impede metastatic cancer.
Invion's lead drug candidate is INV043, a novel, patent protected photosensitiser, has the potential to work as a therapy and a diagnostic tool. Under a certain wavelength of red light, it selectively kills cancer cells and promotes an immune response with the potential to attack other related cancers. Under violet light, it causes tumours to fluoresce.
MLS Bio
At MLS Bio we are addressing the world’s most critical health challenges through AI drug development platforms, innovative small-molecule therapies with our breakthrough compounds we are targeting a new cellular mode of action, offering novel approaches to treatment in the most impactful global markets.
Our Global team of experienced medical researchers, commercialization and technical experts are committed to developing treatments that are more effective, accessible, and better tolerated, delivering novel solutions and improving the lives of patients facing cancer and other life-threatening and infectious diseases worldwide.
Our Strategic Focus is Oncology, where we are advancing therapeutics for solid tumor cancers with Prostate Cancer as our lead indication.
With our robust pipeline, we aim to develop solutions in other high-impact global markets, bringing transformative therapies to market, and delivering better outcomes for patients facing cancer and other life-threatening diseases.
Neurizon Therapeutics | ASX:NUZ
Neurizon Therapeutics Limited (ASX: NUZ) is a clinical-stage biotechnology company dedicated to advancing treatments for neurodegenerative diseases. Neurizon is developing its lead drug candidate, NUZ-001 (S-Monepantel), for the treatment of ALS, which is the most common form of motor neurone disease. Neurizon strategy is to accelerate access to effective ALS treatments for patients, while exploring NUZ-001’s potential for broader neurodegenerative applications. Through international collaborations and rigorous clinical programs, Neurizon is dedicated to creating new horizons for patients and families impacted by complex neural disorders.
Neurotologix
Neurotologix’s mission is to help the hundreds of millions suffering from debilitating dizziness and vertigo worldwide, through the remote capture, analysis and rapid reporting of ‘time of attack’ diagnostic parameters, previously unavailable to clinicians.
Neurotologix solved the lack of objective data problem clinicians currently face when trying to assess and diagnose their patients with episodic dizziness and vertigo by developing a clinically validated, user friendly, home-use diagnostic capture device and a sophisticated clinical informatics software platform (the ‘ROMI’ system).
The need to capture precise diagnostic parameters from these common yet debilitating episodic symptoms represents an unaddressed and unmet medical need of over $8B worldwide.
The market for the capture of episodic dizziness and vertigo symptoms is as significant as that of the Holter monitor for episodic cardiac symptoms.
Neurotologix’s ROMI diagnostic nystagmography informatics suite is a gamechanger in the field, able to assist large currently unsupported patient groups, whilst at the same time clinically proven to greatly enhance resource use efficiency within the medical system.
Novapep
‘Development of peptide drugs has become one of the hottest topics in pharmaceutical research’ Nature, 2022.
Novapep is an Australian biotech developing a novel, patented peptide - biparetide®, which is anti-inflammatory and cytoprotective in inflammatory bowel disease (‘IBD’) and sepsis.
Prof John Griffin of the Scripps Research Institute, a co-founder of Novapep, invented biparetide and Novapep licensed it from the Scripps in late 2021. Since then, Novapep has met key milestones with in vivo experiments demonstrating that:
Efficacy of biparetide in the DSS IBD model is comparable to anti-TNF⍺ (the gold standard) at a fraction of the manufacturing cost and with superior efficacy to corticosteroids.
Biparetide improves survival rate in the LPS sepsis model from 31% to 53% with one low dose - JTH, 2024
Nyrada | ASX:NYR
Nyrada Inc (ASX:NYR) is a drug development company specialising in novel treatments for diseases where there is an unmet clinical need, or where current treatments are suboptimal. US incorporated, ASX listed, Australia headquartered, Nyrada's lead program is a first in class neuroprotection therapy for both traumatic brain injury (TBI) and stroke. Nyrada additionally has important scientific partnerships, including with the US Department of Defence (Walter Reed Army Institute of Research) and UNSW, Sydney.
PolyActiva Pty Ltd
PolyActiva is a private venture capital funded clinical-stage ophthalmology company with the mission to become a leader in ophthalmic sustained drug delivery to improve patient outcomes and quality of life.
PolyActiva is developing a unique proprietary polymeric prodrug technology that provides precise and controlled drug delivery to the eye. PolyActiva’s products are designed to replace topical eye drop therapy for a range of ocular diseases. The lead clinical candidate is a latanoprost ocular implant to treat open angle glaucoma and is being evaluated in a phase IIa clinical study here in Australia and in New Zealand to demonstrate safety and efficacy and ability to provide chronic therapy. We are preparing for US studies with our pivotal registration trial to commence in 2026.
Our platform is broadly applicable to the delivery of a variety of small drug molecules to the eye and our pipeline includes antibiotic and steroid implants.
Servatus
Servatus is a groundbreaking biotechnology company founded on three separate business platforms: drug discovery/R&D, manufacturing and OTC health products. Headquartered in Queensland, Servatus’ global leading live biotherapeutics (LBP) and protein therapeutics platforms, primarily focus on developing novel treatments for autoimmune and inflammatory conditions. The company has built a strong clinical pipeline, driven by a results-oriented R&D approach and commitment to addressing unmet medical needs. Servatus recently completed a successful Phase 1/2a trial in rheumatoid arthritis and has previously completed successful trials in insomnia (Phase 1/2a), and IBS-C (Phase 1).
Servatus has material investments in biotherapeutic manufacturing capacity as well as a proprietary OTC brand which markets microbiome health products including an innovative range of skincare products.
Servatus is an unlisted, public company funded by private investors. Servatus’ management combine an experienced mix of scientific, pharmaceutical and commercial expertise.
Syntara Limited
Syntara is a clinical stage drug development company targeting extracellular matrix dysfunction with its world-leading expertise in amine oxidase chemistry and other technologies to develop novel medicines for blood cancers and conditions linked to inflammation and fibrosis.
Syntara is managing three phase 2 clinical studies in diseases of high unmet need with a further two potential phase 1c/2 studies being evaluated. Lead candidate SNT‐5505 is for the bone marrow cancer myelofibrosis which causes a build-up of scar tissue that leads to loss of red and white blood cells and platelets.
After encouraging phase 2a trial results when used as a monotherapy in myelofibrosis, SNT-5505 is now being studied with a JAK inhibitor in a further phase 2 myelofibrosis study with interim data by Q4 2024. Another two phase 1c/2 studies with SNT-5505 in patients with a blood cancer called myelodysplastic syndrome are due to commence in 1H 2025.
Vaxxas Pty Ltd
Vaxxas is a privately held, Australian-based biotechnology company focused on enhancing the performance of existing and next-generation vaccines with its proprietary high-density microarray patch (HD-MAP). Vaxxas is targeting initial applications in infectious diseases and oncology.
To date, the company has had success in several clinical trials involving more than 500 participants including Phase I clinical studies for COVID-19, seasonal influenza and measles and rubella. In 2024, it will begin a Phase I study for pandemic influenza funded by the United States Government’s Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA).
The company opened its global headquarters and first manufacturing facility in Brisbane in June 2023 with support from the Queensland government. From this site, Vaxxas is advancing toward first commercial products in the next three – five years.
