15 medical research and technology projects receive millions of funding

15 cutting-edge medical research and technology projects will receive a total of $16.9 million from the Australian Government to accelerate their transition into clinical practice.

The projects all have tremendous potential to transform the lives of people here and around the world.

Nine of the projects will receive a total of $6.7 million from the Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) Targeted Translation Research Accelerator (TTRA) program. All of these projects target aspects of diabetes and cardiovascular disease, which are leading causes of death and disability.

They include the development of a new external controller for an artificial heart which could allow patients with heart failure to recover and lead normal lives without requiring a transplant and a clinical trial of the use of genetically engineered islet cells to restore glucose control in people with type 1 diabetes.

Five projects will receive $7.2 million through the Clinical Translation and Commercialisation Medtech (CTCM) Program under the MRFF Medical Research Commercialisation initiative. They are developing a diverse range of new medical technology, including a ‘next generation’ condom and a wearable device that restores vision to some blind and vision-disabled people.

The great promise of these projects is reflected in the private co-funding they have attracted, totalling $8.6 million for the TTRA projects and $12.9 million for the CTCM projects. Their connections with translation partner companies have been supported by MTPConnect, which delivers grants programs for the Government.

Today the Government also highlights $3 million in recently awarded funding for researchers from Sydney Children’s Hospital Network (SCHN), the University of Sydney, NSW Health Pathology and the CSIRO to explore how genome sequencing could be used to rapidly target diseases or genetic conditions with available therapies.

This project, called NEWBORN GEN SEQ TRAIL (Newborn Genomic Sequencing in screening: Therapy Ready And Information for Life) will be led by Clinical Professor Bruce Bennetts, Department Head of Molecular Genetics at SCHN.

Minister for Health and Aged Care Hon Mark Butler said, “These promising projects show once again that Australian medical researchers are among the best in the world.

“With funding from the Government and support from research translation partners, they are all poised to progress along the road to becoming part of next-generation medicine.

“Every Australian can be proud of the contribution these research teams are making to changing the outlook for patients with life-changing health issues,” Minister Butler said.

Targeted translation research accelerator (round 2) research projects:

1. Development of the BiVACOR total artificial heart controller for long-term use – BiVACOR Pty Ltd (Queensland) – $750,000
2. Getting to the Heart of It: Improving Heart Failure Outcomes with the Smart-HF program – Cardihab Pty Ltd (Queensland) – $740,153
3. A hospital-based point-of-care monitor to provide earlier detection and treatment of stroke to prevent long-term disability and death – Cyban Pty Ltd (Victoria) – $700,000
4. HypoPAST: Online psycho-educational training for ‘Hypoglycaemia Prevention, Awareness of Symptoms, and Treatment’ in adults with type 1 diabetes – Deakin University (Victoria) – $749,764
5. Restoring glucose control in T1D patients with genetically engineered GARV-AAV2-A20-islet cells – a first in Human safety and efficacy trial – Garvan Institute of Medical Research (NSW) – $749,979
6. Improved glucose control, with lower insulin doses, for the treatment of type 1 diabetes – Monash University (Victoria) – $750,000
7. Bringing oral quantum dot insulin to phase I clinical studies – University of Sydney (NSW) – $750,000
8. Small molecule inhibitors of the P2X7 receptor as a safe and effective way of tackling the inflammatory contribution to atherosclerosis – University of Sydney (NSW) – $749,536
9. The APHLID-M project: Apps and Peer support for a Healthy future and Living Well with Diabetes Project – Western Sydney University (NSW) – $744,873

Clinical Translation and Commercialisation Medtech (CTCM) Program Projects

1. Clinical trial and pilot of ARIA Non-Invasive Bionic Vision System – ARIA Research Pty. Ltd (NSW) – $1,500,000
2. Clinical Trial of the Next Generation Condom – Eudaemon Technologies Pty Ltd (NSW) – $1,500,000
3. APAS Compact – Development of a desktop device for automated microbiology culture plate reading and reporting – LBT Innovations Ltd (SA) – $1,500,000
4. Safer care for critically-ill children: clinical translation of a new medical device to place and monitor paediatric central vascular catheters – Navi Medical Technologies Pty. Ltd (Vic) – $1,239,187
5. Commercialisation of a diagnostic imaging system for cancer surgery – OncoRes Medical, (WA) – $1,500,000

2021 Genomics Health Futures Mission Projects

1. NEWBORN GEN SEQ TRAIL: NEWBORN GENomicSEQuencing in screening: TherapyReadyAndInformation forLife – University of Sydney – $2,992,976.00

Ritchelle Drilon

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Ritchelle is a Content Producer for Healthcare Channel, Australia’s premier resource of information for healthcare.

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