Alliance to fight cancer and auto–immune disease
Many of Australia's top scientists, clinicians and immunologists have embarked on a multi-disciplinary collaboration with government and industry targeting faster, more specific and cheaper diagnoses and treatments for cancer and auto-immune diseases.
They have joined forces in a new $30 million Federal Governmentfunded Cooperative Research Centre for Biomarker Translation (CRC-BT) launched recently at La Trobe University's Research and Development Park, on the main Melbourne campus at Bundoora.
'Biomarkers' include cell surface proteins that differentiate one cell from another, making it possible to distinguish healthy cells from disease-causing cells by their 'markers.'
Core partners in the new CRC are La Trobe University and the Macfarlane Burnett Institute for Medical Research and Public Health in Melbourne; the Mater Medical Research Institute and Mater Health Services in Brisbane; and the Women & Children's Health Research Institute and Institute of Medical and Veterinary Science in Adelaide.
US-based biotechnology corporations, Amgen and Becton Dickinson Biosciences, are the commercial partners. Amgen, a global biopharmaceutical company, specialises in human-based antibody therapeutics; Becton Dickinson Biosciences is one of the world's leading diagnostics companies and a leader in innovative products for clinical and diagnostic use.
As well as $30 million from the Federal Government, the venture involves $6 million from participants, and more than $100 million 'in-kind' funding from its partners over seven years.
Using a diversity of expertise – which includes cell surface science, mass spectrometry, monoclonal antibody development, antibody-based diagnostics and clinical immunotherapy – the CRC aims to develop highly specific diagnostic tests and therapies to treat cancer and auto-immune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, Type 1 diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease, psoriasis, and lupus.
The researchers are identifying 'biomarkers' with potential for development as therapeutic and diagnostic applications. These will be clinically trialled and, if proven, commercialised with royalties flowing back to the CRC for research and development programs.
Launching the CRC, Vice-Chancellor Paul Johnson said: 'The Australian biotechnology industry is still a young industry, but it is developing, and this kind of collaboration will substantially reinforce it.
'In addition to providing a greater understanding of health and disease mechanisms for the Australian medical research industry, the CRC will lead to new jobs and the development of a field of research that will greatly enhance Australia's overall innovation capacity.'
Professor Johnson said it would also promote Australia's ongoing credentials as a home-base for future R&D manufacture, product development and clinical trials.
'The inclusion of US companies Amgen and Becton Dickinson in the CRC will open up greater access for Australian companies to world-class expertise in diagnostic and drug development, clinical evaluation, and product sales.
'The CRC also reflects this University's long-recognised strengths in molecular sciences and biotechnology research.'
The CRC's newly- appointed Chief Executive Officer, Mr Michael Kleinig, said: 'We have brought together some of the world's leading researchers and industrial partners in the development and use of monoclonal antibodies for the diagnosis and treatment of disease.'
Professor Heddy Zola, the CRC's Chief Scientific Officer, believes the CRC has potential to make a real difference in the future treatment and diagnosis of disease.
The CRC will also run a $500,000 research and practitioner-oriented education program including 40 PhD research scholarships.
Adrienne Jones