The National Foundation for Medical Research and Innovation has implemented a strategy focused on supporting gap areas along the innovation pathway for biomedical research.
This targeted support assists researchers to advance their research towards the development of new innovations including medicines, vaccines, diagnostics and devices. These innovations normally require regulatory approval, commercial partnerships and investors as they progress. Learn more.
| Prof Michael Good AO & Dr Danielle Stanisic |
| Griffith University |
| Malaria |
| Vaccine |
- Collaborating with industry and currently in clinical trials
- Signed an agreement with Statens Serum Institute to provide material for the pre-clinical animal studies
- Leveraged over $1m from Rotary Australia to support clinical trial costs of the study
- Clinical trial has received additional funding of $500,000 from Medical Research Future Fund Accelerated Research initiative
- Private trust funding, $570,000
- Private philanthropic donor, $372,027
- Griffith University funding, $334,968
| A/Prof Peter van Wijngaarden |
| Centre for Eye Research Australia |
| Alzheimer’s disease |
| Device |
Key outcomes:
- Project has leveraged over $5m in additional funding as a result of the grant
- Spin-off company established, Enlighten Imaging
- Well advanced camera prototype has been developed
- Garnered support from the likes of Bill & Melinda Gates and Jeff Bezos via the Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation
- Awarded NHMRC-EU Joint Programme for Neurodegenerative Disease (JPND) research grant, $1,400,000
- Received support from BioMedTech Horizons MRFF scheme, $1,000,000
“This funding has enabled us to develop and test several prototypes of our retinal camera. This has been instrumental in our ability to secure additional grant funding and accelerated our progress towards the clinic. In addition, Noel Chambers and his team have provided us with invaluable mentorship and access to some of the leading experts in medical research translation who have generously shared their expertise with us. This know-how has been tremendously helpful to us.“
| Prof Bernard Flynn |
| Monash University |
| Pulmonary hypertension |
| Therapeutic |
Key outcomes:
- Established a spin-off company Ankere Therapeutics
- $10,791,639 investment seed funding raised
| A/Prof Anthony White |
| QIMR Berghofer |
| Alzheimer’s disease |
| Diagnostic |
Key outcomes:
- Industry partnership with Takeda Corporation
- Research contract with GenieUS Genomics, Melbourne to develop therapeutic drugs
- Leveraged $230,000 of external funding from private philanthropic and public sources
- Partnering with Dr Lesley Cheng from LaTrobe University
- NHMRC Ideas Grant, $830,000
- US Department of Defence CDMRP-ALS Program, $880,000
“A/Prof White’s team developed a unique approach to screening drugs that target the brain’s resident immune cells (microglia) on a person-by-person basis. They are able to generate microglia from a person’s blood cells (monocytes) in two weeks at a cost of ~$50 per person.“
| Prof Bernard Flynn |
| Monash University |
| Cardiac fibrosis |
| Therapeutic |
Key outcomes:
- Established a spin-off company Cincera Therapeutics Pty Ltd
- NHMRC Development Grant, $684,000
- $7 Million series A investment
- See announcement here
- Monash Research Innovation Fund, $50,000
“NFMRI funding has enabled us to access the services of the Centre for Drug Candidate Optimization and to demonstrate that our antifibrotic drug molecules are suitable for oral administration. This data has been critical in attracting Venture Capital support for the formation of a spin-out company in 2018 that will enable us to bring our fibrosis therapy to clinical trials.”
| Prof Stephen Haswell |
| Deakin University |
| Infectious diseases |
| Diagnostic |
Key outcomes:
- Developed working prototype
- Mobile device providing results in approximately 75 minutes
- Costing around $20 per test
- Exploring product development pathways.
“The funding will enable an impressive team drawn from chemistry, biology, engineering, manufacturing and end users to work with NFMRI and NSW DPI to develop novel lab-on-a-chip technology that will represent a paradigm shift in the provision of medical diagnostics and care, filling a great unmet need.”
