List of Peptide Therapies Companies in Australia - 7

Aravax is a clinical stage biotechnology company developing a novel peptide-based immunotherapy, PVX108, for the treatment of peanut allergy. Aravax is striving to improve the lives of patients living with peanut allergies by developing a therapy that precisely targets the underlying cause of disease, bringing benefits in safety and convenience.

Argenica Therapeutics(ASX: AGN) is developing novel therapeutics to reduce brain tissue death after stroke and other types of brain injury and neurodegenerative diseases to improve patient outcomes. Stroke is the leading cause of death and disability worldwide and the economic costs of treatment and post-stroke care are substantial. With current treatments, 20% of sufferers die and 50% are left permanently disabled. Moreover, the burden of stroke is increasing with an aging population and the ongoing epidemics of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and obesity. Current treatment options remain limited to restoring blood flow through clot removal by tPA (alteplase) thrombolysis and mechanical thrombectomy. Despite considerable research, there are no marketed drugs capable of protecting the brain from damage following stroke. Therefore, the search for widely applicable and effective neuroprotective drugs for stroke patients remains an urgent unmet need and priority. Argenica has developed a neuroprotective drug that can be administered in the field by paramedics, and used in conjunction with endovascular therapy (thrombolysis/thrombectomy) to improve neuroprotective outcomes, and importantly increase the number of patients amenable to thrombolysis and thrombectomy. Specifically, Argenica has developed a neuroprotective therapeutic, ARG-007, that • Slows brain tissue death due to inadequate blood supply • Preserves brain cells and axons • Extends the treatment time window for stroke patients • Is not toxic • Can be delivered in the field by first responders The Company also intends to explore the development and commercialisation of cationic arginine-rich peptides in other neural injury conditions such as perinatal hypoxia, traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, and in patients undergoing endovascular procedures that carry a risk of dislodging material from a diseased artery or triggering an embolus to lodge in a brain artery and thereby causing a stroke.

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 tumors. Our unique platform technologies seek to harness the body’s immune system against tumours, potentially achieving a similar or greater effect than synthetically manufactured monoclonal antibody and other immunotherapies. Our product pipeline includes multiple immunotherapy B-cell vaccine candidates and an oncolytic virotherapy (CF33) aimed at treating a variety of cancers in combination with standard of care drugs and emerging immunotherapies.

InterK Peptide Therapeutics functions largely as a virtual company and located in Sydney, Australia.The company’s R&D program is supported by Contract Research Organisations located within Australia and overseas. All three assets share the ability to inhibit cancer growth in vivo in murine models but also differ significantly in their respective immunomodulating effects on expression of cytokines, cytokine receptors and regulation of signalling pathways within T cells, natural killer cells and antigen-presenting cells.

Lateral Pharma Pty Ltd Is a privately-owned Melbourne AU-based biotechnology company that commenced operations in May 2015 to repurpose LAT8881, a Phase 2 ready orally-available compound with extensive toxicology and human safety data, into new high potential pain and respiratory indications. Lateral aims to demonstrate efficacy in a human clinical Phase 2 proof-of-concept study using LAT8881 to treat neuropathic pain within the next 12 months. Lateral Pharma has discovered a new class of naturally-derived peptide motifs and their novel target family of proteins that restore normal tissue function in mammals under conditions of damage and cellular stress. Small synthetic peptides derived from growth hormone and at least three other proteins are active in animal models of neuropathic pain, osteoarthritis, obesity, COPD, severe influenza A and recently in initial data in SARS-CoV-2. Lateral has filed multiple patents protecting its intellectual property Lateral is focussed on developing its drugs for the treatment of Neuropathic pain but subject to additional funding will also explore development in respiratory diseases such as Influenza, SARS-CoV-2, COPD, Steroid resistant asthma, and Post-COVID Syndrome (Long-COVID).

NeuroScientific Biopharmaceuticals Ltd (ASX:NSB) is an Australian drug development company developing novel peptide-based pharmaceutical products that target a number of neurodegenerative conditions with high unmet medical need. Therapeutic indications include Alzheimer’s Disease, Multiple Sclerosis, Glaucoma and Post-Covid Lung Fibrosis. The companies lead compound, EmtinB works by effectively slowing down the death of dying cells and regenerating damaged nerves and tissue fibres.

Radiopharm Theranostics is developing a world-class platform of radiopharmaceutical and nuclear medicine products for both diagnostic and therapeutic applications. The company is focused on innovating the way we see and treat cancer, with a particular emphasis on HER-2 cancers. Radiopharm Theranostics has a strong team of executives and board members, and is actively engaged in investor relations and corporate governance. The company has also launched a joint venture with MD Anderson to focus on novel radiopharmaceuticals.