Antifungal drug development – combating drug (azole) resistance
Technology Type: Drug candidate.
Commercial Opportunity: Investment or other partnership to allow full screen and hit-to-lead optimisation for a pump inhibitor and development of the anitfungals of unknown mechanism.
Synopsis: Worldwide, fungi cause more deaths than either tuberculosis or malaria. Critically ill hospitalised patients, those undergoing surgery and patients with leukaemia or organ transplants, are at increased risk of invasive fungal infections (IFIs). Invasive candida infection is one of the most common IFI. In the critically ill and in patients with acute leukaemia, it has a mortality of 20-40%. The effectiveness of azole drugs, such as fluconazole and voriconazole, is increasingly limited by azole-resistance. The main cause of azole-resistance in Candida species is drug efflux, a mechanism that actively pumps the drug out of the fungus so that it cannot be effective. There are currently no drugs that combat this resistance mechanism. Our future drug candidate will overcome efflux-mediated azole resistance to reduce mortality and hospitalisation costs associated with vulnerable immuno-compromised patient populations.
Department: Oral Sciences, Dunedin Campus WIHI 
Partners: Walter + Eliza Hall Institute (WEHI) in Australia is our partner for this and another antifungal drug development of yet unknown mechanism of action (contact: Dr Kurt Lackovic).
Complimentary Technology Available: Combating resistance – discovery tool for new drenches protecting crop and stock (Word; 2.1 MB)
Detailed Specifications: Fact Sheet (pdf, 1.8 MB)
Key contact: Dr Alex Tickle
Commercialisation Manager, Otago Innovation
87 St David Street, Dunedin, Centre for Innovation Building.
Email: alexandra.tickle@otagoinnovation.com
Phone: +64 3 479 4145
Aqueous Silver Nanoparticle formulation for stain-free prevention of secondary tooth decay
Technology Type: Therapeutic/ antimicrobial formulation
Commercial Opportunity: Manufacturing and material costs for the silver NP formulation are low. At a retail price US$1.50 - $6.50 per filling, the formulation has a market potential of US$525 - $2,275 million across US, Europe and Australian markets. Otago Innovation is now seeking collaborators and partners with expertise and relevant resources to guide further translation into the market.
Synopsis: Department: Secondary caries is the most common reason for dental restoration replacement. Given that 280-350 million fillings are placed every year in the US, Europe and Australia, increasing the longevity of restorations is a human oral health priority. Antimicrobial silver preparations, including silver diamine fluoride (SDF), have been used for the prevention of tooth decay since the early 1970s. However, existing liquid silver products cause permanent dark staining of the teeth, limiting their usefulness. Researchers at the University of Otago have created a silver NP formulation for application on dentine without staining the teeth. It kills bacteria associated with caries to protect against development of secondary caries beneath restorations.
IP status: The intellectual property is protected within PCT application PCT/NZ2014/000006 (also filed in US, Australia and New Zealand). Inventors: Dr Carla Meledandri and Dr Don Schwass of the University of Otago.
Detailed Specifications: Fact Sheet (pdf, 1,269KB)
Key contact: Dr Alex Tickle
Commercialisation Manager, Otago Innovation
87 St David Street, Dunedin, Centre for Innovation Building.
Email: alexandra.tickle@otagoinnovation.com
Phone: +64 3 479 4145
Developing a treatment for Herpes - oral human therapeutic vaccine
Technology Type: Vaccine.
Commercial Opportunity: This technology is available for co-development activity. We are seeking to engage with potential commercial partners to further develop this technology.
IP Status: Provisional patent filed.
Synopsis: This project is based on the development of a treatment for HSV-2, which primarily causes genital herpes in humans. HSV-2 causes transient infection of epithelial cells in the genital mucosal epithelium. Following this infection the virus gains access to the sensory neurons where it is capable of producing a lifelong persistent infection. HSV-2 causes 70-80% of genital herpes cases. We have access to a novel formulation technology for improving the bioavailability of compounds via Immune Solutions Ltd.
We aim to produce the first oral human therapeutic vaccine for HSV-2. Immunity against HSV-2 infection is dependent on local memory responses in the genital tract. We anticipate an oral vaccine that, when coupled with ‘intravaginal pull’ would induce mucosal immune responses in the genital tract, and as such demonstrate a therapeutic effect to protect against HSV.
Detailed Specifications: Fact Sheet (2 page pdf, 240KB).
Key contact: Dr Tracey Smith
Commercialisation Manager
Email: tracey.smith@otagoinnovation.com
Phone: +64 3 479 9970
87 Saint David Street, Centre for Innovation Building,
Dunedin
Silver Gel to treat periodontitis and peri-implantitis
Technology type: Therapeutic/ antimicrobial formulation.
Commercial Opportunity: Otago Innovation is now seeking partners with expertise and relevant resources.
Synopsis: The silver nanoparticle gel formulation demonstrates mucoadhesive and antimicrobial properties. The Silver Gel can be applied through a syringe into gum pockets, where the antimicrobial effect is anticipated to prevent biofilm formation. The Silver Gel reduces inflammation and promotes healing around teeth and implants. It aims to reduce tooth loss and implant failure.
IP Status: PCT application: PCT/NZ2016/050162.
Click on the button below to view a video showing how Silver Gel can increase effectiveness of current treatments.
Detailed Specification: Fact Sheet (2 page pdf).
Key contact: Dr Alex Tickle
Commercialisation Manager, Otago Innovation
87 St David Street, Dunedin, Centre for Innovation Building.
Email: alexandra.tickle@otagoinnovation.com
Phone: +64 3 479 4145
VDGF (Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor) combination biologic for tissue repair
Technology type: Biologics/ pharmaceutical.
Commercial Opportunity: License or sale of patent rights to a partner (ideally with access to an anti-inflammatory cytokine, such as IL-10, to combine with VEGF-E).
Synopsis: Within the globally reported 160 million wounds, 9.8 million are burns. The World Health Organisation (WHO) reports that non-lethal burns may require costly and prolonged hospitalisation and frequently result in disfigurement and disability, to which scarring is a significant contributing factor. In the US, 450,000 burn related treatments are recorded of which 40,000 cases required hospitalisation (costs: US$47,875 – US$432,746). Beyond temporary improvements, there is no effective treatment available for keloids, a debilitating condition with a prevalence of up to 16% in darker skinned populations. Our protein combination of VEGF-E and an anti-inflammatory prevents excess tissue formation leading to less debilitating scars in various animal models. This is seen as a major advantage when treating burns and limiting keloid and scar formation during the healing process.
Department: Virus Research Unit, Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Dunedin Campus, University of Otago.
Detailed Specification: Fact Sheet (pdf, 632kb)
Key contact: Dr Alex Tickle
Commercialisation Manager, Otago Innovation
87 St David Street, Dunedin, Centre for Innovation Building.
Email: alexandra.tickle@otagoinnovation.com
Phone: +64 3 479 4145
