COVID-19

Australian company Vaxxas has secured close to $90 million in new funding, one of the largest private biotechnology financings in the country this year, as it accelerates development of its needle-free vaccine delivery technology.

Clinical dermatology company, Botanix Pharmaceuticals (ASX:BOT), has announced the appointment of Dr Patricia Walker to its board of directors.

Neuren Pharmaceuticals (ASX:NEU) has announced the initiation of the first investigational site in the US for its Phase 3 clinical trial of NNZ-2591 in Phelan-McDermid syndrome, after receiving Institutional Review Board approval.

Argent BioPharma (ASX:RGT) has announced the results of an independent in vivo study evaluating the efficacy of ArtemiC, the USA OTC Unlicensed Drug Brand name of CimetrA, its lead immunomodulatory therapeutic, in a severe viral inflammatory model targeting Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome.

The long-running debate over how to fund immunotherapies across multiple cancer types has reached another turning point, with the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee rejecting one proposal outright and deferring another.

For patients waiting for funded access to a medicine, the PBS decision-making framework must sometimes appear like Banquo’s ghost, an ever-present shadow reminding them of a grim reality.

The July meeting delivered a mix of outcomes, but almost every approval came with conditions. From osteoporosis and Crohn’s disease to multiple cancers and rare disorders, PBAC required steep price reductions and risk-sharing arrangements for PBS listing.

Victorian researchers have achieved a world-first breakthrough in brain cancer research, showing how a new drug can suppress tumour activity in patients with low-grade gliomas.

AstraZeneca, in collaboration with Macquarie University’s Girls to Graduates program, recently hosted an afternoon event designed to inspire and empower young women pursuing careers in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and medicine.

The minister focused on NDIS reform at this week's National Press Club address, suggesting that it is taking up a lot of his time. Implementing the HTA Review will be one side of a two-sided coin. While it might frustrate some, it represents a unique opportunity to secure positive outcomes from an inevitable negotiation.

Pharmaceutical companies manage a delicate balance between an instinctive want to ensure patients can access their medicines via the PBS and commercial realities in a system defined by its power asymmetry.

This October, two flagship AusBiotech events will take place during Australia's biggest week in biotech, connecting innovators with investors and industry leaders.