John Michailidis the CEO of Victorian biotechnology company Avipep, is confident when talking to Neos Kosmos English Edition (NKEE) that their products, “may be able to significantly enhance the treatment of ovarian and prostate cancer.”
Recently Avipep was successful in securing a $2 million Victorian Science Agency grant to clinically trial new cancer treatments over the next two years.
“Our initial focus is ovarian, prostate and breast cancer,” adds Mr Michailidis for NKEE.
The funding is geared to support innovation and technological development in Victoria.His was one of the many companies in the highly competitive stakes.
“Our proposal was products for ovarian and prostate cancer and about getting those products into the clinics,” said Michailidis.
He emphasises the many years of research conducted on animals that have preceded the forthcoming clinical trials on people.
One of the factors contributing to the success of the grant adds Mr Michailidis is the “close association” with major medical institutions that will be trialling the new drugs such as the Austin Hospital.
He also points to the relationship Avipep has with major cancer research centres in the U.S.
“We are very confident with the data we have seen so far in animal models, but I can’t say that because they, [the drugs], worked on animals that they will work on humans.”
Avipep are a small company of seven people that was borne out of CSIRO research that extended over 15 years.
Mr Michailidis is careful to emphasise that drug development takes a “very long time” and that while they will be working with human beings, if successful, “we hope be on the market by 2015.”