Private company Aravax to make peanut allergy breakthrough
The company’s drug doesn’t cause severe allergic reactions during treatments
And here are the recent ASX healthcare winners and losers
By all accounts, Australia is one of the world’s biotech and medtech powerhouses.
Not only are our discoveries saving lives all over the world, we’re also fast becoming a hub for global companies and investors in this space.
But while most think of ASX-listed companies when asked to name leaders in cutting-edge biotech, there is a in fact a handful of private Australian companies that have also made medical breakthroughs.
Take Aravax, a Melbourne-based biotech company developing the first safe, convenient, and disease-modifying treatment for peanut allergy.
Aravax uses its proprietary platform drug technology, PVX108, to precisely reset the immune system to tolerate the allergens, without provoking severe reactions during treatment.
The company has completed Phase 1 clinical trial successfully, and is now commencing Phase 2 trials in Australia, with preparations also underway to open trial centres in the US.
How Avarax’s drug works
Australia has a relatively high prevalence of peanut allergy, with almost 3% of children aged one year suffering from it.
Traditional thinking about the pathology of allergy has centred on the role of allergen-specific IgE, which releases inflammatory mediators when they come into contact with allergen – and which in turn, causes the allergy.
What’s never really been explored is the balance between pro-inflammatory CD4+ cells and protective CD4+ cells, which is also a pivotal determinant of allergic status.
Aravax saw that a therapeutic opportunity exists to redirect the allergen-specific T cell population back towards a healthy balance, and restore tolerance to allergens.
Aravax’s PVX108 was designed precisely to restore this balance and retrain the immune system to tolerate peanut allergens.
The PVX108 comprises a mixture of peptides that represent sequences from peanut allergens, which are critical for recognition by peanut-specific T cells.
Unlike other peanut allergy immunotherapies, PVX108 does not contain the peanut proteins (allergens) which cause severe allergic reactions.
PVX108 is being developed as a simple monthly intradermal injection to induce tolerance to peanuts, and reduce the risk of severe allergic reactions upon accidental exposure.
The technology for PVX108 was developed by Professor Robyn O’Hehir, Professor Jennifer Rolland and Dr Sara Prickett at Alfred Health and Monash University, in Melbourne.
Aravax meanwhile has been funding its clinical trials through private and government funding.
The company has just announced a Series B funding round with a total of US$42.2 million from Brandon Capital and Tenmile.
The Victorian government has also chipped in with a Breakthrough Victoria’s $12 million investment into Aravax, as part of a $66 million funding round to develop the novel peanut allergy treatment.
Best performing ASX biotechs over the past month
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CODE COMPANY PRICE 1 WEEK RETURN % 1 MONTH RETURN % 6 MONTH RETURN % 1 YEAR RETURN % MARKET CAP TD1 Tali Digital Limited 0.20 33.33 100.00 100.00 -20.00 $6,590,311 ACW Actinogen Medical 4.20 44.83 82.61 40.00 -50.31 $90,687,093 SHG Singular Health 13.00 -13.33 71.05 233.33 30.00 $23,514,722 PAA Pharmaust Limited 19.00 8.57 58.33 156.76 111.11 $67,547,645 SNT Syntara Limited 2.30 9.52 35.29 -54.00 -59.65 $26,255,285 RNO Rhinomed Ltd 4.00 37.93 33.33 -46.67 -55.56 $12,191,541 ATH Alterity Therap Ltd 0.50 0.00 25.00 -37.50 -44.44 $19,722,396 IVX Invion Ltd 0.50 11.11 25.00 0.00 -37.50 $32,122,661 PER Percheron 7.20 7.46 24.14 38.46 -25.00 $68,517,418 ALA Arovella Therapeutic 17.25 18.97 23.21 275.00 366.22 $156,131,894 IRX Inhalerx Limited 3.20 60.00 23.08 -17.95 -46.67 $6,072,543 HIQ Hitiq Limited 2.20 -8.33 22.22 -15.38 -24.14 $8,796,124 EBR EBR Systems 79.50 6.71 21.37 -10.17 48.60 $245,616,606 PNV Polynovo Limited 190.25 1.47 21.18 18.17 -16.19 $1,359,758,519 ONE Oneview Healthcare 32.00 12.28 20.75 33.33 190.91 $227,598,206 VTI Vision Tech Inc 27.00 10.20 20.00 28.23 -19.40 $14,332,410 OIL Optiscan Imaging 9.90 10.00 19.28 30.26 -8.15 $82,698,739 ECS ECS Botanics Holding 2.50 0.00 19.05 8.70 -7.41 $26,561,536 PIQ Proteomics Int Lab 100.00 -4.76 19.05 29.87 -6.54 $130,892,616 NTI Neurotech Intl 9.40 -6.00 18.99 108.89 70.91 $82,099,750 CYP Cynata Therapeutics 16.00 6.67 18.52 14.29 -48.39 $31,435,563 CU6 Clarity Pharma 269.00 12.08 17.98 192.39 256.29 $692,793,188 DVL Dorsavi Ltd 1.40 27.27 16.67 7.69 0.00 $8,353,263 NC6 Nanollose Limited 2.80 27.27 16.67 -49.09 -56.92 $4,816,178 RGS Regeneus Ltd 0.70 0.00 16.67 -12.50 -46.15 $1,838,621 AVH Avita Medical 519.00 1.57 14.57 -9.27 100.39 $321,473,266 GLH Global Health Ltd 12.00 9.09 14.29 -20.00 -33.33 $6,965,944 VBS Vectus Biosystems 32.00 1.59 14.29 -28.89 -54.29 $17,026,996 PME Pro Medicus Limited 10876.50 0.45 14.27 57.56 65.80 $11,260,279,076 AT1 Atomo Diagnostics 2.70 3.85 12.50 -12.90 -48.08 $19,176,069 VFX Visionflex Group Ltd 0.90 12.50 12.50 0.00 0.00 $12,752,921 SIG Sigma Health Ltd 107.00 3.38 12.04 37.72 74.88 $1,754,256,095 COH Cochlear Limited 32687.00 13.78 11.03 39.78 55.83 $21,246,939,035 IDX Integral Diagnostics 206.00 4.57 9.87 -34.19 -29.69 $473,944,037 MVF Monash IVF Group Ltd 145.75 -1.85 9.18 25.65 34.33 $570,815,041 RHY Rhythm Biosciences 12.00 -31.43 9.09 -70.00 -87.56 $26,537,111 AHC Austco Healthcare 19.50 5.41 8.33 11.43 62.50 $56,615,159 AYA Artryalimited 26.00 -3.70 8.33 -26.76 -40.91 $21,235,228 GSS Genetic Signatures 48.50 3.19 7.78 -12.89 -45.14 $91,376,495 LBT LBT Innovations 1.40 0.00 7.69 -6.44 -66.26 $18,912,242 TLX Telix Pharmaceutical 1129.50 -5.08 7.27 12.72 82.47 $3,725,796,128 ACR Acrux Limited 6.00 -6.25 7.14 30.43 -3.23 $17,377,859 AGN Argenica 56.50 -2.59 6.60 44.87 28.41 $57,710,477 OPT Opthea Limited 56.50 0.89 6.60 9.97 -35.90 $377,800,921 CAJ Capitol Health 25.50 2.00 6.25 10.87 -10.53 $266,452,351 EMV Emvision Medical 204.00 -2.86 5.70 45.71 31.61 $159,032,508 BOT Botanix Pharma Ltd 19.00 0.00 5.56 11.76 196.88 $297,053,101 RMD ResMed Inc. 2781.00 -5.09 5.14 1.24 -9.09 $17,265,092,787 IXC Invex Ther 8.20 -4.65 5.13 78.79 -35.64 $6,162,616 MX1 Micro-X Limited 11.00 -15.38 4.76 10.00 -18.52 $57,070,241 TRU Truscreen 2.30 4.55 4.55 -4.17 -25.81 $10,500,633 HGV Hygrovest Limited 4.70 4.44 4.44 -2.08 -32.86 $9,674,288 DOC Doctor Care Anywhere 7.10 7.58 4.41 22.41 12.70 $26,031,599 ANR Anatara Ls Ltd 2.40 4.35 4.35 -17.53 -20.11 $4,029,449 REG Regis Healthcare Ltd 329.00 -3.80 2.81 40.00 95.83 $996,425,582 DXB Dimerix Ltd 22.00 -6.38 2.33 209.86 65.85 $95,568,524 CTE Cryosite Limited 68.00 -6.21 2.26 4.62 -10.53 $33,190,503 CBL Control Bionics 4.80 4.35 2.13 -33.47 -66.74 $8,192,713 EBO Ebos Group Ltd 3400.00 -0.67 1.71 2.60 -13.71 $6,493,145,081 AHX Apiam Animal Health 31.00 3.33 1.64 -35.42 -50.00 $54,901,661 CSX Cleanspace Holdings 36.00 9.09 1.41 28.57 -44.62 $27,834,733 VHT Volpara Health Tech 112.00 0.45 0.90 37.42 38.27 $283,627,353 RHC Ramsay Health Care 5149.00 2.59 0.45 -10.17 -18.98 $11,930,603,828 SHL Sonic Healthcare 3211.00 2.16 0.38 -5.95 13.46 $15,448,803,472 ACL Au Clinical Labs 300.50 4.34 0.17 -7.82 4.70 $609,538,725 1AI Algorae Pharma 1.00 0.00 0.00 -33.33 1.25 $16,612,402 AC8 Auscann Grp Hlgs Ltd 4.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 $17,621,884 BMT Beamtree Holdings 22.50 7.14 0.00 -2.17 -22.41 $65,910,874 CDX Cardiex Limited 12.08 0.00 0.00 -20.59 -55.00 $30,066,229 EPN Epsilon Healthcare 2.40 0.00 0.00 14.29 -11.11 $7,208,496 ILA Island Pharma 9.00 5.88 0.00 5.88 -25.00 $7,314,162 IMC Immuron Limited 7.40 -2.63 0.00 -7.50 1.37 $17,768,271 IME Imexhs Limited 65.00 0.00 0.00 8.33 54.76 $27,695,000 MDC Medlab Clinical Ltd 660.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 -8.33 $15,071,113 MDR Medadvisor Limited 27.00 8.00 0.00 22.73 5.88 $142,965,128 NYR Nyrada Inc. 2.10 -16.00 0.00 -30.00 -85.00 $3,276,183 PAB Patrys Limited 0.80 0.00 0.00 -11.11 -72.41 $16,459,579 VLS Vita Life Sciences.. 189.00 0.00 0.00 26.00 21.94 $102,315,260 FPH Fisher & Paykel H. 2230.00 -4.66 -0.27 2.95 -4.09 $12,923,116,283 AFP Aft Pharmaceuticals 351.00 3.85 -0.28 3.85 3.24 $368,080,573 PGC Paragon Care Limited 21.75 -1.14 -1.14 1.16 -30.95 $146,930,999 ATX Amplia Therapeutics 7.90 -1.25 -1.25 -15.05 -11.24 $15,326,505 HLS Healius 143.50 2.50 -1.71 -49.00 -41.72 $1,052,797,212 SNZ Summerset Grp Hldgs 1050.00 -6.25 -1.87 13.64 17.71 $2,488,068,277 FRE Firebrickpharma 5.10 2.00 -1.92 -80.38 -76.28 $9,126,284 TRP Tissue Repair 23.50 -2.08 -2.08 -14.55 -4.08 $13,114,883 SOM SomnoMed Limited 45.00 0.00 -2.17 -48.85 -61.90 $48,866,128 ANN Ansell Limited 2415.00 -2.46 -2.35 -0.33 -14.03 $3,013,576,370 AGH Althea Group 3.80 0.00 -2.56 -15.56 -29.63 $15,445,714 COV Cleo Diagnostics 18.00 0.00 -2.70 $14,079,000 MYX Mayne Pharma Ltd 530.00 -0.19 -2.93 11.81 87.94 $466,207,098 CUV Clinuvel Pharmaceut. 1557.00 -0.51 -3.29 -21.64 -33.86 $798,026,138 NEU Neuren Pharmaceut. 2291.00 0.57 -3.33 89.81 212.55 $2,928,950,548 ZLD Zelira Therapeutics 87.00 -3.33 -3.33 -44.94 -27.50 $9,872,025 LGP Little Green Pharma 14.00 0.00 -3.45 -30.00 -33.33 $42,013,053 MSB Mesoblast Limited 27.50 5.77 -3.51 -19.43 -71.14 $284,295,826 CSL CSL Limited 27957.00 -7.41 -3.73 5.07 -8.34 $136,353,071,788 PBP Probiotec Limited 279.00 -1.06 -3.79 9.41 19.74 $227,705,537 RSH Respiri Limited 2.50 4.17 -3.85 -26.47 -48.98 $23,317,116 IDT IDT Australia Ltd 9.60 -4.00 -4.00 43.28 33.33 $33,742,029 IMM Immutep Ltd 36.25 3.57 -4.61 22.88 38.95 $433,924,614 PSQ Pacific Smiles Grp 140.00 -2.44 -4.76 8.53 -1.75 $223,414,713 OCC Orthocell Limited 38.00 -2.56 -5.00 -7.32 0.00 $77,714,269 SDI SDI Limited 75.00 4.17 -5.06 -10.71 -19.35 $87,960,492 NSB Neuroscientific 3.70 0.00 -5.13 -57.47 -63.00 $5,350,380 M7T Mach7 Tech Limited 68.00 -4.90 -5.56 -13.38 -2.86 $171,281,143 RCE Recce Pharmaceutical 48.50 -3.00 -5.83 -31.01 -11.74 $102,869,441 LTP Ltr Pharma Limited 29.50 -11.94 -6.35 $20,769,619 ADR Adherium Ltd 5.80 3.57 -6.45 -3.33 -3.33 $19,339,519 4DX 4Dmedical Limited 65.00 10.17 -6.47 -8.45 58.54 $257,983,308 MVP Medical Developments 89.50 4.68 -6.77 -10.05 -33.21 $77,243,171 CYC Cyclopharm Limited 181.00 2.84 -7.89 -23.95 20.67 $167,491,460 AHI Advanced Health 9.20 0.00 -8.00 -56.19 -8.00 $22,211,384 BIT Biotron Limited 9.60 -2.04 -8.57 231.03 242.86 $84,813,898 TRJ Trajan Group Holding 110.50 5.24 -8.68 -41.22 -40.59 $175,048,498 RAC Race Oncology Ltd 78.00 15.56 -9.30 -22.00 -60.71 $132,096,122 ENL Enlitic Inc. 71.00 1.43 -9.55 $55,539,010 AVR Anteris Technologies 1680.00 -6.67 -10.16 -19.04 -23.98 $303,166,372 IMU Imugene Limited 10.75 2.38 -10.42 20.79 -17.31 $768,428,826 PAR Paradigm Bio. 37.50 17.19 -10.71 -56.92 -74.55 $133,176,387 OCA Oceania Healthc Ltd 61.50 -4.65 -10.87 -13.99 -20.13 $447,301,391 FCG Freedomcaregrouphold 16.00 -8.57 -11.11 $3,821,425 OSL Oncosil Medical 0.80 0.00 -11.11 -27.27 -75.38 $15,796,329 PYC PYC Therapeutics 8.00 -8.05 -11.11 45.45 14.29 $298,629,371 1AD Adalta Limited 2.20 10.00 -12.00 -4.35 -42.11 $11,041,886 NXS Next Science Limited 33.00 3.13 -12.00 -46.34 -53.52 $99,176,335 VIT Vitura Health Ltd 24.00 0.00 -12.73 -44.19 -60.33 $138,209,709 IIQ Inoviq Ltd 52.00 -0.95 -13.33 -30.67 -14.05 $46,929,538 LDX Lumos Diagnostics 7.60 -6.17 -13.64 2.70 153.33 $37,541,403 BDX Bcaldiagnostics 8.60 -7.53 -14.00 -33.85 43.33 $21,640,968 MXC Mgc Pharmaceuticals 42.00 2.44 -14.29 -83.20 -95.80 $17,321,394 SPL Starpharma Holdings 13.50 -3.57 -15.63 -10.00 -75.68 $55,625,484 HXL Hexima 1.50 36.36 -16.67 -34.78 -9.09 $2,505,594 CMP Compumedics Limited 35.00 -2.78 -17.65 112.12 94.44 $64,664,476 CGS Cogstate Ltd 115.00 -1.71 -17.86 -18.44 -46.26 $197,074,727 EMD Emyria Limited 5.50 7.84 -17.91 -42.28 -77.38 $20,164,617 HMD Heramed Limited 1.90 -5.00 -18.11 -73.08 -86.45 $6,104,020 RHT Resonance Health 4.80 -4.00 -18.64 -26.15 -27.27 $21,897,753 UCM Uscom Limited 3.30 -10.81 -19.51 -36.54 -26.67 $6,478,141 IMR Imricor Med Sys 45.00 -10.89 -19.88 -26.24 57.52 $84,039,388 GTG Genetic Technologies 10.00 -4.76 -20.00 -60.00 -75.00 $11,541,725 CAN Cann Group Ltd 7.90 3.95 -20.20 -36.80 -55.76 $33,936,631 EYE Nova EYE Medical Ltd 21.75 -18.77 -20.22 -14.09 -10.65 $51,047,435 PCK Painchek Ltd 3.00 -18.92 -21.05 7.14 11.11 $48,818,880 EZZ EZZ Life Science 49.00 -13.27 -22.22 -20.33 42.03 $23,060,700 MAP Microbalifesciences 15.00 -9.09 -23.08 -59.25 -58.72 $59,973,099 MEM Memphasys Ltd 1.00 11.11 -23.08 -24.66 -34.08 $13,438,587 PTX Prescient Ltd 5.00 -3.85 -23.08 -27.54 -50.00 $41,071,309 PEB Pacific Edge 7.50 -21.88 -23.47 -37.50 -83.33 $71,391,878 EOF Ecofibre Limited 8.80 -9.28 -23.48 -59.07 -56.00 $33,719,777 OSX Osteopore Limited 3.20 -15.79 -23.81 -57.62 -76.03 $4,957,396 CTQ Careteq Limited 2.50 0.00 -24.24 -13.79 -57.89 $5,417,588 AVE Avecho Biotech Ltd 0.30 -25.00 -25.00 -57.14 -72.73 $9,507,891 BP8 Bph Global Ltd 0.15 50.00 -25.00 -40.00 -88.61 $2,931,174 TRI Trivarx Ltd 2.10 -12.50 -25.00 5.00 5.00 $7,099,652 UBI Universal Biosensors 16.50 -5.71 -25.00 -43.10 -47.62 $35,040,957 ARX Aroa Biosurgery 57.00 0.89 -26.92 -35.23 -49.56 $197,478,806 RAD Radiopharm 6.50 -4.41 -29.35 -22.67 -47.06 $24,790,705 NAN Nanosonics Limited 293.00 1.38 -29.57 -41.05 -35.18 $881,233,458 JTL Jayex Technology Ltd 0.70 16.67 -30.00 -22.22 -36.36 $1,968,950 CHM Chimeric Therapeutic 2.50 4.17 -30.56 -32.43 -65.75 $21,874,753 ALC Alcidion Group Ltd 4.80 -5.88 -31.43 -60.00 -65.71 $68,466,134 AMT Allegra Medical 2.90 -3.33 -34.09 -51.67 -58.57 $3,468,720 ICR Intelicare Holdings 1.30 -13.33 -35.00 8.33 -45.83 $3,052,718 NOX Noxopharm Limited 5.70 -14.93 -37.36 46.15 -54.40 $16,949,801 IPD Impedimed Limited 8.40 0.00 -44.00 -58.00 44.83 $163,887,942 CVB Curvebeam Ai Limited 21.00 -10.64 -44.74 $47,234,073 ME1 Melodiol Glb Health 1.50 15.38 -50.00 -89.29 -95.83 $4,228,047 IBX Imagion Biosys Ltd 8.70 -2.25 -71.48 -86.41 -91.94 $2,840,250
ACW has enjoyed a solid run off the back of news that a human Positron Emission Tomography (PET) study, confirming high levels of the company’s Xanamem target occupancy in the brain at safe, well tolerated, and biologically active doses, has been published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease.
The company says the study confirms that Xanamem is a brain-penetrant inhibitor of the tissue cortisol synthesis enzyme, 11β-HSD1, with high levels of target occupancy at doses as low as 5mg.
Singular Health Group (ASX:SHG)
Singular has experienced a surge in success after announcing a enterprise licence order for 5,000 annual licences of the 3Dicom Patient software in the US.
TechWorks 4 Good, acting on behalf of US Veterans, acquired the licences with the aim of enhancing the comprehension and transferability of medical records for veterans.
The two-year contract includes a purchase order for 50 3Dicom R&D licences and 5,000 3Dicom Patient licences, for total value of approximately $152,000.
While the $152k contract is not huge, the purchase means that Roseman University has become the first US College to adopt Singular’s 3Dicom R&D software as a medical education tool, in a market forecast to be worth USD$17.6 billion by 2027.
PharmAust has received approval for an Open-Label Extension study of monepantel, in patients with Motor Neurone Disease (MND)/Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS).
All Phase 1 MEND Study patients have expressed interest in continuing treatment and participating in the study. The study is expected to commence in February.
Read more here: PharmAust gets ethics committee green light for open-label MND extension study.
Alterity Therapeutics (ASX:ATH)
Alterity announced recently that an independent Data Monitoring Committee (DMC) has completed its second review of trial data and recommended the ATH434-201 Phase 2 study continue as planned.
The ATH434-201 clinical trial is a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled investigation of ATH434 in patients with early-stage multiple system atrophy (MSA), a rare neurodegenerative disease with no approved treatments to slow or stop its progression.
The DMC expressed no concerns about safety and recommended that the study continue without modification. The plan for the DMC to review initial safety data has been cleared with the US FDA.
Invion has been rallying after releasing its quarterly activities.
During the quarter, Invion said that it completed lodgement of the Phase I/II nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC) trial application with the Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC).
First patient recruitment is expected in the coming months (subject to HREC approval).
In the trial, Invion said it will be using an adaptive trial design for greater flexibility to incorporate dose optimisation and efficacy signal endpoints, on top of the usual safety data.
Separately, in the oral antimicrobial space, Invion is focusing on periodontal diseases, which it says represents a significant unmet need.
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