• 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
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Actinogen Medical (ASX:ACW)

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 (ASX:PAA)

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 (ASX:IVX)

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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