- Collaboration will generate human iPSC-derived brain cell models to investigate the effects of Evinco's NK-EV platform on neuroinflammation
Melbourne, Australia, 21 September 2026 - Evinco Therapeutics Pty Ltd ("Evinco" or "Company") and the Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute (ARMI) today announced a research collaboration to advance a novel natural killer cell-derived extracellular vesicle (NK-EV) therapy for Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other neurological conditions. Evinco is a Melbourne-based biotechnology company developing advanced immune-based therapies for neurological disorders. ARMI, based at Monash University, is Australia's only research institute dedicated to stem cell science and regenerative medicine.
Under the agreement, ARMI will generate human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived brain cell models and Evinco will test its NK-EV platform against them. The collaboration represents an important milestone in Evinco's proof-of-concept development program and will provide the Company with the means to investigate the effects and potential mechanism of action of its NK-EVs in the brain cell types most closely associated with neuroinflammation. For ARMI, the collaboration applies its stem cell platforms to a defined industry drug development program, demonstrating the relevance of its basic research in a translational context.
Driving this collaboration at ARMI, Dr Nathalie Saurat leads research focussed on how cellular ageing in the brain contributes to neurodegenerative disease. Dr Saurat's lab uses human stem cells to grow different types of brain cells and create 2D and 3D models that can recreate key features of the ageing human brain. For this collaboration, the lab will generate and validate iPSC-derived brain cells - including microglia, astrocytes and cortical neurons - to model the neuroinflammation associated with Alzheimer's disease and evaluate the effect of Evinco's NK-EVs on these cells.
Dr Saurat, Group Leader and Senior Research Fellow at ARMI, said the collaboration connects two distinct capabilities. "Bringing together Evinco's NK-EV platform with our human stem cell models of Alzheimer's disease creates an exciting opportunity to investigate the mechanism of action of this novel therapeutic approach, while also gaining broader insights into the role of neuroinflammation in AD progression."
Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause of dementia which is now the leading cause of death in Australia. Despite continued advances in Alzheimer's research, there remains a substantial unmet need for therapies that can address the underlying biology of the disease and provide practical and accessible treatment options.
Evinco is advancing an immune-derived, targeted therapy for Alzheimer's disease, traumatic brain injury and related neurological conditions. Its NK-EV platform is being developed for intranasal delivery, offering a novel and potentially simple approach to delivering therapeutics directly to the brain.
Evinco Therapeutics CEO and Executive Chair, Professor Alan Trounson AO, commented: "We are continuing a very effective collaborative program with Dr Saurat and our colleagues at ARMI, linking their expertise in brain cell biology with Evinco's capacity for translation towards a potential effective therapy that could revolutionise the treatment of Alzheimer's Disease, now the leading cause of death in Australia."
The collaboration forms part of Evinco's broader strategy to establish the safety, biological activity, mechanism of action and therapeutic potential of its NK-EV platform through a series of developmental studies using this innovative approach in the growing population of Alzheimer's disease. For ARMI, it adds to a growing set of industry partnerships that connect stem cell research to therapeutic development, and supports the Institute's work with clinical and industry partners to carry preclinical research towards first-in-human trials.
Professor Peter Currie, ARMI's Director of Research, said the collaboration reflects the infrastructure and industry relationships the Institute has built to move discovery science into development pipelines.
"ARMI's strategy centres on connecting discovery science to industry-led development," Professor Currie said. "Evinco's NK-EV platform gives us a defined application for our stem cell models. This collaboration adds to the network of industry and clinical relationships we are building to carry regenerative medicine research towards first-in-human trials, creating meaningful impact for patients."
By combining Evinco's NK-EV technology with ARMI's expertise in human iPSC-derived brain cell models, the collaboration is expected to accelerate Evinco's pathway toward clinical studies and add to ARMI's body of translational research linking stem cell science with therapeutic development.
About us:
About Evinco Therapeutics:
Evinco Therapeutics Pty Ltd is a privately held biotechnology company, based in Melbourne, Australia, developing innovative immune-based therapies for neurological disorders. The Company is focused on advancing NK cell-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease and traumatic brain injury. By pursuing innovative intranasal delivery methods for its NK-EV technology, Evinco aims to offer a safer and more accessible treatment that has the potential to significantly improve the lives of those affected by Alzheimer's disease and related neurological disorders.
About ARMI:
ARMI is one of the world's leading regenerative medicine and stem cell research institutes, and Australia's only research institute dedicated to the field. Located at Monash University in Melbourne, the institute brings together internationally recognised scientists studying how tissues develop, repair and regenerate. ARMI's research spans muscle, heart and neural regeneration, stem cells and developmental biology, and tissue engineering, using advanced biological models to investigate the mechanisms of tissue repair. These discoveries provide the scientific foundations for future treatments that could repair tissues and organs damaged by disease, injury or ageing. ARMI works with clinical partners and with industry and research institutions worldwide, to connect discovery science with real-world application.
