Professor Nathan Palpant, Professor Mark Smythe and Professor Glenn King.
(Photo credit: The University of Queensland. )
A potential treatment for heart attack and stroke, derived from a spider venom molecule identified by University of Queensland researchers, has been administered to the first participants in a clinical trial.
The phase 1 study, currently underway, will assess the safety, tolerability and dosage of IB409, a novel drug developed by Brisbane-based biotechnology company Infensa Bioscience.
Professor Glenn King from UQ's Institute for Molecular Bioscience said his team had published 'exceptionally promising' preclinical results with a protein, called Hi1a, derived from the venom of a K'gari funnel web spider .
"We believe that Hi1a could reduce damage to the heart and brain during heart attacks and strokes by preventing cell death caused by lack of oxygen," Professor King said.
"We established that Hi1a is effective at protecting the heart and a subsequent study put it through a series of preclinical tests to mimic real-life treatment scenarios."
The Infensa team has transformed Hi1a into a miniaturised peptide, called IB409, suitable for drug development.
Infensa CEO and UQ researcher Professor Mark Smythe said there are currently no drugs on the market that prevent the damage caused by heart attack and stroke.
"If the Phase 1 and subsequent clinical trials of IB409 show that it can safely and effectively treat heart attacks, we could improve the lives of millions of people living with heart disease around the world," Professor Smythe said.
The Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute (VCCRI) is a research collaborator and funder of the project.
VCCRI researcher and Infensa co-founder Professor Bob Graham AO said the Phase 1 trial was a significant milestone.
"Administering a brand-new therapy into humans for the first time is always a moment of truth," Professor Graham said.
"If this drug continues to perform the way we believe it can, it could completely transform how we protect the heart and brain, improve outcomes and save lives."
Collaboration and acknowledgements
The Phase 1 trial is funded by a $17.8 million grant from the Australian Government's Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF), and philanthropic support from the Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute and St Vincent's Hospital, Sydney. The MRFF project involves researchers from Infensa, UQ, VCCRI, Monash University, the Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute, St Vincent's Hospital, the Alfred Hospital in Melbourne, and The Prince Charles Hospital in Brisbane.
