15 Dec 2016
Dr Adam Wheatley awarded inaugural proof-of-concept fund
University of Melbourne Dr Adam Wheatley from the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at the Doherty Institute was the inaugural recipient of a proof-of-concept fund thanks to a strategic alliance between Sanofi Pasteur, the vaccines division of Sanofi, and The University of Melbourne.
Adam’s project, ‘Development of antibodies for broad protection against influenza B,’ was chosen from 10 concepts and will receive $200,000 jointly funded by Sanofi Pasteur and The University of Melbourne.
“We’re aiming to develop novel influenza vaccines that can extend coverage beyond the single year that’s currently available,” Adam explained.
“So ideally, we’d be looking at new vaccines that could provide lifelong protection against influenza, but in the meantime, as a stop gap measure, it would be nice to at least have a vaccine that lasted two, three, four or five years to extend coverage.”
Adam said the funding would help him and his team increase their capacity to accelerate their design program and to identify novel monoclonal antibodies that might have use as either a novel clinical intervention to prevent severe influenza, or alternatively provide clues on how to design the next generation of influenza vaccines.
“It’s been really invaluable to gain access and some insights into the minds of industry surrounding the vaccine space in infectious diseases and I’m looking forward to a productive and fruitful collaboration moving forward,” he said.
Russell Jacobson, General Manager Sanofi Pasteur Australia/New Zealand said, “Influenza infections have a major impact globally, both morbidity and mortality wise. While we have good vaccines, there’s room for improvement because seasonally we have to make new ones so we’re hoping this project will go some way to find the silver bullet.
“As an organisation, we have to evolve to the growing challenges of global health care and find new ways to develop value driven therapies, preventions and vaccines. We need leaders in science and research and we have them clearly here today, so we’re here to celebrate you so congratulations.”
University of Melbourne Professor Elizabeth Hartland, Acting Pro-Vice Chancellor, Research and Partnerships and External Relations, said the agreement between Sanofi Pasteur and The University of Melbourne provided a rare opportunity for academic researchers to develop a close relationship with industry and to develop their commercially focussed arm of their research under the guidance of such an important player internationally.
“We need these strong schemes to bring academics and industry together and this alliance also highlights how important immunology research is for The University of Melbourne.”
