Why IMU is a multi multi bagger, page-12328

Once again, IMU is not mentioned in this article.

However, a higher profile for the Australian Biotech sector can only promote increased interest from overseas players as Aussie companies put some runs on the board. Indirectly, this will raise awareness of IMU overseas.

Australian biomedical developments for quadriplegics, and cancer (thenewdaily.com.au)

Aussie biomedical innovations will revolutionise the lives ofquadriplegics and cancer patients

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Australiancompanies have made significant progress in biomedical technologies to bring new remedies topeople who need them most.

Whetherit’s treating cancer or helping a quadriplegic patient regain independence,medical technology is constantly make advancements.

Onecompany, Orthocell, even has nerve-repair treatments on its agenda that couldone day regenerate nerve tissue.

Orthocell

Orthocell,a group that floated on the ASX in 2014, has developed innovative Australian methods to repair damaged bone and tissueusing collagen.

Thetechnology effectively builds artificial medical devices that are completelyabsorbed into the body to help facilitate the repair of bone, nerve, tendon andcartilage damage following surgery or an injury.

Onceabsorbed the device, known as CelGro “acts as a barrier membrane to keep theoutside world at bay”, Orthocell CEO Paul Anderson said.

Thatallows healing to go ahead uninterrupted using collagen, a protein produced bythe body that forms a scaffold to provide strength and structure within thebody.

Itis an essential component of connective tissue and plays a crucial role inholding the body’s cells together, along with giving strength and elasticity tothe skin.

Themost recent development uses the technology to facilitate dental bone and softtissue repair in the human jaw. It has been approved by medical regulators inthe Australian, European and American markets.

“Wehave just signed an exclusive licence and distribution agreement withBiohorizon, one of the largest dental companies in the world,” Mr Andersonsaid.

“Sonow we will manufacture our product locally in Australia and transfer it to ourpartners in the US,” he said.

However,potential uses go beyond bone and soft tissue repair.

Orthocellrecently widened its horizons to nerve repair following a recent trialinvolving quadriplegics.

Thetechnology involves “the regeneration of human nerve tissue, returningparalysed muscles to function again”, Mr Anderson said.

Thatproduct, Remplir, has been approved by the Australian Therapeutic GoodsAdministration with applications for approvals in Europe and the US underway.

‘Paradigm shift’

Orthocelltechnologies represent “a paradigm shift in bone and soft tissuereconstruction and have distinct competitive advantages overexisting tissue repair devices, particularly in the areas of cellcompatibility, mechanical properties (strength and ease of use) andfacilitating high-quality tissue repair,” the company report stated.

Traditionalrepair techniques involve “plunging a needle and thread into a nerve whichitself does damage and creates scar tissue”, Mr Anderson said.

Remplircreates a very strong and flexible collagen sheet that “acts like a little bitof velcro that pulls the nerve area together and sticks it using only one ortwo sutures instead of 12”.

Thecollagen sheet mimics the outside of the nerve; Orthocell expects sutures willeventually not be needed at all.

Todate, research has shown that Remplir results in an “85 per cent recovery ratethat allows people to lead a more independent life”, Mr Anderson said.

Thatdoesn’t mean full recovery for quadriplegics, but it does mean “they can toiletthemselves, move from their bed to a wheelchair, hold their children and assistin domestic activities”, he said.

Orthocelltechnology was first developed at the University of Western Australia. Thecompany has commercial cash flow and $30 million in the can for productdevelopment, despite a $9.03 million loss in 2021.

Telix Pharmaceuticals

Alisted Australian company with a stock market value of $1.7 billion, Telix doesfancy things with nuclear radiation therapies.

Itstechnologies allow far more targeted radiotherapy and radio imaging bydirecting radiation to molecules carrying cancer.

Telix technologies target cancerous cells.

Usingwhat is known as MTR (molecularly targeted radiation) therapy, a radionuclideis attached to a targeting agent such as a small molecule or antibody thatbinds to tumours and delivers a radioactive payload in a highly selective way.

“UsingMTR to combine imaging and therapy, Telix’s technology has thepotential to dramatically improve the way clinicians can find andtreat cancer and deliver truly personalised therapy for patients livingwith cancer and rare diseases,” the company stated.

Whenused for cancer treatment, MTR attacks a wider variety of cancer cells, damagesthe structure of cancer cells and encourages the immune system to join thefight. It also means the treatment does less damage to other cells and hasfewer side-effects for the patient.

Seeing the cancer

Thefirst cab off the rank for commercialisation has been the treatment known asIlluccix for prostate cancer imaging. It was approved by the TGA and the USFood and Drug Administration late last year.

Ithas started to sell in the US with co-founder and CEO Dr Chris Behrenbruch estimatingan annual market in that country of $US1 ($A1.5 billion) to $US1.5 billion.

TheUS FDA approval represents “the transition from a development-stageorganisation to a commercial firm,” Dr Behrehbruch said, following news ofthe achievement.

Thegroup has also done a distribution deal with China Grand Pharmaceutical forexclusive distribution in Mainland China, Macau, Hong Kong and Taiwan coveringall the technologies it develops.

Inthe first six months of the year, Illuccix sales delivered $A19.3 million afterbeing dispensed across 149 pharmacies in the US. The ability of the product tobe delivered through what is known as nuclear pharmacies as opposed to costlycyclotrons used to produce its competition’s technologies is a big advantage.

“Youmake it when you need it,” Dr Behrenbruch told Biotech Daily. “[Fastfood outlet] Subway is successful because it’s on every street corner. We’reon every corner, which is important when you are talking about a productwith a couple of hours of street life.”