MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – 04 October 2023 – CSL’s Research Acceleration Initiative (RAI) continues to expand its reach with seven medical researchers awarded new RAI partnerships, including up to an AU$500,000 investment in each program over two years, to fast-track the discovery of innovative biotherapies to address unmet medical needs.
The CSL Research Acceleration Initiative establishes partnerships between CSL and global research organisations to progress discoveries towards real-world treatments and accelerate the commercialisation of promising discovery programs. In addition to creating long-term mutual partnerships to further innovation, the initiative includes funding as well as access to CSL R&D experts.
The investigators and technologies selected in the 2022 call for proposals include:
- Dr Laurent Martinez, Institute of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases (I2MC), IHU HealthAge, INSERM / University of Toulouse, France
Dr Martinez is developing a novel class of therapeutic candidates for vascular diseases including stroke. If successful, these could be given to patients on top of existing treatments to provide significant additional benefit.
- Prof. Delphine Borgel, INSERM - APHP - Université Paris SACLAY, France
Prof. Borgel and Dr Saller are developing therapeutic nanobodies for the prevention and treatment of vaso-occlusive crisis in sickle cell disease without increased risk of infections.
- Prof. Denis Vivien, INSERM / Caen Normandie University Hospital, France
Prof. Vivien aims to establish improvements in diagnosis and treatment of neurovascular diseases by targeting micro-thrombi with nanoparticles that are safe and do not induce hemorrhagic transformation.
- Research Director Benoit Salomon, INSERM / University of Toulouse, France
Research Director Salomon intends to stimulate regulatory T cells for the treatment of autoimmune myositis and increased muscle regeneration after injury.
- Assoc Prof. Tan Meng How, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
Assoc Prof. Tan Meng How will research novel methods, utilising DNA repair proteins, to enhance insertional gene editing in human cells.
- Prof. Elisa Laurenti, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom
Prof. Laurenti will investigate mRNA-based solutions to minimise the loss of haematopoietic stem cell (HSC) function occurring during an ex vivo gene therapy protocol. This could drive robustness of gene therapy product cell manufacture, and ultimately lead to improved outcomes for patients.
- Prof. Leon Schulte, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Germany
Prof. Leon Schulte will investigate the targeting of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNA) to enable precision-interventions in misguided immune-circuits during systemic inflammatory response-syndrome (SIRS), thus aiming to improve the survival rate of affected patients.
Dr Marthe D’Ombrain, CSL’s Head of Global Research Innovation said, “Through our Global Research Acceleration Initiative, we can tap into and support research innovation happening in all corners of the world. Excitingly, this last tranche of RAI awardees includes a new partnership in Asia, and another in the UK which is a first for the expanding initiative, and reflects CSL’s intent to further partner with world-class researchers around the world.
“Europe continues to be an important base for partnering for CSL and reflects the high calibre of research occurring across the continent. We look forward to collaborating with our new partners to support the development of their exciting discoveries”.
These Global RAI awardees’ research addresses important unmet medical needs in several of CSL’s therapeutic areas, which include immunology, nephrology and transplant, respiratory, hematology, cardiovascular and metabolic disease, and vaccines.
Dr D’Ombrain said that the RAI recipients’ research is in underserved areas where there is often limited or no existing treatment options available for patients. “Through our unique and dedicated partnership approach, CSL’s Global Research Acceleration Initiative is a vital component in helping us deliver on our promise and make a difference to the lives of patients across the globe.
“Importantly, we share this same passion and unwavering dedication as the researchers that we partner with and we are looking forward to working with our seven new collaborators in the years to come,” said Dr D’Ombrain.
Providing life-saving medicines to patients in over 100 countries, CSL is driven by its promise to advance and deliver innovations that address rare and serious diseases as well as protect public health. Each year, CSL’s Global Research Acceleration Initiative works to identify promising research programs around the world which will benefit most from fast-tracked industry collaboration and support. More than 30 new partnerships have been established via the Research Acceleration Initiative since 2019.
For more information about the CSL Research Acceleration Initiative, please visit: www.csl.com/csl-rai
CSL (ASX:CSL; USOTC:CSLLY) is a leading global biotechnology company with a dynamic portfolio of lifesaving medicines, including those that treat haemophilia and immune deficiencies, vaccines to prevent influenza, and therapies in iron deficiency, dialysis and nephrology. Since our start in 1916, we have been driven by our promise to save lives using the latest technologies. Today, CSL – including our three businesses, CSL Behring, CSL Seqirus and CSL Vifor – provides lifesaving products to patients in more than 100 countries and employs 30,000 people. Our unique combination of commercial strength, R&D focus and operational excellence enables us to identify, develop and deliver innovations so our patients can live life to the fullest. For inspiring stories about the promise of biotechnology, visit CSLBehring.com/Vita and follow us on Twitter.com/CSL.
For more information about CSL, visit www.CSL.com.
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Email: kim.odonohue@csl.com.au