Cytiva has announced the winner of its first BioChallenge for the Australia and New Zealand region (ANZ).
The company said the competition attracted 32 proposals from academic institutions and start-up companies across the region’s biotechnology industry.
They were evaluated by a panel of independent judges.
VivaZome Therapeutics, an emerging exosome-derived therapies developer, was ultimately awarded the top prize valued at approximately $200,000.
VivaZome’s winning entry depicted the company’s efforts to develop a universal exosome manufacturing process with an aim is to produce off-the-shelf regenerative medicines.
According to Professor David Haylock, the CEO of VivaZome Therapeutics, “Our team is working to be a global leader in providing novel, valuable and safe exosome-derived therapies for devastating and life-threatening diseases. To make our vision real, we value the opportunity provided by BioChallenge to download industry experience and know-how from Cytiva.”
MTP Connect director Jarrod Belcher said, “The Cytiva Biochallenge provides funding and services & expertise to winning applicants to help grow local biomanufacturing in Australia. We appreciate industry support like this contributing to the commercialization efforts of Australia’s world-class research.”
Cytiva’s Tim O’Meara, project leader for the ANZ BioChallenge, said, “Excellent research facilities, world-class capabilities and a strong but flexible regulatory regime have made ANZ a powerhouse of biotechnology. We hope BioChallenge can help discover and showcase promising industry researchers and companies with the support of Cytiva’s expertise, products, and services.”
