Sirtex gets government grant for brain cancer R&D

Sirtex Medical (ASX:SRX) has become one of the first companies to benefit from the research connections element of the government’s Entrepreneurs’ Infrastructure Programme.

The company will work with researchers from the University of Sydney to help develop new treatment for diseases like brain cancer.

Sirtex will receive $50,000 in funding from the government’s program and match this contribution like for like.

Research will focus on developing cancer treatments based on early-stage research developed from its liver cancer treatment SIR-Spheres microspheres.

“Sirtex has a track record in innovation through its world-leading technology that delivers radiation therapy for terminally ill liver cancer patients. While it isn’t a cure for cancer, its small-particle technology extends lives through increasing tumour shrinkage and remission in patients,” Industry and Science Minister Ian Macfarlane said.

“Research has raised the possibility of applying this nanoparticle technology to treating brain cancer, in ophthalmology and in stem cell science.”

The Research Connections program has awarded grants to 10 projects designed to link entrepreneurs with researchers.

Immuron (ASX:IMC) will also receive a $50,000 grant under the project to help develop new non-antibiotic strategies to manage Clostridium difficile disease.

Tasmania’s Marinova has secured $50,000 to help evaluate the effectiveness of Maritech Synergy extracts in normalising the inflammation of the gut.

The government opened applications to the research connections element late last year. It forms part of the $484.2 million Entrepreneurs’ Infrastructure Programme.

Sirtex Medical (ASX:SRX) shares were trading 0.97% lower at $26.62 as of around midday on Wednesday, while Immuron shares were flat at $0.17.

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