Victoria University and Malaghan Institute of Medical Research spin-out Avalia to commercialise immunotherapy treatment.
Victoria University has become the latest in a line of top institutions to become active in the immunotherapy space.
Along with the Malaghan Institute of Medical Research, Victoria has launched Avalia Immunotherapies after successful laboratory trials of its cancer fighting treatment.
Backers of Avalia include investment firm Powerhouse Ventures, New Zealand Venture Investment Fund, Malcorp Biodiscoveries, Victoria’s tech transfer office Victoria Link, Callaghan Innovation, and the Kiwi Innovation Network. It is not known how much the New Zealand-based firm has raised so far.
The firm would seem to be developing technology in line with peers at Juno Therapeutics and Adaptimmune whereby the body’s immune system is programmed to identify and combat cancer.
Shivali Gulab, Avalia CEO, said: “The technology can be used to design new treatments for cancer, as well as infectious disease and allergy. Our initial focus will centre on cancer immunotherapy.”
