Wednesday, 9 March 2022

Ministers statements: lymphoma treatment

Ms PULFORD (Western Victoria—Minister for Employment, Minister for Innovation, Medical Research and the Digital Economy, Minister for Small Business, Minister for Resources) (12:18): I am very pleased to share with the house and indeed with the Victorian community that there could soon be a new treatment option for lymphoma patients. Our government is very proud to be backing preclinical trials of a cancer-busting immunotherapy.

Victorian drug developers Avipep will begin testing their new antibody-based therapy at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre in partnership with the CSIRO. Avipep is pioneering a promising new technique using small antibody fragments that target and destroy lymphoma cancer cells. The small proteins, developed by Avipep, are hardwired to precisely attack tumours which are often resistant to treatment, while the immunotherapy method also minimises common toxic side effects for patients. The new therapy offers fresh hope for relapsed lymphoma patients, as there are currently few treatments available for those who have had multiple recurrences of the disease. The hard work of Victorian scientists is delivering some hope and some certainty for these patients and their families. Avipep’s antibody treatment is also designed to be effective against a wide range of lymphoma cancers, including Hodgkin’s lymphoma and ALCL and CTCL lymphomas.

Around 1700 Victorians are diagnosed with lymphoma each year, and many lose their lives within five to 10 years of their initial diagnosis. A clinical study with cancer patients, including at the Epworth, is set to follow preclinical trials currently underway. The study is backed by the Victorian Medical Research Acceleration Fund, which supports early-stage research and fast-tracks innovative projects from research to real-world impact. A total of 69 projects have received funding through this program to date, providing nearly $12 million to the Victorian health and medical research sector as part of our unprecedented investment in medical research and our strong and very proud support for our world-class medical research community.