A researcher from the Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences (MIPS) is a co-founder of Australian biotech company, Ankere Therapeutics (‘Ankere’), which has launched with AU$10 million seed investment.

Ankere is dedicated to the development of new therapies that target inflammatory diseases, particularly those affecting the lung. It was founded by MIPS Medicinal Chemist, Associate Professor Bernard Flynn, and Professor Stuart Pitson from the University of South Australia’s Centre for Cancer Biology.

The funding round was jointly led by IP Group and Brandon Capital, through Brandon BioCatalyst, and will support the company through its preclinical development and into clinical trials.

Ankere aims to develop new therapies for inflammatory lung disease, based on its proprietary small molecule chemistry. The company is harnessing research from a decades-long collaboration between Associate Professor Flynn and Professor Pitson, and has operations in both Melbourne and Adelaide.