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March 11, 2025

Research team awarded $500K to bring groundbreaking cancer device to life

Collaboration between UOW, FivepHusion aims to improve treatment, outcomes for patients with pancreatic cancer

Pancreatic cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer deaths worldwide, with one of the lowest survival rates. There are limited treatment options and patients often present with disease that cannot be operated on.

A new device, spearheaded by researchers from the ¾«¶«´«Ã½ of ¾«¶«´«Ã½ (UOW) in collaboration with industry partner , is working to change that.

(pictured) is lead investigator of a team of researchers from UOW and the ¾«¶«´«Ã½ of South Australia awarded $500,000 from the . The research received the maximum funding available under the program, which supports nationally significant research and commercialisation projects.  

The funding will allow the multidisciplinary team, which includes UOW’s Associate Professor Vine-Perrow, , , and , from the ¾«¶«´«Ã½ of South Australia, oncologist , FivepHusion’s CEO and Managing Director Dr Christian Toouli, and Dr Natalie Strange, to continue their work developing a device that will target inoperable pancreatic tumours.

The result is ResectAssist™, a single-use, implantable, drug-eluting device for inoperable locally advanced pancreatic cancer. This biodegradable device is designed to be inserted directly into pancreatic tumours, locally delivering high-dose chemotherapy to enable treatment that is more tolerable, less severe, and more effective for patients.

ResectAssist™ also aims to convert non-resectable pancreatic tumours to resectable – which means tumours that were previously considered inoperable can now be removed by surgery - improving patient outcomes and addressing an important unmet medical need for one of the deadliest cancers.

UOW last year secured a partnership with advanced clinical-stage biotechnology company FivepHusion to bring the innovative ResectAssist™ Drug Delivery Platform closer to clinical application.

^{Associate Professor Kara Vine-Perrow.}

The agreement allows FivepHusion to develop the platform, which is designed to deliver cancer treatments directly into solid tumours with high unmet medical needs.

Associate Professor Vine-Perrow, Leader of the Targeted Cancer Therapies Research Group in UOW’s Molecular Horizons, said the team were thrilled to be awarded the Australian Economic Accelerate Ignite Grant, which would have a significant impact on their work to develop ResectAssist™ for clinical use.

“Pancreatic cancer is one of the most difficult cancers to treat, particularly if it is at an advanced stage. That is why the outcomes and survival rates are so poor. This cancer drug-eluting device will minimise systemic side effects and maximise treatment efficacy, potentially transforming treatment and care for cancer patients,” Associate Professor Vine-Perrow said.

“The possibilities are great, for patients with pancreatic cancer but also for treating a wide range of solid tumours.

“This grant is so welcome as it will allow us to continue moving forward on ResectAssist™ and support the development and manufacturing of the device for clinical applications.”

Dr Paul Di Pietro, UOW Interim Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President (Research and Sustainable Futures), congratulated Associate Professor Vine-Perrow and the team on their fantastic outcome in the nationally competitive grant program.

“We are thrilled to see the ResectAssist™ team’s groundbreaking work receive the support it deserves, and we look forward to the impactful discoveries that will undoubtedly emerge from this funding,” Dr Di Pietro said. 

“Associate Professor Vine-Perrow and the team’s tireless efforts to advance our understanding and treatment of cancer are truly inspiring and will shape the future of cancer care.”