Massey Ventures wins Best Licensing Deal for keloid scar treatment
29th October 2024
Massey Ventures has been named the winner in the Best Licensing Deal category at the 2024 KCA Australasian Research Commercialisation Awards.
Above: Massey Ventures accepts the “Best Licensing Deal” award at the 2024 KCA Research Commercialisation Awards. L-R: Quin Chang (KCA Chair) Mark Cleaver, Dr Dan Carlisle, Dr Sean Mackay, Ella Moffat, Jasmine Nash (Massey Ventures), Dr Maddie White (Gillies McIndoe)
The winning deal, a new treatment for keloid scarring, represents a significant collaboration between Massey Ventures and Gillies McIndoe Research Institute, a leader in biomedical research. Together, they developed innovative intellectual property aimed at improving treatment options for patients with keloid scars.
The intellectual property was licensed to AFT Pharmaceuticals, a New Zealand-based global pharmaceutical company with a reputation for bringing groundbreaking healthcare products to market.
Keloids are thickened scars that extend the boundaries of a wound and can often be itchy, painful, and disfiguring. Severe scars are sometimes surgically removed, often resulting in keloids growing back at the surgical site. Massey Ventures’ topical treatment aims to improve the standard of care for patients and avoid the need for surgery altogether.
Above: A close-up of a keloid scar
The Keloid scar deal is the second to emerge from the strategic collaboration between the parties. In 2022, Massey Ventures and Gillies McIndoe also licensed a new treatment for strawberry birthmarks to AFT Pharmaceuticals. These cutting-edge treatments have the potential improve outcomes for patients around the world, showcasing the quality of New Zealand research on the global stage.
"We are thrilled to be recognised once again for our collaborative efforts in advancing world-class innovations," said Sean Mackay, Senior Commercialisation Manager at Massey Ventures. "This award highlights the strength of our partnerships with institutions like Gillies McIndoe and industry leaders like AFT Pharmaceuticals. Together, we are not only driving scientific advancement but also delivering life-changing solutions to patients in need."
The award marks the third time Massey Ventures has been awarded the Best Licensing Deal in Australasia, reinforcing its leadership in the research commercialisation sector. In 2022, Massey Ventures won the same award following the Nestlé acquisition of a technology to help fight iron deficiency. They repeated their success in 2023, for the Strawberry Birthmark deal with Gillies McIndoe and AFT Pharmaceuticals.
We are delighted to win the KCA award for ‘best licensing deal’ for the second year running!” said Clint Gray, Director of Gillies McIndoe. “Current treatment options for keloid are limited, this can involve surgery and/or injections. Our topical treatment aims to prevent the excessive collagen deposition that characterises keloid scarring. A topical treatment offers the convenience of self-application, potentially transforming the landscape of keloid and scar management.”
The team at Massey Ventures had a lot to celebrate, also winning “Best Spinout” for NovoLabs®, a spinout of Massey University. NovoLabs breakthrough technology enables them to treat waste liquids more effectively, without the need for chemical pretreatment.
The KCA Australasian Research Commercialisation Awards celebrate outstanding achievements in the transfer of academic research to industry, with winners selected from a highly competitive field of nominees across New Zealand and Australia.
About Massey Ventures: Massey Ventures is the commercialisation arm of Massey University, dedicated to transforming university research and innovation into successful, market-ready products and services.
About Gillies McIndoe Research Institute: Gillies McIndoe Research Institute (GMRI) is a leading biomedical research institute, focused on developing new treatments for cancer and regenerative medicine. More information can be found at https://www.gmri.org.nz/
About AFT Pharmaceuticals: AFT Pharmaceuticals is a New Zealand-based global pharmaceutical company focused on developing and distributing a broad portfolio of healthcare products. Learn more at https://www.aftpharm.com/