Background
Aspergillosis is an infection caused by a type of mold (fungus). The illnesses resulting from aspergillosis infection usually affect the respiratory system, but their signs and severity vary greatly.
The mold that triggers the illnesses, aspergillus, is everywhere — indoors and outdoors. Most strains of this mold are harmless, but a few can cause serious illnesses when people with weakened immune systems, underlying lung disease or asthma inhale their fungal spores. The most prevalent in hospitals and other health care environments are Aspergillus sections Fumigati, Flavi, Nigri, and Nidulantes. Section Fumigati is the most frequently isolated section from human respiratory samples. Section Fumigati is one of the most species-rich sections in the Aspergillus genus, comprising about 50 to 60 potentially pathogenic species for humans. It is the Aspergillus section that has the most reported clinical relevance and is more often associated with respiratory symptoms than other Aspergillus sections. Aspergillus section Fumigati is associated with a high mortality rate in at-risk people, such as those with asthma, cystic fibrosis, and chronic obstructive lung disease or with immune suppression, mostly due to invasive pulmonary aspergillosis, which can be a fatal disease. It is estimated that over 30 million people are at risk of developing invasive aspergillosis worldwide, mainly due to the use of immunosuppressive therapies. Aspergillosis is most often acquired by inhalation of airborne spores causing pulmonary aspergillosis, and can becoming life threatening when the fungus disseminates into the bloodstream and reaches other organs.
Depending on the type of aspergillosis, treatment may involve observation, antifungal medications or, in rare cases, surgery.
Technology overview
This invention provides a method of treating or preventing aspergillosis colonization, infection or infestation. This patented technology is directed to the need to provide improved detection of pathogenic Aspergillus fungi of Aspergillus section Flavi and/or section Fumigatus, inclusive of the particular species Aspergillus flavus (including its domesticated ecotype, Aspergillus oryzae) and Aspergillus fumigatus, by nucleic acid sequence amplification. Detection may also include hybridization with respective probes specific for Aspergillus section Flavi, Aspergillus section Fumigatus, Aspergillus flavus/Aspergillus oryzae, and Aspergillus fumigatus.
Benefits
- Improved detection of pathogenic Aspergillus fungi
- A new method of treating or preventing Aspergillosis
Intellectual Property
An Australian provisional patent application No. 2024904128 titled “Aspergillus Nucleic Acid Detection” was filed on 13 December 2024. Prior art searches have not revealed any documents or patents indicating prior discovery of the methodology. It is intended that patent protection will be sought in the major western markets including the United States of America, Canada, Europe, Japan and Australia.
Applications
- Treatment and prevention of Aspergillus colonization, infection or infestation of an animal or plant
Commercial opportunity
UniSC is seeking a commercialisation partner for the development and deployment of the Technology, in the target applications.
The commercialisation strategy for this technology is to develop a kit comprising one or more isolated nucleic acid primers or probes respectively comprising the identified nucleotide sequences, or respectively comprising nucleotide sequences at least 70% identical thereto or a fragment thereof, and optionally one or more other components selected from the group consisting of:
- a thermostable DNA polymerase
- a reverse transcriptase; and
- one or more detection reagents.
Brief note on scientific founders
Associate Professor Erin Price– is a microbiologist, molecular geneticist, and co-lead of the Pathogen-Omics lab team at the University of the Sunshine Coast (UniSC). The Pathogen-Omics team investigates the transmission, antibiotic resistance potential, prevalence, and evolution of bacterial pathogens affecting humans, with a focus on pathogens associated with chronic respiratory diseases. Associate Professor Price has a keen interest in applying microbial genomics and transcriptomics to better understand, diagnose, and treat infectious diseases. She has extensive experience using comparative genomics to develop inexpensive, sensitive, and accurate real-time PCR diagnostic assays to target important microbes and their antimicrobial resistance potential.
Dr Derek Sarovich– is currently an Advance Queensland Fellow who joined UniSC in mid-2017 as a Senior Research Fellow. Derek is a molecular microbiologist and bioinformatician and is interested in antibiotic resistance, bacterial pathogenesis, molecular epidemiology, genomics and transcriptomics. Derek works closely with several clinically focused collaborators to bring next-generation sequencing technologies to the clinical realm, with a focus on improved treatment and diagnostics of antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections, particularly those with high morbidity and mortality.
Contact
For further information concerning the commercial opportunity please contact:
Michael Finney – Commercialisation Advisor