Professor Michael Kassiou wins the 2024 AFR Research Commercialisation award
The University of Sydney has been recognised at the Australian Financial Review Higher Education Awards 2024, with Professor Michael Kassiou a joint winner for his research and work co-founding Kinoxis Therapeutics.
The Research Commercialisation category celebrates researchers working in partnership with industry to achieve real-world impacts. Professor Kassiou has pioneered research on drug discovery, leading to new treatment strategies for brain and cardiovascular disorders. He also received the 2023 Australian Museum Eureka Prize for Leadership in Science and Innovation and the 2023 HG Smith Memorial Award.
"This AFR Higher Education Award is a wonderful recognition of our work over many years,” Professor Kassiou said.
“The path from drug discovery to commercialisation is long but it is very rewarding to develop novel science that delivers direct human benefit. The work of my colleagues and research students has been both inspiring and invaluable, and I am grateful to Kinoxis Therapeutics for the opportunity to contribute to their ongoing commercial success."
The path from drug discovery to commercialisation is long but it is very rewarding to develop novel science that delivers direct human benefit.
Founded in 2018, Kinoxis Therapeutics is developing therapeutics to treat social anxiety disorders, which affect 1 in 10 Australians at some time in their lives. Social anxiety often precedes the onset of numerous psychiatric and neurological disorders, including addiction.
Oxytocin, known as the ‘love hormone’, has been investigated as a treatment for a range of social disorders, however traditionally a pill form of the hormone does not work as it does not easily enter the brain. Based on drug discovery work developed by Professor Kassiou, research by Kinoxis Therapeutics has led to the discovery of a molecule which is brain permeable and activates the oxytocin receptor so it can effectively be ingested in pill form.
Kinoxis Therapeutics is now developing a pipeline of novel molecules, which mimic the action of oxytocin. A $273 million partnership with Boehringer Ingelheim came to fruition in May 2023, to develop therapeutic treatments for people with a range of psychiatric disorders.
More recently in May 2024, Kinoxis Therapeutics announced a collaboration with the United States NIH’s National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, to develop a safe and effective treatment for alcohol use disorder.
Professor Emma Johnson, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) at the University of Sydney said: “Michael has mastered the serious challenge of combining fundamental discovery research with professional research translation.
“With funding from both a global pharmaceutical and the United States’ national medical research agency, it’s clear that eyes of the world are on him, as he develops treatments for the symptoms of widespread mental health conditions.
“Kinoxis is another example of the University’s deep commitment to solving pressing problems. In the last 40 years we’ve spun out more than 60 IP-based companies, with a collective market value of more than $600 million.”
University finalists
Three finalists from the University were considered at the Australian Financial Review Higher Education Awards this year, proudly representing the contribution and impact of the higher education sector in Australia and beyond.
The other finalists were:
The University of Sydney Youth Justice Collaboration, a program aiming to improve youth justice outcomes and ultimately prevent youth crime, nominated in the Community Engagement category.
The University of Sydney Job Smart program, designed to enhance international students’ employability through practical industry experience and connection, nominated in the Employability and Community Engagement categories.