From the laboratory to the community

May 2005

In the late 1990s, Professor Eric Morand and his research team determined that blocking a protein called macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) in joints could ease the harmful effects of arthritis.

Rapid acceleration: Professor Eric Morand and Dr Magdy Iskander.

Professor Morand knew it was an idea that could potentially help millions of people around the world, but instead of pursuing it, he sat on it for about a year.

"At the time I didn't think I could do it," says Professor Morand, from the Monash Institute for Inflammatory Disease. "It all seemed so daunting."

Fortunately Professor Morand rekindled his research.

12 months later when he teamed up with Dr Magdy Iskander from the Victorian College of Pharmacy. The pair determined that a drug could be created to block MIF.

In May 2001, they filed three provisional patent applications, which were later reviewed and then rejected by the then Monash Intellectual Property Committee.

"I was in shock," Professor Morand says. "They thought the project had value, but because the intellectual property was only partly developed, it could jeopardise the patent. We had run out of money, so essentially there was no money and no way to file what we had."

Soon after, Monash Commercial was established and business development manager Mr David Campbell moved in to help the pair.

Professor Morand says from that point the process was rapidly accelerated. "I can't praise Monash Commercial enough," he says. "By June 2002, the provisional patents were filed."

In May 2003, Cortical Pty Ltd was established with two local venture capital firms to help move the idea to the marketplace.

Genzyme, a major US biotechnology company, has since shown interest and has signed an agreement with Cortical to help develop the product.

It has also invested in the company.