Biomedical pioneers working to improve cardiovascular health and prevent children’s ear infections were recognised at the 2026 WA Innovators of the Year Awards.
Atherid Therapeutics won the Community Benefit and Wellbeing Award for the project Erasing arterial blockage: the future of cardiovascular medicine.
The company’s founders and chief scientific officers are Associate Professor Juliana Hamzah, from The University of Western Australia’s Medical School and the Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, and Professor Shirley Jansen, from UWA's Medical School.
Inventor Associate Professor Hamzah leads groundbreaking research in targeted drug delivery for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease while executive director Professor Jansen is a leading vascular surgeon with over 25 years’ experience treating atherosclerotic disease.
Their vision is to prevent heart attack, stroke and amputation, and reduce the risk of vascular events and hospitalisation by helping patients to reduce the plaque in their arteries.
Atherid Therapeutics first-in-class drug candidate, ATH01, is a short-course treatment delivered through the bloodstream to directly target and clear fatty plaques while avoiding invasive procedures such as stents and bypass surgery.
ATH01 uses a naturally occurring human protein that supports healthy cell function but becomes impaired when arterial cells are overloaded with fat. By restoring this function, ATH01 enables cells to metabolise fatty build-up, reducing plaque, and improving blood flow.
Oto Medicines won the Emerging Innovation Award for the project Spritz-OM: A novel nasal spray to prevent childhood ear infections.
Oto Medicines’ founding directors are Adjunct Associate Professor Lea-Ann Kirkham and Professor Peter Richmond from UWA’s Medical School and The Kids Research Institute Australia.
Infectious disease microbiologist Associate Professor Kirkham is the chief executive officer and paediatrician and immunologist Professor Richmond chief marketing officer of the spin-out company from The Kids.
Every year, millions of children experience the pain, hearing problems, and repeated medical visits caused by ear infections.
Spritz-OM aims to help prevent these infections before they start by harnessing a naturally occurring beneficial bacterium found in healthy children to strengthens the body's natural defences against infection.
The innovative approach has the potential to improve children's health, ease the burden on families and reduce the need for antibiotics and surgery.
Winners were selected following an independent assessment process involving panels of highly regarded experts from across the innovation ecosystem.