Nelson startup developing antiviral to fight pandemics
A Nelson startup hopes that a new laboratory will speed up its work developing a broad-spectrum antiviral drug to help fight pandemics and diseases such as dengue fever and HIV.
Biotechnology company Kimer Med moved into its new lab in the Cawthron Institute’s Stoke premises in November, and is now recruiting extra staff to help develop the drug.
Chief executive Rick Kiessig said setting up the lab was an important milestone for the company, which started operating in August 2020.
‘‘This . . . will allow us to significantly increase the pace of our research.’’
The company’s aim is to end viral disease. Currently, most antivirals existed to fight individual viruses, but the hope was that Kimer Med could develop a drug that would work against multiple viruses, Kiessig said.
The drug could help in the fight against future strains of Covid-19, or other viruses that may emerge.
It would also be useful in the fight against the likes of HIV or dengue fever, with the latter infecting about 390 million people a year, Kiessig said. ‘‘The impact it will have if we’re successful are very significant, so it’s very motivating.’’
Much of the company’s work had been outsourced to other facilities in New Zealand and abroad, but being at the Cawthron Institute meant that it could now be brought in-house, which would speed up the development of the drug, he said.
If everything went well, the drug could be ready for market in five to 10 years.
Cawthron’s Te Wero Aro-aramata supervisor, Michael Scott, said he was delighted to be working alongside a Nelson company. ‘‘We are excited to be able to assist Kimer Med make further scientific advances in this area.’’