About us
Apop Biosciences Pty Ltd (Apop) is an Australian biotechnology company established in October 2016 by founding director and medical researcher Assoc/Prof Peter Wookey, following decades of research into the role of the calcitonin receptor as a marker of disease. Dr Wookey’s research has been published in peer reviewed journals and presented at multiple scientific meetings.
Apop’s catchy name was inspired by the major form of Programmed Cell Death (PCD), apoptosis.
Apop’s Intellectual Property is protected by two key patents:
PCT/AU2008/001435; WO 2009/039584, Patent No 2203747. Diagnosis and treatment of diseased and damaged tissue.
Int PCT/AU2014/001081 Marker of cell death.
Non-Confidential. All Apop products are for Research Use Only (RUO)
CalRexin™ is a Registered Trademark in the following countries:
Australia
European Union
United Kingdom
United States of America
Pending in other regions
Executive Leadership
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Elpis Barons
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER & MANAGING DIRECTOR
Elpis is a highly skilled international healthcare business and research executive. She has worked with and led early to mid-stage enterprises for over 30 years across the Life Sciences, MedTech and BioTech sectors.
Her proven leadership skills and extensive experience in commercialising early stage technologies, managing operations, building teams and developing strategic partnerships, span across a variety of sectors.
Elpis brings a breadth of experience to the team as a successful business owner. She is an advisory board member to early stage companies, mentor to academic institutions and US-based global Health/MedTech accelerators, and a judge of applicants to these programmes.
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Dr Peter Wookey
CHIEF SCIENTIFIC OFFICER AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Peter has a research career of 50 years and has focused on the role of the calcitonin receptor (CT Receptor) in tissues and diseases for over 20 years. He has published widely with 58 publications including research papers, reviews, and book chapters. He is inventor on two patents owned by Apop Biosciences.
Peter founded two companies, Welcome Receptor Antibodies Pty Ltd and Apop Biosciences Pty Ltd, the latter to fully commercialise opportunities based on these patents.
Currently a Principal Fellow, in the Department of Medicine-Austin, University of Melbourne where he leads his research team. Peter’s research career began with graduation as a PhD student at the John Curtin School of Medical Research, Australian National University, Canberra.
Our Board
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Matthew Hoskin
NON-EXECUTIVE CHAIR
Matthew has over 25 years’ experience leading businesses in the healthcare and medical technology sectors in both small and large multinational companies.
Currently a medical technology development and commercialisation consultant. Matthew is also a Non-Executive Director of a regional public hospital and Managing Director of an emerging MedTech company.
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Roland Geitenbeek
NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Roland has over 35 years’ experience owning and operating successful businesses, he is also a passionate early stage start up investor with an emphasis on life science, therapeutic and biotech companies.
Being an owner operator provides an understanding and appreciation of the challenges experienced in business, with a sharp commercial focus on achieving key outcomes in a timely manner.
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Dr Paul Boxer
NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Paul is a serial founder, investor with the Melbourne Angels, and philanthropist. He started as a Mech Engineer and rose to Chief Engineer–Compact Cars at GM, becoming an entrepreneur in 1999, and completing a PhD in Artificial Intelligence.
Paul has extensive experience in lean start-up companies. Founded five successful start-ups, mentored two and mentored two and profitably exited three. These days he travels extensively as a Digital Nomad.
who uses our technology
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Researchers - Academic & Industry
Researchers rely on innovative technologies to interrogate novel biological disease pathways, in the effort to deliver the next blockbuster drug to the clinic. Researchers are intensifying their endeavours to detect and monitor autophagy and Programmed Cell Death (PCD), which are increasingly associated with important illnesses and diseases at all ages. Unlocking the complex biological pathways that lead to cell stress, apoptosis, and autophagy is a key research outcome. Imaging these processes in real time has become increasingly important to early drug discovery research programs. Apop’s technologies are used by academic and industry research organisations seeking more refined tools to image PCD, cell stress and autophagy mechanisms in cells.
Apop’s imaging reagents have been developed to address the growing need for reliable, easy to use reagents that fit into existing workflows whilst providing high fidelity data. CalRexin™:pHrodo™ Red is a novel reagent for real-time, primary screening on high throughput platforms of libraries for candidate compounds that modulate autophagy. Drugs that stimulate autophagy have application in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases while those that suppress autophagy are potential anti-cancer therapies, as an example.
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Commercial Research Groups & Biopharma
Contract Research Organisations involved in assay development and fee for service research. Large pharma conducting drug discovery and development focussing on new and novel drugs, or repurposing of existing therapeutics that involve programmed cell death, autophagy and cell stress.