BPC is excited to present an exclusive conversation with Thian Chew, Executive Chair and CEO of Invion Limited (ASX: IVX), discussing their groundbreaking developments in Next-Generation Photodynamic Therapy (PDT) to treat cancer and a range of other diseases.

Discover the advancements of Invion's innovative approach that enhances existing PDT methods to combat cancer through a targeted and less-invasive treatment approach.

Join host Jack Colreavy, CFA, as he explores the unique aspects of Invion's Next-Gen PDT compared to existing offerings and provides the latest updates on its clinical trials across multiple cancers with Thian. Uncover the potential of photodynamic therapy and its market implications by following Invion on the ASX under the ticker code IVX.

For further information on this Investment Opportunity, please contact James Whelan.

Read the Conversation:
Welcome. My name is Jack Colreavy, Associate Director at Barclay Pierce Capital. Joining me today is Thian Chew, Chairman and CEO of ASX-listed life sciences company Invion Limited, trading under the symbol IVX. Thanks for joining me, Thian.

Thanks, Jack. Great to be on. So many people wouldn't be familiar with Invion.

Invion is processing a photodynamic therapy for a number of diseases. Let's start with what is PDT and what diseases does it currently treat? Okay. So PDT is called photodynamic therapy. And by definition, it involves a combination of a drug, which is called a photosensitizer plus a light and currently there are approved drugs that cover the indications of cancer and antimicrobial, uh, applications.  Okay. So, so PDT is treating a range of, of conditions, but IVX specifically in conjunction with your technology partners are developing a next generation PDT technology. Can you expand on this and how it's different from the current treatments on market?

Yeah, absolutely. Well, certainly we are focused on primarily on cancers in our clinical trial program. And from cancer perspective, we know that our drug, which is called a photosensitizer, localizes selectively in cancer cells and not healthy tissue. Then when you shine a certain frequency of light, it actually kills just the cancer cells.

And in fact, it also activates the immune system and how that differs from other treatments right now in cancer. For example, if you look at chemotherapy and radiotherapy, you can see that. They're kind of like a carpet bomb where you just kill everything, whether it's healthy or, uh, cancer tissue, and it also weakens the immune system.

Um, surgery as well has its shortcomings, but we could potentially work together with surgery because our photosensitizer actually lights up when you shine a certain frequency of light instead of destroying the cancer cells. So we have a potential there for collaboration.  And then the third or the more, I guess, a recent form of, uh, cancer treatment is, is, is called immunotherapies where, uh, they basically activate the immune response.

Now, there's a, a large part of this is what's called checkpoint inhibitors. And there's some of the big blockbuster drugs that the drug companies have right now. Now they, when they work, they work really well. But the problem is, is that the response rate can be extremely low, as low as like 12%. So some recent work we did with Peter Mack found that we increase that response rate by working together with these checkpoint inhibitors from 12 percent to about 80 percent when done in combination.

So we think there are multiple applications here. And we have a superior modality to many of the current standard of cares, but we also have potential to work together with other treatments as well.  So IVX is taking the existing PDT technology, which is widely used in the market and adding a next generation spin on it by creating a monumental leap in sensitizers, uh, through your formulation of  INV043.

So what stage is IVX at in the formulation of Uh, clinical trials in relation to this? Well, we're actually at the inflection point. Um, it's nice to cure cancer in mice. Uh, but really what people want to know is, does it work in humans? And of course, is it safe in humans? That's exactly the stage we're at right now.

And we're about to start embarking on a number of clinical trials. Uh, the first one will be in non-melanoma skin cancer. Uh, we're also going to be looking at an inner genital cancer trial on the back of some of the work we did with Peter Mack. And we're also going to be targeting a solid tumor indication that will use a systemic, uh, uh, route of administration.

So, so we're looking at multiple cancers and that's what our next stage of development is going to be about.  So you're moving from preclinical animal trials into human trials. That's, that's always a big, uh, leap forward and a monumental milestone, um, for any life sciences company. Thank you so much for your time, Thian.

For those who want to learn more about IVX, please subscribe to the Chairman's List via the link in the description.