Capsular Technologies
Welcome to Capsular Technologies
Micro-hydrogel vaccine delivery platform enabling
controlled-release of bioactive material
Capsular Technologies is a Melbourne based startup offering a unique vaccine encapsulation solution, turning multiple-shot injection into a single-shot immunology regime.
About Capsular
We are an Australian biotech company researching and developing a unique vaccine delivery platform by encapsulating the antigen in a controlled-release biopolymer gel formulation turning multiple-shot injection into a single-shot injection regime with the same immunological protection.
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As part of the wind up of the Polymers CRC, all of the technology from its encapsulation research program was assigned into the spin-off company Capsular Technologies P/L (‘Capsular’). Capsular has three strong patent applications, at various stages of development.
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"Injectable composition for delivery of a biologically active agent" WO2017177265
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"Biopolymer hybrid gel-depot delivery system" WO2011003155
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"Vaccine Composition" WO2019173871
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Headquartered in Melbourne, Victoria, Capsular focuses on research and commercialisation of single injection micro-hydrogel biopolymers vaccine delivery platform. We have strong R&D capability across a network of research providers and collaborators including leading scientists at the Swinburne University of Technology and the University of Queensland.
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"a cost-effective single-injection vaccine delivery that results in persistently high immunological responses which remains a challenge across many animal health sectors"
Visualisation of the
Micro-Hydrogel Encapsulated Antigen
Confocal Microscopy
Confocal microscopy with overlay of green and red channels.
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Green channel showing the micro-hydrogel in the formulation.
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Red channel showing the antigen distribution in the sample.
Polymer Coating
Antigen
Polymer Coating
Antigen
The micro-hydrogel shaped like a microsphere which is composed of biodegradable, biocompatible synthetic polymer in which the antigen is dispersed.
Our Technology
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The major issue with current veterinary vaccines is the fast clearing from the body after vaccination, which prevents the development of complete protective immune response, necessitating one or multiple booster shots to induce protection. Currently, there are no platform technologies commercialised that deliver single-dose sustained released of inactivated vaccines based on killed or subunit antigens due to poor antigen stability and the difficulty in obtaining unconventional release kinetics upon vaccine administration.
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Capsular overcomes this limitation by encapsulating the vaccine antigen in micro-hydrogel. These micro-hydrogel form in situ in water droplets within oil adjuvant, giving a complex micro-hydrogel in emulsion structure. The water-in-oil micro-hydrogel emulsion modulates the release of antigen to produce a cascade of immune responses, allowing for the development of a protective immune response without the need for the booster shots. The encapsulation of the antigen relies on tailored electrostatic interactions and physical entrapment within the crosslinked hydrogel. Whereas the modulated release of the antigen relies on the diffusion and the biodegradation of the hydrogel in the body.
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Controlled-Release Mechanism
Modulated-release mechanism of the micro-hydrogel encapsulated antigen.
Key People
Who’s Who
We wouldn’t be able to take Capsular Technologies to the next level without our incredible team of entrepreneurs, seasoned executives and innovative researchers who collaborate together to make each project come to life. Our staff runs like a well-oiled machine, offering all of our clients smart and useful products aimed at making their lives better. Read below to learn more about the incredible Capsular Technologies team.
Steve Wright
EMBA, Grad. Dip. Mgt, AFIML
Company Secretary
Steve has had a long and successful career working in science and technology based organisations that have predominantly focused on research, innovation and commercialisation/utilisation. This has often been combined with an educational thrust that has significantly enhanced and grown Australia’s capabilities.
During this time Steve has undertaken strategic, facilitative and tactical activities in various roles including business manager, company secretary, director and CEO of management and spin-off companies. The formation and early stage development of Capsular Technologies Pty Ltd is the most recent spin-off company in which he has been involved and he is very excited about the longer-term prospects for this company and the technology platform which it owns.
An undergraduate degree in economics from ANU and postgraduate management qualifications from UNSW have provided a sound basis for effectively addressing real world challenges.
MEET
OUR
RESEARCH
TEAM
Dr Mohammad Al Kobaisi
Inventor
Dr Al Kobaisi is the inventor/co-inventor of Capsular's proprietary controlled-release vaccine delivery platform. Mohammad has more than a decade of research experience in the development of drug/vaccine delivery systems based on biomaterials by controlling their adjuvanting properties and degradation rate. He also has expertise in the synthesis of composite biopolymers, the biomedical application of nanogels, microparticles and nanoparticles, and developing methods for controlling the composition/structure/properties of biomaterials for application in biomedical industry.
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Dr Al Kobaisi holds a PhD from RMIT University in Applied Chemistry (2007). After completing his PhD, he joined CRC for Polymers program as a Post Doctoral Fellow working on developing a single-injection vaccine delivery system. He is currently a Senior Research Fellow at the Swinburne University of Technology, collaborating with industry partners include Merial (Boehringer), Meat & Livestock Australia Ltd (MLA) and University of Queensland. He is the inventor/co-inventor of 3 patents and has 57 publications in journals, book chapters, and conference proceedings.
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Get in Touch
Contact us today to learn more about our technology and how you can benefit from working with us.
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