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Melbourne cancer therapy start-up wins $2b deal with Japan’s Astellas

The Australian Financial Review (AFR) •
October 27, 2026 • 11:30 PM
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A new targeted treatment for cancer tumours developed in Melbourne could be worth billions of dollars if human trials are successful.

Melbourne cancer therapy start-up wins $2b deal with Japan’s Astellas

A Melbourne start-up owned by a small group of medical researchers has landed one of Australia’s biggest potential biotech licensing deals after Japanese pharmaceutical giant Astellas Pharma agreed to pay up to $2 billion for future rights to develop and commercialise its new cancer treatment.

Audax Biosciences, an immunotherapy start-up founded and largely self-funded by scientists Jai Rautela and Nicholas Huntington, said the deal was a sign of confidence in its treatment, which has not yet been tested in humans.

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