Advance Queensland Johnson & Johnson Innovation QuickFire Challenge

Developing a prototype device for the early detection of heart damage, which is crucial to saving patients’ lives. The device is based on Atomo Diagnostics' existing point-of-care technology and will utilise cardiac markers developed by Brisbane-based Anteo Technologies. The proposed technology offers up the possibility of providing an easy-to-use, accurate and rapid lowcost diagnostic test, with the potential to offer an affordable and widely deployable alternative to expensive hardware systems.

Using nanotechnology Eikonic has identified a chemical compound that targets the class of bacteria responsible for gum disease and tooth decay. The company is hopeful that it can develop a potential preventive topical application that can be applied daily and is easy to use, avoiding the need for complex, costly and invasive conventional procedures.

Pre-clinical testing of a chemical compound called antroquinonol, which offers potential as a possible treatment for Alzheimer's disease. Derived from a mushroom commonly used in Chinese traditional medicine, antroquinonol has the possibility of tackling one of the biggest challenges in treating Alzheimer’s – crossing the blood-brain barrier. The company will use the prize money to prepare the groundwork for a pilot study of the compound with early-stage Alzheimer’s patients.