Qubigen and University of Melbourne Secure Federal AEA Grant to Advance AI-Driven Drug Design
- Feb 13
- 2 min read
Qubigen is proud to announce the successful award of an Australian Government Australia’s Economic Accelerator (AEA) Ignite grant in partnership with the University of Melbourne, supporting a ground-breaking project at the intersection of artificial intelligence and medical science. The project, “AI-Driven Drug Discovery for Next-Generation STING Inhibitors” has been awarded $496,348 in federal funding and will accelerate the development of novel therapeutics for neuroinflammatory and neurodegenerative diseases.
Accelerating Translation with AI and Federated Learning
The project brings together the University of Melbourne’s internationally recognised advanced proficiency in neuropharmacology, structural biology, and translational neuroscience with Qubigen’s world-leading Federated AI Drug Design (FedAIDD) service expertise. Together, the team aims to transform how small-molecule therapeutics are discovered for central nervous system (CNS) disorders.
At the heart of the collaboration is the use of advanced machine learning, cheminformatics, and predictive pharmacokinetic modelling to generate and optimise novel STING (Stimulator of Interferon Genes) inhibitors that can cross the blood–brain barrier, an unmet challenge in current drug development. These inhibitors target neuroinflammation, a key driver of diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and traumatic brain injury.
The AEA Ignite funding will enable the project to progress from Technology Readiness Level 3 (TRL3) to TRL 4, delivering laboratory-validated, brain-penetrant lead compounds with strong commercial potential.
Scalable AI-Driven Drug Design
Qubigen plays a central role in the project, leveraging its unique Federated AI platform for Drug Design (FedAIDD) to rapidly generate novel, AI optimised compounds. Qubigen’s team, including Dr Jonathan Hall (CEO), Dr Sonya Diakiw (Chief Scientific Officer), and Dr Tuc Nguyen (Senior AI Engineer) will work alongside the University of Melbourne’s Department of Biochemistry and Pharmacology and Bio21 Institute, including academic team Prof Peter Crack, Prof Michael Parker, Dr Bruce Wong and Dr Tracy Nero to rapidly explore the chemical space, significantly compressing small molecule development timelines.
Building Australia’s Sovereign Capability in AI-Enabled Therapeutics
The project aligns strongly with the Australian Government’s priorities in medical science and artificial intelligence, and with broader national goals to strengthen sovereign capability in digital health and biotech commercialisation. This collaboration highlights the critical role of Australian SMEs like Qubigen in translating academic breakthroughs into commercially viable technologies. By combining AI innovation with wet-lab validation, the partnership establishes a scalable platform for future drug design programs beyond STING inhibition.
Looking Ahead
Over the next 12 months the collaboration will deliver an AI-driven design pipeline optimised for CNS drug development, novel, synthesised STING inhibitor candidates, in vitro validation of potency, selectivity, and brain-penetrant properties, and a clear IP and commercialisation pathway toward clinical development.
This AEA Ignite grant marks a significant milestone for Qubigen and the University of Melbourne, demonstrating how AI-enabled collaboration can accelerate translation from lab to clinic, while positioning Australia as a leader in next-generation drug design.
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