A seasoned Director with more than 40 years’ experience in accounting and the financial services industry, Mr Loone brings a wealth of expertise and strategic insight to Servatus. His distinguished career has included being Principal of Crowe Horwath, CEO of WHK Group and Partner at Garrotts.
Mr Loone is currently the Chair of the Workforce Health Assessors (WHA) Group International Pty Ltd, which is a rapidly emerging company providing primarily pre-employment medicals to employers across Australia and New Zealand.
“We are delighted to welcome Rodney to our Board of Directors,” said Mr Mark Williams, CEO and Executive Director of Servatus Biopharmaceuticals. “His proven track record of driving financial success makes him a valuable addition to the Company.
”Mr Williams continued, “Rodney and his extensive business network have been important supporters of Servatus from the early days of the Company’s formation. He is well versed in our history, challenges and the immense opportunities we have ahead of us, and we’re confident that he will contribute significantly to our continued growth.
”Mr Loone said, “I am honoured to join Servatus’ esteemed Board of Directors, and I’m excited to leverage my financial expertise to help contribute to the strategic direction of the company. I look forward to working with the Board and leadership team to support its growth initiatives and drive continued success.
”Mr Loone holds a Bachelor of Business from the University of Tasmania and is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants.
Servatus Limited, an Australian biopharmaceutical company delivering leading novel autoimmune and microbiome therapies, is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr Mark Williams as Chief Executive Officer.
First joining Servatus as a Non-Executive Director in February 2018, Mr Williams was appointed Chief Financial Officer and Executive Director in July 2018. Prior to joining Servatus, he had a long and successful career in investment banking, spending two decades with Macquarie Bank in senior roles in Sydney, London, and South America, ultimately leading Macquarie in Brazil.
Mr Williams said he was deeply honoured to step into the CEO role at Servatus and build upon the legacy of Dr Wayne Finlayson, the Company’s Co-founder and CEO who passed away in September. “Wayne was a visionary and I am proud to build upon his ground-breaking work in microbiome-based therapeutics.”
“Servatus is an exciting and dynamic business, with significant developments underway across our clinical program and our over-the-counter consumer products business, biomiq. We have several key inflection points over the coming 12 months that I’m confident will further cement our position as a leading microbiome-based therapeutics company globally.”
Servatus is progressing its comprehensive clinical program for its live biotherapeutics. Currently four clinical trials are in progress for insomnia, IBS-C, Helicobacter Pylori and Rheumatoid Arthritis, with a number of important data readouts expected in H1 2024.
Additionally, Servatus’ new biomiq skincare range expands Servatus’ biomiq product portfolio, which already includes a range of powdered OTC TGA-listed biotherapeutics that target specific health complaints, including constipation and bloating.
Servatus Ltd, an Australian biopharmaceutical company, is very saddened to announce the passing of Co-Founder, Executive Director & CEO, Dr Wayne Finlayson.
The Board extends its deepest sympathies and condolences to Wayne’s family, friends and colleagues.
Wayne was a well-respected and visionary scientist, who will leave a positive, resounding mark on the development of science and new medicines, both in Australia and globally.
Early in his career, Wayne was Executive Director of NASDAQ listed Infergene, with specific responsibility for technology. In 1990, Wayne founded Progen Pharmaceuticals and was Managing Director and CEO. After leaving Progen Pharmaceuticals, he acted as a consultant until 2009, providing technology investment advice to clients. During this period, he also held various contract positions for clients (including large investment firms in the USA), with responsibility for ensuring readiness of investee companies for public listing or other investment.
Wayne held a BSc (Hons) and a PhD in Organic Chemistry from La Trobe University. After completing his doctorate, he was a post-doctoral Research Fellow for three years at the University of California, Berkeley, in the USA.
Together with Dr Wolf Hanisch, Wayne founded Servatus in 2012 and established operations in 2013. Together, Wayne and Wolf built Servatus into a solid business with multiple operational areas, including drug development, manufacturing and consumer products, leveraging their cutting-edge discoveries in the areas of live microbial biotherapeutics and engineered proteins.
In order to plan for his eventual succession, for some time now, Wayne and the Servatus Board have built out strong execution capability within Servatus. While Wayne will be sorely missed, the Board is confident that Servatus is well positioned to ensure the company’s operations will continue to deliver and execute, uninterrupted, to the Board’s strategy.
Executive Director and CFO, Mark Williams commented, “We are all deeply saddened by Wayne’s sudden passing and offer our sincerest condolences to all those who knew him. Servatus is the successful company it is today with an exciting future because of Wayne. Wayne’s vision for Servatus will continue to inspire us as we carry forward his passion for excellence in bringing through new medicines and consumer products to solve today’s health challenges.”
For any shareholder queries about this announcement, please contact Mark Williams via +61 447 951 682.
Read the whole ABC News article here.
Read More
18th May 2023
Servatus’ clinical trial confirms that treating the microbiome with a live biotherapeutic has a major impact on IBS
Servatus Ltd, an Australian biopharmaceutical company developing microbiome therapies, is pleased to report extremely encouraging results in its Phase I clinical trial which treated adult sufferers of Irritable Bowel Syndrome with constipation (IBSc) using live biotherapeutics.
The trial, conducted by one of Australia’s leading Gastroenterologists, Professor Gerald Holtmann from the Princess Alexandra Hospital in Brisbane, clearly demonstrated that treating with a defined consortia of live biotherapeutics significantly reduces the impact of IBSc, a widespread issue across Australia.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a common digestive disorder affecting up to 30% of the Australian population. Symptoms include frequent abdominal pain, bloating or discomfort, and changes in the appearance or frequency of bowel movements. IBS-C is a type of IBS in which the abdominal discomfort or bloating happens with constipation. The most commonly used medical treatments for IBSc are laxatives, which may offer immediate relief but do not address the underlying cause, meaning the condition continues to resurface.
34 trial participants were treated for an eight-week duration with Servatus’ live biotherapeutic product, with results validating both safety and clinically meaningful improvements byreducing constipation symptoms in 48% of participants and improving quality of life in 62% of participants.
Prof Holtmann said: “The composition of the gut microbiome and the metabolic properties of microbes in people with constipation are distinctly different from healthy subjects and new data point towards a role of gastrointestinal bacteria for gastrointestinal transit time, stool consistency and even gastrointestinal inflammation. By treating IBS-C sufferers with live biotherapeutics we were aiming to correct an underlying disturbance and improve the function of the gut bacteria.”
Gina, a patient on the trial, said: “Anyone who has experienced constipation might know how painful it can be but when you have IBSc you have to live with constipation all the time, which can make work and social activities very difficult. I’ve tried many different treatments but the effects of the Live Biotherapeutic were very positive and my bouts of constipation were definitely not as severe. Once I stopped the Live Biotherapeutic, I went straight back to being chronically constipated and it was more severe once again.”
About Live Biotherapeutics
Gut bacteria can impact diseases in various locations on the body, through modulation of the human immune system, metabolism and even neurological function. Live biotherapeutics are a new area of medicine based on identifying certain species and combinations of gut bacteria that have significant immunomodulatory, anti-microbial and hormone regulatingroles.
Servatus’ live biotherapeutics are combinations of strains of commensal bacteria that have been carefully selected for their specific functionality relevant to mechanisms of disease.
CEO of Servatus, Dr Wayne Finlayson, said: “The results of our Phase I clinical trial are extremely promising as they have shown us how taking live biotherapeutics can treat and importantly, reduce the symptoms of IBSc. We now look forward to advancing to further human clinical trials with the aim of providing sufferers with a safe, fast and effective treatment option.”
Servatus will now move its live biotherapeutics into Phase II clinical trials, once again led by Prof Holtmann, with patient recruitment expected to begin in CY2023.
Click here to read the complete ABC article.
Read MoreMEDIA RELEASE
15 February 2023
• As General Manager of global pharmaceutical company, Jazz Pharmaceuticals, Eilis Quinn brings extensive commercial and pharmaceutical acumen to the Servatus board
• Eilis Quinn has over 20 years of experience in the healthcare industry across multiple markets, leading business and commercial strategy development for major industry players
• Appointment further builds Servatus’ product development and commercialisation expertise for its global biotherapeutics programs
Servatus Limited, an Australian biopharmaceutical company delivering leading novel autoimmune and microbiome therapies, is pleased to announce the appointment of Eilis Quinn to its Board as Non-Executive Director.
Eilis Quinn brings more than 25 years of experience working within biotechnology companies across multiple international markets. She is currently the General Manager of Australia and New Zealand for Jazz Pharmaceuticals, a global pharmaceutical company specialising in oncology and neuroscience. Prior to this, she held senior positions within Vertex Pharmaceuticals, including Senior Director of the Global Pipeline Division, leading the global commercial team.
The appointment adds further commercial expertise to the Servatus Board as the Company rapidly advances clinical programs for its live biotherapeutics products. Trials are currently in progress or in planning across the areas of IBSc, insomnia, rheumatoid arthritis and otherautoimmune diseases.
Dr Wayne Finlayson, CEO of Servatus said: “This is an important Board appointment for Servatus as Eilis brings extensive commercial leadership experience within the global biotech and pharmaceutical industries. Her background complements and further strengthens thecapabilities of our Board, and we look forward to benefiting from her many years of experience in big pharma across various international markets.
Eilis Quinn said: “As one of the leading companies globally in the microbial biotherapeutics space, I am very pleased to be joining the Servatus Board and look forward to using my expertise to inform global commercialisation strategies.
”Eilis has a Master of Arts (MA) Biotechnology, Law and Ethics, from the University of Sheffield, a Master of Science (MSc) Biomedical Sciences, University of Westminster, London, UK and a Bachelor of Science (BSc) Biomedical Sciences, from University of Ulster, Ireland.
For further information please contact:
Cherie Hartley
cherie.hartley@irdepartment.com.au
+61 418 737 020
About Servatus | www.servatus.com.au
Servatus Ltd is an unlisted public biopharmaceutical company focused on creating safe, effective, and reliable microbiome-based therapeutic drugs to treat several chronic and debilitating autoimmune diseases, as well as non-antibiotic treatments for bacterial infections.
In addition to drug research and development, and ongoing clinical trials, Servatus also owns a state-of-the-art production facility. This facility means Servatus is able to oversee all aspects of the research development and production pipeline and ensure that its live microbial biotherapeutic drug candidates are made to the highest-standard and specifications, and removes the logistical uncertainty often associated with outsourcing manufacturing
About Live Biotherapeutics
Gut bacteria can impact diseases in various locations on the body, through modulation of the human immune system, metabolism and even neurological function. Live biotherapeutics are a new area of medicine based on identifying certain species and combinations of gut bacteria that have significant immunomodulatory, anti-microbial and hormone regulatingroles.
Servatus’ live biotherapeutics are combinations of strains of commensal bacteria that have been carefully selected for their specific functionality relevant to mechanisms of disease.
MEDIA RELEASE
19th October 2022
World-first microbiome-focused study may offer new hope to rheumatoid arthritis sufferers via improved gut health
Servatus Ltd, an Australian biopharmaceutical company delivering leading, novel autoimmune and microbiome therapies, has begun dosing patients in a world-first human clinical trial studying the effects of using live biotherapeutics to treat the debilitating condition of rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
The study is being conducted by Australia’s leading rheumatologist, Dr Peter Nash, at the Rheumatology Research Unit on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland, and will research the effects of specially formulated live biotherapeutics on patients with RA.
The aim of the trial is to assess the impact of live biotherapeutics on gut microbiome composition and function, and ultimately the association between a healthy gut and a reduction in the symptoms associated with RA.
Preclinical animal trials have already delivered very positive results, with the goal now firmly set on demonstrating the effectiveness of this treatment on people and thereby having a positive impact on the lives of hundreds of thousands of Australians.
Professor Peter Nash from University of Queensland, Griffith University, Director of the Rheumatology Research Unit on the Sunshine Coast, and veteran of rheumatology trials for many of the major pharmaceutical companies said, “We know the gut microbiome is important in the possible cause of, or one of the drivers for, Rheumatoid Arthritis and this is an exciting opportunity to test the beneficial effects of a novel live biotherapeutic.”
Dr Wayne Finlayson, Servatus’ CEO commented: “The dosing of our first patient in this landmark human trial is an extremely significant milestone. Identifying a link between a healthy microbiome and a reduction in the symptoms associated with rheumatoid arthritis potentially enables us to offer people who have been living in constant debilitating pain an effective, natural treatment, and this is very exciting.”
Servatus’ technology uses live biotherapeutics derived from the human microbiome that has a different mode of action than existing drugs to suppress the production of inflammatory cytokines and improve the production of anti-inflammatory cytokines. Cytokines are secreted proteins that have a specific effect on the interactions and communications between cells.
Rheumatoid Arthritis Overview
According to the Australian Government’s Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, RA affects 1 in every 50 people, and is estimated to cost the Australian health system $1.2 billion. Around 456,000 Australians (1.9% of the total population) have rheumatoid arthritis, with rates slightly higher for women (2.3%) than men (1.5%).
RA is an autoimmune disease that causes pain and swelling of the joints. The normal role of the body’s immune system is to fight off infections, however with an autoimmune disease, the body’s immune system starts attacking its own healthy tissues. In RA, the immune system targets the lining of the joints, causing inflammation and joint damage. RA usually affects smaller joints, such as the joints in the hands and feet. However larger joints such as the hips and knees can also be affected.
Around 40% of people who have RA also experience signs and symptoms that don't involve the joints. Areas that may be affected include: skin, eyes, lungs, heart, kidneys, salivary glands, nerve tissue, bone marrow and blood vessels.
Call-out for RA sufferers to get involved in the trial
The trial is looking to recruit 45 patients in total and will run for approximately 12 months, with final results expected in the second half of 2023.
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/RheumatoidArthritisTrial
--ends—
For further information please contact:
Cherie Hartley
cherie.hartley@irdepartment.com.au+61 418 737 020
About Servatus | www.servatus.com.au
Founded in 2012, Servatus Ltd is an Australian-owned biopharmaceutical company devoted to creating safe, effective, and reliable microbiome-based therapeutic drugs to treat several chronic and debilitating autoimmune diseases, as well as non-antibiotic treatments for bacterial infections. In addition to our innovative drug research and development, and ongoing clinical trials, Servatus also owns a state-of-the-art production facility. Our own production facility means that Servatus is able to oversee all aspects of the research development and production pipeline and ensure that our live microbial biotherapeutic drug candidates are made to our high-standard and specifications, and removes the logistical uncertainty often associated with outsourcing manufacturing. Servatus is an unlisted public company with headquarters in Coolum, Queensland. The Company derives its name from St Servatus who was a churchman and diplomat in the fourth century and become Bishop of Tongeren, a city and municipality now in modern-day Belgium. Servatus was invoked by Catholics as a patron saint, with healing powers for a range of ailments, including rheumatism.
About Microbial Biotherapeutics
A primary research focus for Servatus is the development of microbial biotherapeutics (live micro-organisms) which can be used to prevent or treat disease. Historically, the application of selected bacterial strains has been devoted to the modulation and repair of the gut microbiome. However, Servatus’ research concentrates on developing microbial biotherapeutics that are applicable to the prevention, treatment or cure of specific diseases or conditions in humans. Servatus targets autoimmune and inflammatory conditions associated with dysbiosis and immune dysregulation, including ulcerative colitis, arthritis, atopic dermatitis, and gastrointestinal and urogenital tract infections. Servatus utilises bacterial strains that have not been widely employed previously. They have demonstrated bioactive properties that inhibit pathogenic bacterial growth and infection, modulate immune responses and regulate inflammatory signals. The efficacy of the bacterial strains is due to structures on their cell surface and, importantly, the biological effector molecules they secrete, which interact and communicate with the body’s own cells. The bacterial candidates are developed to act directly at specific sites within the gastrointestinal tract and at targeted organ sites that are influenced by microbial interactions.