Queensland Health confirms Clade 1 strain of monkeypox detected, second time ever for Australia
Queensland Health confirmed the case of monkeypox (Mpox) was detected in the state's Metro South region.
Testing revealed it to be the Clade 1 strain of the virus - marking the second time in history the more serious strain has ever been detected in Australia.
The case was acquired overseas but authorities say the risk to the wider community is very low.
Queensland Health confirmed exposure to the public had been limited and contact tracing was underway after the detection.
According to the Australian Immunisation Handbook, the symptoms of Mpox can include fever, swollen lymph nodes, fatigue, headache
and muscle aches, followed by a rash within 2-4 days of infection.
It spreads primarily through close or intimate contact.
Complications of the virus can range from bacterial infections to enciphalitus and pneumonia.
The Clade 1 strain of the virus is known cause higher numbers of severe illnesses.
Free Mpox vaccines are available to high-risk groups through sexual health clinics and GPs.
'Vaccination is available for post-exposure prophylaxis as well as primary preventive vaccination. High risk groups, including all sexually active gay, bisexual or other men who have sex with men and their partners, are eligible for free vaccines through sexual health clinics and general practitioners,' Minister for Health and Ambulance Services Tim Nicholls said.
Two doses are recommended for optimal protection.
Those travelling to areas with Clade 1 transmission are encouraged to get vaccinated before departure.
Queensland Health is monitoring the situation.
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News.com.au
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- News.com.au
MoneyTalks: Summit Biotech Fund's three standout ASX healthcare stocks
MoneyTalks is Stockhead's drill down into what stocks investors are looking at right now. We tap our list of experts to hear what's hot, their top picks and what they're looking out for. Today we hear from Australia's Summit Biotech Fund manager Reece O'Connell. With experience trading through multiple economic and market cycles, Reece O'Connell has developed a long-term investment approach focused on preserving and growing capital. In a career that has taken him from Perth to London and back again, he has worked closely with high-net-worth and wholesale investors, tailoring strategies to meet their objectives while navigating changing market conditions. At Summit Biotech Fund (SBF) he aims to provide long-term capital growth by investing in a portfolio of life science companies where innovation plays a crucial role in improving global health and economic outcomes. This includes biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, medical devices and equipment, medical data, information technology (e-health), and robotics. And in some good news for the fund, a rotation back into the healthcare sector appears to be gaining momentum with the S&P ASX 200 Health Care index rising 9.05% in July. "The healthcare sector has been the worst performing sector for two years and there's great positioning in quality healthcare names before the sector turns," he said. "We see these sector rotations every three to five years and I believe the ASX healthcare sector represents good value and plenty of upside in quality names with strong management." Here's three companies Summit Biotech Fund has invested in and why. Arovella Therapeutics (ASX:ALA) SBF is a major shareholder in Arovella, which is developing a next-generation cell therapy platform based on invariant Natural Killer T (iNKT) cells engineered with Chimeric Antigen Receptors (CARs) to target specific cancer antigens. Unlike traditional CAR-T therapies, Arovella's approach uses healthy donor cells to create off-the-shelf treatments, which reduces cost, complexity and time to treatment — the major issues currently faced by CAR-T companies. Arovella's lead candidate, ALA-101, targets CD19-positive blood cancers, and its pipeline encompasses therapy development for solid tumours such as gastric and pancreatic cancers. O'Connell reckons Arovella is in a hot area of cancer research. Nasdaq-listed MiNK Therapeutics recently soared following publication of a case report in the peer-reviewed Oncogene journal, detailing a patient with advanced, treatment-refractory testicular cancer who achieved complete remission after receiving its lead product iNKT Agentâ€'797, in combination with the immune checkpoint inhibitor nivolumab. "Arovella presents an opportunity in a rapidly growing sector, with a differentiated platform and strong early-stage clinical momentum," O'Connell said. "The company is the only ASX-listed biotech delving into CAR-iNKT therapies and one of only a handful globally." He said Arovella was well funded, finishing Q4 FY25 with cash of $20.9 million, which should fund the company through to completion of patient enrolment for its phase I clinical trial for ALA-101 n non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and leukaemia patients exhibiting the CD-19 biomarker – the target its CAR-iNKT cells recognise. The funding will also support the advancement of the company's solid tumour programs (CLDN18.2-CAR-iNKT targeting gastric cancer) and its armouring program (IL-12-TM). "ALA presents a highly compelling investment opportunity over the next six to 12 months, given the competitive landscape and the deals being struck for allogeneic assets and platforms," O'Connell added. SBF is a significant shareholder in Tryptamine, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing next-generation psychedelic medicines for neuropsychiatric conditions. Its lead program, TRP-8803, is a proprietary, IV-delivered formulation of psilocybin designed to provide more precise dosing and improved patient tolerability compared to oral psychedelic treatments. Phase 1b trials have already shown the drug to be safe and well tolerated in obese and non-obese participants. The company recently kicked off a world-first psilocin trial with TRP-8803 targeting Binge Eating Disorder (BED). The study, run in collaboration with Swinburne, will assess TRP-8803 when administered with psychotherapy with the goal to evaluate safety, feasibility and efficacy in adults diagnosed with BED. For O'Connell when analysing a biotech it as much about who is running the company as it is about the science. "One of the most important investment themes I always look for is a material monetary investment by directors in a company," he said. "Too many small ASX-listed companies have boards that aren't truly aligned with shareholders. "The number one way to be aligned is to have directors putting in their hard-earned cash like us. In this case, TYP ticks all the boxes.' He said directors, management,and major shareholders were collectively invested for more than $9m, with CEO Jason Carroll personally contributing more than $1 million. Carroll's 30-year career in big pharma includes two decades at Johnson & Johnson, where he led the strategy that doubled US sales of Remicade — a blockbuster IBD drug that ultimately reached US$10bn in annual global sales. O'Connell said other board members brought similar firepower. Executive director Chris Ntoumenopoulos was involved in the growth of Race Oncology (ASX:RAC) from $10m to north of $200m, founded former ASX-listed ResApp Health, which was acquired by Pfizer for ~$200m, and has helped double Island Pharmaceuticals' (ASX:ILA) value since joining its board. As part of the last raise experienced biotech investor Dr Daniel Tillett joined the Tryptamine board as a non-executive director and became a cornerstone investor. Tillet also cornerstoned a raise in Race Oncology in its early days and now leads it as CEO and managing director. Recent clinical progress provides Tryptamine with valuable proprietary data as its seek to advance the use of TRP-8803 in patient-specific indications. "With a differentiated psychedelic platform, directors heavily invested alongside shareholders, and multiple catalysts on the horizon, Tryptamine is emerging as one of the more compelling plays in the sector," O'Connell said. SBF also holds a strong position in NeuroScientific, which O'Connell said was positioning itself as a serious player in the fast-growing field of stem cell therapies for immune-mediated diseases, underpinned by its recently acquired StemSmart platform. The patented mesenchymal stromal cell (MSC) therapy has shown strong early results including a 53% remission rate in a phase II trial for refractory Crohn's disease and outperforming Humira, the long-time anti-inflammatory drug used as a standard of care. It also showed high response rates in a phase I trial for steroid-refractory Graft-versus-Host Disease (GvHD). "With the global markets for Crohn's and GvHD forecast to reach US$25 billion combined by 2035, StemSmart is tapping into significant unmet needs," O'Connell said. He also sees validation from the sector's leader Mesoblast (ASX:MSB), which recently secured US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for its MSC product and now commands a $3.1bn market cap. He said by comparison, Neuroscientific trades at just ~23 cents but carries a midpoint valuation of 60 cents, representing around 161% upside based on a probability-adjusted DCF model assuming modest success rates and future partnerships. This assumes modest 20% success rates, 25% market penetration in Crohn's and potential partnerships with big pharma to fund late-stage trials. With a Special Access Program about to generate real-world data, plans to initiate Phase II trials in 18–24 months, and expansion into additional inflammatory and lung diseases, StemSmart offers a scalable pipeline. "For investors looking at the MSC space NSB could be an early-stage, high-upside opportunity positioned to follow Mesoblast's trajectory as the market matures," he said. The views, information, or opinions expressed in the interview in this article are solely those of the interviewee and do not represent the views of Stockhead. Stockhead has not provided, endorsed or otherwise assumed responsibility for any financial product advice contained in this article. Disclosure: Summit Biotech Fund held shares in Arovella, Tryptamine Therapeutics and NeuroScientific Biopharmaceuticals at the time of writing this article.
ABC News
an hour ago
- ABC News
Family grateful for end-of-life care at Rockhampton's Fitzroy Community Hospice
Struggling to breathe, battling a staphylococcus infection and suffering from other age-related illnesses, Neil Robinson's family knew he was nearing the end of his life. His family did not want the 85-year-old to die in hospital, but knew bringing him home could be overwhelming and complicated. "His ailments were complex, and it was very daunting to think about caring for him ourselves," Neil's daughter-in-law Toni Robinson said. A friend suggested hospice care, and it ended up being the solution Neil's family was looking for. "My friend's father was cared for at a hospice, and it was such a comfort to his family," she said. Neil spent his last week at the Fitzroy Community Hospice, the only end-of-life care option outside hospitals or aged care homes between Gympie and Townsville, a stretch of nearly 1,000 kilometres. The community not-for-profit hospice opened its doors in June 2024 to provide better end-of-life care in central Queensland. The second stage of the project opened last month to expand its capacity. The new rooms have more space for families, which means people coming from outside the area to be with loved ones have somewhere to stay. "Some people have confused us with aged care, but those we care for are referred to us through medical practitioners and nurse practitioners," chief executive officer Beth Thomas said. Funding is provided through an agreement with Queensland Health for several public beds and private health insurers, as well as ongoing fundraising. Ms Thomas said the organisation's executives worked with local GPs and the community to get the word out about the specifics of end-of-life care. "It's about taking the burden of care from families and hospitals," Ms Thomas said. "A big difference from a hospital is that we don't have fixed visiting hours. Family members and pets can come and visit any time. "It is meant to be a soothing and calming environment with no bells and whistles and bustling that the hospital has." Allison Leech, a nursing teacher at CQ University and former director of nursing at Toowoomba Hospice, believed more palliative care options were needed in regional areas as it eases the burden for both local health care systems and families. "Many Australians want to die at home, but it's not always possible. So this becomes a home-like environment, and patients and families can do things on their own terms." Fitzroy Hospice clinical nurse Megan Anderson saw the hospice as a place to create memories. "It is holistic and we see the family as a key part of patient care," she said. A Queensland Health spokesperson said hospice care was a critical part of the health care system, providing funding to some non-government organisations for palliative care services. "Our palliative and end-of-life care strategy includes $171 million to fund more palliative care services and boost the workforce across the state," the spokesperson said. Neil died in January this year after spending a week at the hospice. Ms Robinson said the week was spent sitting at Neil's side with Hope, the family dog, resting her head in Neil's hand. She said it was a "peaceful passing for Neil" and a comforting experience for the family. "The staff provided us with everything we needed to know so we understood the dying process," Ms Robinson said. "It was the next best thing to caring for Neil at home."
News.com.au
an hour ago
- News.com.au
Dr Boreham's Crucible: Telix has homework but remains dux of radioimaging class
With multiple clinical trials and approval applications in train, nuclear medicine superstar Telix Pharmaceuticals (ASX:TLX) is like one of those irritatingly brilliant all-round students. We're thinking of the straight-A school captain who stars in the school play, whilst padding up for the First XI in between clarinet lessons. But when Goody Two Shoe's Latin grade slips to B+, panic ensues – mainly on the part of overbearing 'parents' (investors). Last month, Telix experienced the corporate version of such angst when it revealed the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) had varied subpoenaed 'various documents and information'. These relate mainly to Telix's disclosures about its prostate cancer therapeutic program. While the company dubbed the entreaty a 'fact finding request', investors birched the stock by 15%. Telix has a nearer-term focus on winning US Food & Drug Administration (FDA) approval for two imaging products and says the longer-term therapy programs will continue unchanged. But the mysterious episode is not the first time that Telix has slipped up. In April, the FDA knocked back Telix's marketing application for its brain cancer (glioma) diagnostic, telling the company to do more homework. Management said the setback (by way of a Complete Response Letter) was merely temporary and the company would do what Headmaster requested. A year ago, the FDA also rejected the company's filing for its kidney cancer diagnostic Zircaix, on account of an 'unacceptable' manufacturing defect. Telix founder, CEO and head prefect Chris Behrenbruch dubbed the glitches 'relatively minor and fixable'. Indeed, the company re-filed the application and the market awaits an FDA decision by the end of the month. Telix machine is clicking along To date, Telix has derived most of its revenue in the US, from its approved prostate cancer imaging agent Illuccix. Illuccix is a kit for preparing gallium-68 gozetotide – more commonly known as a PSMA-11 injection – for positron emission tomography (PET) scans. Illuccix is used for prostate cancer patients suspected of having either metastasised growths, or a recurrence based on elevated PSA (prostate-specific antigen) levels. Elevated levels in the blood of PSA, a protein, can be a marker of prostate cancer. PSMA (prostate-specific membrane antigen) is a protein found on the surface of prostate cancer cells. Illucix is approved in 17 countries, including the US, the UK, Brazil, Germany, France, Canada and here. In March, the FDA approved second diagnostic, Gozellix (for metastatic castrate resistant prostate cancer). Telix hopes to launch Gozellix in the US in the current quarter. A bit of history Dr Behrenbruch founded Telix in 2015 out of a 'deep frustration' that there was a burgeoning interest in nuclear medicine technologies, but few commercial players. In early 2017 Telix acquired the Dresden-based radio-pharmaceutical outfit Therapeia, founded by Dr Andreas Kluge. Dr Kluge retired from the board in September last year. Telix listed in November 2017, after raising $50 million at 65 cents apiece. In November 2024 the company listed on Nasdaq, having abandoned a $300 million IPO in favour of a $650 million non-US corporate bond issue. Dr Behrenbruch was the executive director of the now defunct Factor Therapeutics and was also on the board of the very un-defunct pancreatic cancer tearaway, Amplia Therapeutics. In 2020, Telix inked a 10-year deal with China Grand Pharmaceutical, worth 'up to' US$225 million from market authorisation. The Hong Kong-based entity became the exclusive partner in greater China for any approved Telix therapy. Telix remains Melbourne based, but most of its commercial activity is in the US. Good golly, it's Gozellix In March this year the FDA approved the company's gallium isotope-based Gozellix, for PET scanning of lesions showing PSMA. While not an expansion to a completely new indication, Gozellix extends the company's US prostate cancer imaging market reach by an estimated 5-10%. Gozellix is for prostate cancer patients with suspected metastasis, who are candidates for initial definitive therapy (prostate removal or broader radiation treatment). It's also for those with suspected recurrence, based on elevated PSA levels. 'The ability to reliably deliver the product much further from its point of production means Gozellix can reach PET cameras that are currently not served by any PSMA imaging providers,' the company says. Gozellix has a longer shelf life of up to six hours, about three times more than Illucix. It can also be used on older scanning machines. On the acquisition trail To expand its repertoire and bolster its manufacturing oomph, Telix has continued an acquisitive splurge. In January Telix acquired a 'proprietary novel biologics technology' from antibody engineering company Imaginab Inc. The platform avails of small, engineered antibody formats that enable specific radiation targeting of cancer. The deal delivers a 'state-of-the-art' research facility in Los Angeles, adding to existing capacity at Sacramento, Angleton (Texas) and across the border in Vancouver. In September 2024 Telix spent $388 million to acquire RLS Radiopharmacies, to expand its North American manufacturing and distribution footprint. RLS derives revenue from providing radiopharmacy products to third party clients. In April, the company bought the Austin-based Isotherapeutics (radio-chemistry services) and the Canadian radio-isotope producer Artms Inc. Let's get clinical It's hard to do justice to Telix's extensive clinical program in a few paragraphs, but here goes … By the end of the year, the company should unveil an initial safety and dosing readout pertaining to its phase III prostate cancer therapy candidate, the lutetium-based TLX-591. The study, Prostact Global, has enrolled 30 men for the part one phase. These patients have PSMA-positive metastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer. These men are also treated with the standard-of-care chemotherapy drugs, or the standard-of-care alone. To date, TLX-591 has been evaluated in 242 patients across eight phase I/II studies, with 'evidence of anti-tumour effect and a clear dose response profile for key measures of efficacy.' Telix also has mid-stage brain and kidney cancer therapy programs and another one for bone marrow conditioning. Telix also runs earlier stage programs for musculo-skeletal conditions including soft tissue sarcoma, bone metastases and 'pain palliation'. Readers should peruse the company 127-page investor presentation from June 11, but only if they are feeling strong. Finances and performance Telix reported revenue of US$204 million for the June 2025 quarter, up 63% year on year and a 10% increment on the March 2025 quarter. (As of January this year, the company reports in US dollars.) Sales of Illuccix accounted for US$154 million, up 25% year on year. RLS contributed US$46 million of sales, 39% higher than the March quarter. Dr Behrenbruch notes Illuccix dose volumes rose 7%, quarter on quarter. He says despite 'emerging competitive pricing pressure', Telix has 'effective strategies' to maintain average selling prices. Not irrelevantly, Gozellix in July was granted a permanent Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System code. Telix expects to obtain Transitional Pass-Through (TPT) payment status, which provides additional Medicare reimbursement to hospitals using innovative medical devices or drugs. TPT should apply from October 1 with reimbursement of around US$1000 per dose, almost twice that applying to Illuccix. In calendar 2024, Telix expended US$195 million on research and development, up 50%. This year the number should be 20-25% higher again. Telix has maintained calendar 2025 guidance of US$770-800 million, having chalked up first half revenue of US$390 million. We'll know about the innards of Telix's financials at its full-year results on August 21. Over the last 12 months Telix shares have irradiated between $17.44 (early September last year) and a record $31.14 in late January this year. In November 2017 the shares were worth 13 cents. Telix trumps tariffs with US manufacturing Telix says it won't be affected by Trump's drug pricing and tariff proposals. Given Telix's just-in-time products are made in the US out of necessity, they are as American as apple pie and a Colt AR-15 rifle under the bed. 'This will continue to be the case for new products the company expects to launch in 2025,' the company says. As for drug pricing, The Trump administration plans to benchmark certain local therapeutics against those charged in the cheapest of the industrialised nations. Telix reckons it's in the clear because 'localised production makes international pricing comparisons challenging to benchmark'. In any event, the company promises 'pharmaco-economically defensible' pricing. What the brokers say Broking analysts maintain their faith in Telix, despite the distraction of the SEC probe (if we can call it that) and stiffening prostate imaging competition. Broker Jefferies says such SEC entreaties are common, but the issues might take two years or so to resolve. UBS suggests any disclosure shortcomings may relate to Telix's dual ASX/Nasdaq listing, with the company needing to satisfy different requirements across the Pacific. On competition, UBS notes the 7% uptick in Illuccix sales shows Telix is winning market share in a hotter market. The firm believes the launch of Gozellix (and its TPT status) has relieved some of the pricing pressure. UBS values Telix at $36 a share, while Jefferies and Bell Potter plump for a $34 price target. The latter does so on the expectation of FDA approval of Zircaix. UBS says the current valuation assumes 'total scientific and clinical failure' of the therapeutic programs. Valuing the stock at $35, Wilsons says Gozellix provides 'exciting upside' and Telix has 'so many options available to it both competitively and operationally'. The only Grumpy Bob is Morningstar, which in April described Telix as overvalued by about 40%. The research house opined Telix's product pipeline remained 'commercially unproven in an increasingly competitive market'. Dr Boreham's diagnosis Telix faces a pile of homework, but we concur the company can remain dux of the radioimaging class despite the regulatory issues. We should stress that Telix is solidly profitable: UBS plugs in a net profit of $138 million for the 2024-25 year just gone, rising to $480 million within two years. Telix cites a current US prostate cancer imaging market at US$2.5-3.5 billion. But with expanded indications, this figure swells to US$6.7 billion across 1.7 million scans annually. One might think the medical world had nuclear diagnostics down pat by now, but evidently there are isotopes and there are isotopes. In the past, Dr Behrenbruch has described Zircaix as potentially bigger for Telix than Illuccix. Not that he expects the prostate business to slow down. Beyond imaging, if Telix can crack a better therapy for the key cancers in its remit, then its $7 billion market valuation looks only the start. At a glance ASX Code: TLX Share price: $18.53 Shares on issue: 338,399,059 Market cap: $6.27 billion Co-founder and CEO: Dr Christian Behrenbruch Board: Tiffany Olson(chair), Dr Behrenbruch, Dr Mark Nelson, Jann Skinner, Marie McDonald (chairman Kevin McCann retired in May 2025) Financials (June quarter 2025): revenue US$204 million (up 63%) Calendar 2024 year: revenue $783 million (up 56%), adjusted earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation $99.3 million (up 70%), net profit $49.9 million Major shareholders: Gnosis Verwaltungsgesellschaft (Dr Kluge) 6.88% Elk River Holdings (Dr Behrenbruch) 6.2%, Grand Pharma (China Grand Pharmaceuticals) 3.3%.
