Exclusive deal to advance therapies for fungal infection

Centre researchers whose work showed cannabis-derived compounds can kill dangerous fungal pathogens have secured a commercial partner to take those findings toward clinical use.

Australian life sciences company Oz Medicann Group (OMG) has signed an exclusive global licence agreement with Macquarie University to develop and commercialise therapies for persistent and systemic fungal infections based on naturally derived compounds identified by the Macquarie team.

The deal follows research published in PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases in 2025, which found that two cannabinoids – cannabidiol (CBD) and cannabidivarin (CBDV) – could kill the dangerous fungal pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans faster than existing antifungal treatments. The compounds also proved effective against the dermatophytes responsible for common skin infections such as athlete’s foot.

‘Persistent fungal infections continue to represent a major and evolving clinical challenge globally, particularly with increasing antimicrobial resistance and limitations in existing therapies,’ said Associate Professor Amy Cain, ARC Future Fellow from the ARC Centre of Excellence in Synthetic Biology who led the research.

‘This collaboration creates an exciting opportunity to further explore the therapeutic potential of naturally derived compounds and support the translation of scientific research into clinically meaningful healthcare outcomes.’

Fungal infections affect more than one billion people worldwide each year. From athlete’s foot and yeast infections to life-threatening conditions such as cryptococcal meningitis, fungal pathogens pose a serious and growing health threat – yet the toolkit of effective treatments remains surprisingly limited.

Existing antifungal therapies face a familiar set of problems: rising resistance, poor tolerability, prolonged treatment courses, and inconsistent outcomes for patients. Immunocompromised individuals are particularly vulnerable, and for conditions like cryptococcal meningitis – which can be fatal once it reaches the central nervous system – current treatment options are genuinely inadequate.

When Dr Hue Dinh, a postdoctoral researcher in Macquarie’s School of Natural Sciences, and Associate Professor Cain set out to tackle the problem, they chose a pragmatic starting point: compounds already approved for use in humans, whose safety profiles are well understood.

‘Developing an entirely new drug and getting it to market could take decades,’ Dr Dinh has explained. Working with known pharmacological compounds made it possible to move faster.

The team,  which also included Professor Mark Connor and Dr Marina Junqueira Santiago from Macquarie’s School of Medicine, along with collaborators from the Universities of Sydney and NSW, tested cannabinoids against 33 fungal pathogens from clinical, veterinary and environmental settings. CBD and CBDV emerged as effective killers of multiple Cryptococcus species as well as skin pathogens, and a pilot study confirmed the compounds could treat fungal infection in a living organism (wax moth larvae), bringing the science a step closer to patients.

One particularly promising finding: fungal pathogens appear less likely to develop resistance to cannabinoids compared with other antimicrobials – a significant advantage in an era of accelerating drug resistance

Under the agreement, OMG has secured exclusive worldwide rights to develop, clinically validate, manufacture, and commercialise products arising from the licensed intellectual property. The program is expected to include formulation development, regulatory pathways, and clinical studies targeting both topical and systemic fungal applications.

OMG will also work with international partner NeoCannBio on clinical programs, regulatory strategy, manufacturing and distribution across key Asia-Pacific markets.

For Professor Cain and Dr Dinh, who have already been working with commercial partners toward an over-the-counter topical product, the new agreement represents a significant acceleration of that work.

‘The future of medicine will increasingly be driven by evidence, innovation, and multidisciplinary collaboration,’ said OMG Group CEO Rohit Bhuta.

‘Persistent and systemic fungal infections remain an under-recognised but significant global health issue. We believe there is a need to develop safer, more effective and more accessible therapies through scientifically validated natural medicine approaches.’

Dr Hue Dinh is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the School of Natural Sciences at Macquarie University. Professor Amy Cain is an ARC Future Fellow in the School of Natural Sciences. Both are Centre researchers.