Healthcare Innovation Pours into the Yarra Valley
Against the backdrop of Victoria’s autumn vineyards, the Stocks in the Vines event in the Yarra Valley highlighted a range of healthcare companies developing technologies and treatments aimed at real-world challenges. Hosted by Mines in the Vines, the event brought together ASX-listed and pre-IPO healthcare companies with high-net-worth investors, family offices, and advisers for a day of investor engagement.
“Stocks in the Vines was created to take investor engagement out of the traditional conference room environment and place it into a more relaxed, curated setting where real conversations can happen,” said Nathan Lodge, founder of Mines in the Vines. This was the second event run by the group, which provides direct and alternative capital solutions for ASX-listed companies. Since 2024, Mines in the Vines has delivered five similar events.
The broader ASX healthcare sector has faced a challenging period amid weaker sentiment and broader geopolitical and macroeconomic pressures. However, Stocks in the Vines reinforced that healthcare investing encompasses more than financial outcomes – spanning innovation, patient outcomes, and technologies aimed at improving lives.
Real-World Health Challenges Addressed
“What was particularly powerful this year was that every presenting company was working on solving real-world health challenges through biotech and medtech innovation,” said Anna Lamprell, head of marketing and events at Mines in the Vines. These companies are developing technologies and treatments aimed at improving patient outcomes, from earlier diagnosis and accessibility through to treatment and care.
The human element of investing in healthcare companies resonated strongly throughout the event. “It’s not just about capital gains or market performance, it’s also about backing innovation that has the potential to genuinely improve people’s lives,” said Lamprell. Her view was shared by master of ceremonies Peter Taylor, who said every company attending was “addressing a very large, important need in our healthcare industry.”
“If just one or two of these companies become a huge success, it means they’re good companies to be invested in and will make a difference in the future,” he added.
Spotlight on Innovative Startups
This year’s event featured several companies, including BlinkLab (ASX:BB1), Amplia Therapeutics (ASX:ATX), Medigrowth Australia, Myopharm, and Imunexus, which are all planning ASX listings in the near future.
BlinkLab Working to Diagnose Autism Earlier
BlinkLab has developed a smartphone-based diagnostic platform with two initial products – Dx1 for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and Dx2 for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) – with potential to address other neurological conditions.
Founder and chairman of BlinkLab, Perth life sciences entrepreneur Brian Leedman described ASD as “one of the most topical subjects in healthcare.” He noted that the wait time for diagnosis of ASD was two years on average, which can extend out to up to four years due to specialist assessment bottlenecks.
Leedman pointed out that 41% of all NDIS payments in Australia were for ASD. “Only one in ten [people with autism] are adults, yet they account for most of the funding,” he said. “Early diagnosis is the only way to get them to be living more independently.”
Targeting One of Cancer’s Deadliest Forms
Pancreatic cancer may not be among the most common tumour types, but it remains one of the deadliest, with only around 12% of patients surviving beyond five years. Amplia Therapeutics is aiming to improve those odds through its anti-fibrotic approach to treating the disease.
CEO and managing director Dr Chris Burns said Amplia was identifying the best approach to a proposed registrational phase III trial for its lead drug candidate narmafotinib. The company has been buoyed by results of its combination phase Ib/IIa pancreatic cancer trial, dubbed Accent.
The trial saw an “unprecedented” five out of 64 patients (7.8%) record complete responses, meaning no detectable signs of cancer during that assessment period – an incredibly rare event for deadly pancreatic cancer.
Burns has dedicated his life to drug development and is the inventor on more than 30 patents and co-author of over 60 scientific publications. Alongside long-time collaborator Professor Andrew Wilks, he was awarded the 2024 Prime Minister’s Prize for Innovation for their contribution to Australian drug discovery and development.
IPO-Bound Healthcare Innovators Highlight Real-World Impact
Imunexus, Myopharm, and Medigrowth Australia also presented at Stocks in the Vines and are at various stages of planning an ASX listing. The most advanced along the listing route is Imunexus, which targets a $10-$12 million IPO within the next couple of months.
Imunexus plays in the emerging multi-specific drug sector, which focuses on adapting existing therapies to target multiple diseases and treatment pathways. Its lead program IMX39 targets multiple sclerosis and has shown a 70-80% improvement in disease symptoms in preclinical animal studies.
Myopharm is developing a targeted therapy for Type-2 diabetes and is raising $5m in a pre-IPO round with a planned listing in H2 CY26. Proceeds will fund a Phase II trial of its drug candidate TriGlytza, which is a triple-drug combination of existing medicines Celecoxib, Valsartan, and Metformin.
Medigrowth Australia is striving to develop a registered cannabinoid therapy for ASD. The company also generates substantial existing revenue from distributing medicinal cannabis products and owns the telehealth platform Azure Health.
“Investors increasingly want to understand the real-world impact behind the companies they support, and events like Stocks in the Vines help facilitate those conversations directly with the leadership teams driving that innovation,” said Lodge.
