$2.6 million is being invested into Trioda Wilingi Pty Ltd to develop innovative medical gels using unique cellulose nanofibers extracted from Australian spinifex grass. Image source: Mark Marathon, CC BY-SA 4.0.
$2.6 million is being invested into Trioda Wilingi Pty Ltd to develop innovative medical gels using unique cellulose nanofibers extracted from Australian spinifex grass.
Trioda Wilingi Pty Ltd is a company born from the partnership of the University of Queensland and the Indigenous-owned Bulugudu Ltd, based in the remote community of Camooweal in North-West Queensland.
Spinifex is a hardy, native Australian grass that covers nearly a third of the Australian landscape.
Now, it’s being harvested for its incredibly thin, strong nanofibres.
In recent years, the nanofibres extracted from the grass have been used in the development of latex and rubber products such as condoms and surgical gloves, facilitating the creation of thinner materials without sacrificing durability.
Now, the unique nanofibres are being extracted to produce a medical gel that could have wide-ranging medical applications: in the treatment of arthritis and osteoarthritis, to allow more efficient injection and delivery of other drugs, and for use in cosmetic procedures.
The spinifex gels have a uniquely low water content, which sets them apart from other medical gels.
Tim Case, the chief executive of Trioda Wilingi, said that the gel was a world-first, with early data showing that the gels could prove to be easier to inject, longer-lasting and safer to inject than currently-available medical gels.
“The data we’ve seen so far shows that these gels are lasting longer and could potentially be a lot safer compared to what is in the market at the moment,” Mr Case said.
“We are really excited to get to this point because not only are we inventing new, innovative technology, but we’ve attracted significant investment and can now take this project forward.”
The research and outcomes could not have been possible without the involvement and sharing of knowledge by the Indjalandji-Dhidhanu People, the Traditional Owners of the upper Georgina River region.
“Indjalandji-Dhidhanu people have long known of the uses and the strength of spinifex grass,” says Colin Saltmere AM, Director of Bulugudu Ltd.
“Our traditional uses include building shelters and using resin from the grass as an adhesive to attach spearheads, and seal water vessels.”
The Traditional Owners will have an ongoing role in harvesting and processing the grass, which will lead to the creation of more jobs at Camooweal and other Aboriginal communities.
Additionally, a portion of any future royalty stream will be allocated an Indigenous education fund with the goal of maximising training, education and network opportunities for Indigenous Australians.
