Vancouver, Canada – February 25, 2025 – EluciDx Canada Ltd. (EluciDx) and the University of British Columbia (UBC) have signed a licensing agreement for oral amphotericin B, an innovative therapy originally developed by Drs. Kishor Wasan and Ellen Wasan. This breakthrough treatment holds immense potential to expand therapeutic options for life-threatening systemic fungal infections, a growing global health concern.
As the first Canadian university to establish global access principles, UBC has incorporated provisions in the agreement to ensure accessibility in developing countries which EluciDx is committed to realizing. This is particularly critical in regions where HIV/AIDS co-morbidities contribute to high mortality rates and access to the injectable form of amphotericin B is severely limited. EluciDx plans to work closely with the Neglected Global Disease Initiative at UBC (NGDI-UBC) to develop and commercialize oral amphotericin B for low-resource settings, including cutaneous and visceral Leishmaniasis. Â
EluciDx intends to spin off this asset into an independent company to facilitate capital-raising efforts while efficiently establishing global partnerships for development and manufacturing. EluciDx will employ a dual-track development strategy, aiming to develop first-in-class anti-fungal indications for high-income markets to ensure commercial viability and long-term sustainability of the asset while partnering with NGDI-UBC and African partners to develop its low- and middle-income environment indications in parallel.
"This strategy will allow the dedication of resources to see the development of oral amphotericin B through to registration, reimbursement and beyond —an achievement that has eluded multiple attempts over the past decades," said Dr. James Kim, CEO of EluciDx. Dr. Kishor Wasan, Adjunct Professor and Co-Founder of NGDI-UBC added, "We are committed to delivering this much-needed treatment to patients worldwide, ensuring both access and sustainability."
About EluciDx Canada Ltd.
EluciDx is dedicated to improving outcomes in healthcare through pharmaceuticals, medical devices, in vitro diagnostics and nutraceuticals. Through business strategy and development consulting for startups and mature healthcare companies and also through its own R&D by collaborating with universities and research institutions around the world, EluciDx is committed to developing innovations into sustainable, commercially viable products within global medical practice, regulatory and reimbursement frameworks. For more information, visit the company website at www.elucidx.ca.
About The Neglected Global Diseases Initiative at UBC (NGDI-UBC)
Neglected global diseases, such as leishmaniasis, dengue fever and others designated by the World Health Organization (WHO), disproportionately affect the poorest of the global population. NGDI at UBC creates a network to bring together groups interested in making a positive impact and enabling sustained scholarly activity and education in this area. To learn more about NGDI UBC visit our website at: https://ngdi.ubc.ca/
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For media inquiries, please contact:
James Kim
CEO
EluciDx Canada Ltd.
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Dr. Kishor M. Wasan
Co-Founder
NGDI-UBC