Anthony Weiss, Ph.D

The University of Sydney’s Professor Anthony (Tony) Weiss AM is recognised for his pioneering research and commercialisation of synthetic tropoelastin-based biomaterials, which can accelerate and improve the repair of human tissue. For the past two decades, he has pioneered global research into tropoelastin and elastic fibres, which are found in human tissue ranging from the skin to the lungs and arteries.

In 2008, he founded the company Elastagen to commercialise his research and inventions. The company raised $35 million in venture capital and grant funding, completed clinical trials and scaled-up production. Ten years later, Elastagen was sold to one of the world’s biggest biopharmaceutical companies for $334 million, one of the largest transactions ever completed in Australia’s life science sector… Continue reading.

Synthetic skin will change the way wounds are treated

Sydney scientist development of synthetic skin treatment has been recognised with national award.

Professor Anthony Weiss AM FTSE received the Clunies Ross Knowledge Commercialisation Award at a gala event in Sydney, organised by the Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering.

Innovative work with tropoelastin and elastin – the unique biological ingredients that give human tissue its elasticity – led Professor Weiss to develop synthetic skin that can be applied to heal wounds. Professor Weiss, used his inventions to found a spin-off company called Elastagen, which was last year bought by Allergan, one of the world’s 20 largest biopharmaceutical companies… Continue reading.

Elastagen Pty Ltd, a clinical stage company developing medical device products based on recombinant tropoelastin, today announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement under which Allergan plc, a leading global biopharmaceutical company, has agreed to acquire Elastagen.

The deal will consist of an upfront payment of US$95 million (AUD$120 million) plus contingent, commercial payments.

Elastagen’s revolutionary technology is based on recombinant human tropoelastin, the self-assembling elastic protein which allows the body to repair elastic tissues in the skin, artery, bladder and lung… Continue reading.

The University of Sydney congratulates the members of our community who have been acknowledged in the Australia Day 2018 Honours List.

Several members of the University of Sydney community, from a diverse range of fields, have been recognized in the Australia Day 2018 Honours List for their outstanding achievements and contribution to Australian society and the world at large.

The University extends warm congratulations to all members who have been recognized for their outstanding contributions, and would especially like to congratulate current staff members, including: …

Professor Anthony Weiss, Faculty of Science and Charles Perkins Centre
For significant service to science in the field of biotechnology, as an academic, researcher, author and mentor, and through executive roles with scientific institutions… Continue to read the full list.

Biomedical engineers from the University of Sydney and the United States collaborated on the development of the potentially life-saving surgical glue, called MeTro.

MeTro’s high elasticity makes it ideal for sealing wounds in body tissues that continually expand and relax – such as lungs, hearts and arteries – that are otherwise at risk of re-opening.

The material also works on internal wounds that are often in hard-to-reach areas and have typically required staples or sutures due to surrounding body fluid hampering the effectiveness of other sealants.

MeTro sets in just 60 seconds once treated with UV light, and the technology has a built-in degrading enzyme which can be modified to determine how long the sealant lasts – from hours to months, in order to allow adequate time for the wound to heal.

The liquid or gel-like material has quickly and successfully sealed incisions in the arteries and lungs of rodents and the lungs of pigs, without the need for sutures and staples… Continue reading.