Breakthrough Malaghan and University of Auckland cancer research advances into new biotech venture

16 June 2026

Breakthrough cancer immunotherapy research is progressing from lab to real-world impact, targeting tumour-driven immune resistance and advancing toward clinical trials to improve outcomes for patients.

A promising cancer immunotherapy programme developed at Waipapa Taumata Rau, University of Auckland and the Malaghan Institute of Medical Research, is taking a major step toward patient impact with the formation of a new biotechnology venture, Stave Therapeutics.

Stave Therapeutics has been established in conjunction with Unruly Partners, the University of Auckland, UniServices, and the Malaghan Institute of Medical Research, building on the research team’s cumulative knowledge of the tumour microenvironment and experience in research translation. The underlying research originated from a long-standing collaboration between the Auckland Cancer Society Research Centre (ACSRC) and the Malaghan Institute of Medical Research, supported by the Maurice Wilkins Centre, the Health Research Council of New Zealand and MBIE’s Endeavour Fund.

The company is currently operating at the preclinical stage, with the next phase focused on completing preclinical development and progressing toward first-in-human clinical trials within the next two years.

A new approach to a persistent challenge

Stave is developing a new generation of cancer drugs designed to be used with existing immunotherapies to re-activate the immune system inside the tumour, where the treatments most often fail. Currently the majority of cancer patients do not get durable benefit to treatment because the tumour itself actively suppresses the immune response. Stave's drug candidates are designed to overcome that resistance at its source.

The drug candidates have been developed through research led by Associate Professors Adam Patterson and Jeff Smaill at the ACRSC. Working in close collaboration with Professor Ian Hermans and his team at the Malaghan Institute, the partnership brings together complementary expertise in drug design, tumour biology and immunology.

Professor Ian Hermans. and Dr Regan Fu.

The collaboration reflects a shared scientific effort, combining the ACSRC’s strengths in medicinal chemistry and therapeutic development with the Malaghan’s expertise in understanding how these compounds interact with the immune system and tumour environment.

Together, the team has developed compounds designed to activate immune responses precisely within tumours, rather than broadly across the body.

“For us, the goal has always been to see this science move beyond the lab and into outcomes that matter for patients. Partnering with the Malaghan has allowed us to better understand how these compounds work within the tumour environment, bringing us a meaningful step closer to improving responses to cancer treatment,” says Associate Professor Adam Patterson.

“Our research partnership has always had the goal of improving cancer treatment outcomes in Aotearoa New Zealand. This new venture validates what the team has been working on for almost a decade and offers a real pathway to patients,” says Professor Ian Hermans.

Investment grounded in need and execution

Kelvin Keh of Unruly Partners says Stave was founded on both the scale of the unmet need and the strength of the team:

“Unruly is an early-stage venture builder. We partner with researchers to solve areas of significant needs. Two themes gave us high conviction to establish Stave.

First, the gap is enormous: 70–85% of cancer patients either never respond to immunotherapy or stop responding. Taking a treatment that works brilliantly for some and making it work for many, is the kind of mission worth building a company around. Stave is taking on the biology that's standing in the way.

Second, Adam, Jeff and Ian have done the hardest part of drug development multiple times before, taking research out of the lab and into cancer patients. That kind of execution track record is rare in early-stage oncology, and it's what makes this opportunity so compelling.”

He adds that the science stands out globally:

“The cancer drug landscape is shifting fast. The first generation of checkpoint inhibitors is heading toward patent expiry, and a significant share of industry pipelines are still piling into the same handful of mechanisms; turning up the dial on systemic immune stimulation. That approach has not cracked the core problem. The tumour itself actively shuts down the immune response these drugs depend on.

Stave's approach is fundamentally different. Instead of turning the immune system up everywhere, Stave’s approach is about switching it on precisely where it’s needed, inside the tumour, using biological features intrinsic to most solid cancers.

The feedback from international experts has been that this is one of the most scientifically grounded and differentiated approaches in the field.”

Starting with lung cancer

Stave Therapeutics will initially focus on lung cancer, where immune checkpoint inhibitors show some effectiveness but leave significant room for improvement.

The choice reflects both clinical opportunity and equity considerations. Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in New Zealand, with disproportionately high impacts on Māori and communities experiencing socioeconomic deprivation.

A successful therapy in this area could make a meaningful contribution to addressing these inequities.

A platform with global potential

While lung cancer is the starting point, the potential reach is much broader. Immune checkpoint inhibitors are used across a wide range of cancers, including melanoma, breast, renal, and liver cancers, creating significant opportunity for expansion.

The market for patients whose cancers are resistant to immune checkpoint inhibitors is estimated to be worth tens of billions of dollars globally.

Collaboration driving impact

UniServices is delighted to support the enablement of this new venture, working in close partnership with researchers and investors to take discovery from the lab toward commercial reality.

Beyond the science, the story is one of sustained collaboration.

“This work represents decades of combined experience in immunotherapy and targeted therapeutics,” says Associate Professor Jeff Smaill. “Our ultimate goal is to see these discoveries make a meaningful difference for patients.”