FRI 18 FEB 2005
By KATHY GRUBE
The World’s first jack jumper ant vaccine could be commercially released in a year if $1 million funding is found, say researchers.
Tasmania’s world-leading work to develop a cure for life-threatening jack jumper allergies is ready to be made available to the rest of the country after five years of trials.
Former Royal Hobart Hospital emergency medicine specialist Simon Brown, who nearly died from his first bad reaction to a jack jumper sting while collecting venom for the project, is hoping to get the vaccine listed on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme.
Dr Brown, who now works at the University of Western Australia but is still the vaccine project leader, said there was no commercial interest in the venture because the amounts required were too small to be profitable.
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