The Penicillin Team are working to accelerate research and clinical trials to improve penicillin formulation and treatment methods, to end RHD.
The Penicillin Team is an integral element of the END RHD program and Australian government’s mission to eliminate RHD by 2031.
The Penicillin Team plan to accelerate research and clinical trials to improve penicillin formulation and treatment methods. They are primarily driven to look at the current formulation of BPG in the context of it being used as secondary prophylaxis against acute rheumatic fever (ARF) and RHD. Work has already been undertaken by the team to look at the existing formulations of BPG, for example studying the pharmacology of subcutaneous versus intramuscular injections, global quality of BPG, the effects of sonication of BPG and re-purposing BPG to deliver higher doses.
This team has also developed and validated a way of measuring penicillin concentrations from dried blood spots; tiny blood volumes collected from finger prick samples onto filter paper which is a much more acceptable way of sampling from children and people living in remote and rural settings. The Penicillin Team encompass quantitative and qualitative skills, including clinical trials, product development, and pharmacokinetic modelling.
BSc, MBChB, DTM&H, FRACP, PhD
Head, Penicillin Team
Senior Research Officer
BPharm, MSc, PhD
Joseph Kado
Clinical Research Officer
Renae Barr
Senior Research Officer
Okhee Yoo
Senior Research Officer
Elizabeth Eadie-Mirams
Program Manager
Thel Hla
Senior Research Officer and PhD Candidate
Olivia Mirams
Research Assistant
Shakayla Walley
Research Assistant
Penicillin Levels for Rheumatic Heart Disease Study – Remote Cohort
Controlled Human Infection for Penicillin Against Streptococcus pyogenes – a double blinded randomised trail (The CHIPS trial)
In Australia, RHD-related death and disability is the leading driver of cardiovascular inequality between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians.