Top WA innovators share increased award funds

The Western Australia-based team which discovered a novel treatment for the relentlessly progressive and incurable muscle wasting disorder, Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD), has taken top honours at the 2012 WA Innovator of the Year Awards.

  • UWA team crowned 2012 Mitsubishi Corporation WA Innovator of the Year

  • Overall prize pool of $190,000 shared among WA's top innovations

  • Winning innovations all address concerns relevant to community or industry

The Western Australia-based team which discovered a novel treatment for the relentlessly progressive and incurable muscle wasting disorder, Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD), has taken top honours at the 2012 WA Innovator of the Year Awards.

Officiating at the annual gala luncheon, Science and Innovation Minister John Day said this year's winning innovations all addressed concerns relevant to the community or industry.

"At least three boys in Perth have been born with DMD disease which is a debilitating genetic disorder that affects about one in every 3,500 boys around the world," Mr Day said.

"The treatment devised by The University of Western Australia (UWA) team of Professor Steve Wilton, Professor Sue Fletcher and Simon Handford would prolong the lives of these children and many others around the world. 

"The UWA researchers have developed a technology that causes the gene translation machinery to skip the mutation which results in an improvement or a slowdown in the disease process which prolongs and improves the quality of life for patients with the disease. 

"This treatment has been licensed and is undergoing clinical trials and there is currently no other treatment on the market addressing the cause of DMD." 

The Minister said the WA Innovator of the Year Awards was just one of the ways the State Government was encouraging innovation to flourish in WA.   

"Successful innovation brings with it the opportunity for continued social and economic growth," he said. 

"Improving links between industry, government, research and entrepreneurial networks creates pathways to commercialisation and ensures barriers are minimised and West Australians reap the benefits of new products and services."

      Fact File

  • Awards administered by Department of Commerce with support from Mitsubishi Corporation (Principal Sponsor); iiNet and Woodside (Encouragement Award Sponsors); Watermark, IBM and AusIndustry (Gold Sponsors); and WRAYS and WA Business News (Silver Sponsors)

  • More info at:  http://www.commerce.wa.gov.au/scienceinnovation/innovator  

  • List attached of 2012 Mitsubishi Corporation WA Innovator of the Year award winners

Minister's office - 6552 6200

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