Invion (ASX: IVX) has taken a step to strengthen its clinical leadership by appointing Dr Colin Hopper, a globally recognised authority in photodynamic therapy, as a clinical advisor.
The move brings to Invion the President of the International Photodynamic Association and a senior academic and clinical figure from University College London (UCL), where Dr Hopper serves as Associate Clinical Professor of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at UCL Eastman Dental Institute and is a former Head and Neck Surgeon at UCL Hospitals.
With more than three decades at the forefront of PDT research and clinical practice, Dr Hopper has led one of the world’s largest and longest-running clinical PDT programs, documenting hundreds of treatments and helping to establish PDT as a validated option for head and neck cancers and other neoplastic conditions. His contributions to the field include antimicrobial applications, fluorescence diagnostics and image-guided interstitial PDT, and have been recognised with the IPA Lifetime Achievement Award in PDT Clinical Research.
Invion is developing its Photosoft Next Generation Photodynamic Therapy platform to use non-toxic photosensitisers and light to selectively kill cancer cells and promote an anti-cancer immune response.
At Invion, Dr Hopper will work closely with scientific and clinical teams to advise on clinical strategy and indication prioritisation, support protocol development and optimisation for Photosoft-based therapies, provide insights into light delivery techniques, treatment workflows and patient selection, and help guide the translation of Invion’s more than 300 novel Photosoft compounds across oncology, infectious disease and other therapeutic areas.
Dr Hopper said, “The opportunity to work closely with Invion resonates with my lifetime mission to bring PDT into mainstream clinical practice. Invion’s Photosoft provides a compelling next step in this journey, offering a new generation of potentially safer and more efficacious PDT compounds that could reach more patients and indications than ever before. I am pleased to join Invion at this pivotal stage and look forward to helping shape the clinical pathways that will bring this technology to patients who stand to benefit most.”
Invion’s Executive Chair and CEO, Professor Thian Chew, welcomed the appointment, describing it as a significant strengthening of the company’s clinical and strategic capabilities. He said, “Dr Hopper’s appointment represents a significant strengthening of Invion’s clinical and strategic capabilities. His unparalleled clinical experience in PDT will help us sharpen our development strategy, identify high-impact indications and ensure our platform technology is optimised for real-world patient care. On behalf of the Board, I would like to welcome Dr Hopper. His appointment strengthens our leadership in next-generation PDT and supports our ambition to translate the extensive Photosoft platform of proprietary compounds into multiple therapeutic and commercial opportunities.”
