MELBOURNE, Australia, April 29, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Prota Therapeutics' CEO Professor Mimi Tang has been honoured in the prestigious 2024 BioMelbourne Network Women in Leadership Awards. Professor Tang's exceptional work as a lead researcher for the Murdoch Children's Research Institute (MCRI) and her groundbreaking contributions to the understanding and treatment of food allergies have earned her this year's Distinguished Leadership Award.

As the CEO of Prota Therapeutics, Professor Tang has demonstrated remarkable vision and resilience in advancing the company's mission to provide transformative treatments for food allergies. Under her guidance, Prota Therapeutics has made significant strides in developing novel immunotherapies that have the potential to revolutionize the way food allergies are managed and treated. The company has recently secured US$21 million to finance a Phase 3 clinical investigation of its PRT120 oral therapy for peanut allergy.

"Receiving the 2024 Distinguished Leadership Award from the BioMelbourne Network is a tremendous honour. I am grateful for this recognition and would like to acknowledge the support of my teams at Prota Therapeutics and Murdoch Children's Research Institute. This award reaffirms my commitment to pushing the boundaries of scientific innovation and making a meaningful impact on the lives of patients suffering from food allergies", celebrated Professor Mimi Tang.

Professor Tang's leadership extends beyond her role as CEO of Prota Therapeutics. As a globally recognized leader in the life sciences industry, she has made significant contributions to academia, clinical practice, and biotechnological innovation. Her pioneering work at the Murdoch Children's Research Institute has led to paradigm shifts in clinical management of food allergies and has inspired new therapeutic approaches that are making a difference in the lives of patients worldwide.

At MCRI, Professor Tang also led the development of a mobile app called AllergyPal, an award-winning  free digital management platform for allergy and anaphylaxis. Designed to support families in managing their child's food allergies, AllergyPal provides ready access to a child's allergy plan, interactive guidance on how to manage allergic reactions in an emergency and a way for parents to leave individualised instructions on their preferred approach to allergen avoidance. The app was created in collaboration with Allergy & Anaphylaxis Australia and the Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy. Professor Tang remains a director on the board of AllergyPal.

"Professor Tang's innovative approach to food immunotherapy has not only revolutionised treatment methods but has also significantly improved the health and wellbeing of children living with food allergy. The impact of her work goes beyond the laboratory and clinical settings; it directly translates into meaningful outcomes for children and their families, and, once approved, will ultimately offer children a path to remission and a life free from the burden of severe food allergies", said Allergy & Anaphylaxis Australia CEO Maria Said AM.

Professor Tang's pioneering efforts have reshaped the landscape of allergy management by making remission of allergies a tangible reality. Mimi's scientific achievement is evidenced by her extensive publication record with over 350 peer-reviewed articles, securing $72 million in research grant funding, and earning recognition as one of the top 1% highly cited researchers in Immunology.

The BioMelbourne Network Women in Leadership Awards celebrate individuals who demonstrate exceptional leadership qualities, contribute significantly to the health industry, and inspire positive change within the community. Professor Mimi Tang's recognition as this year's recipient of the Distinguished Leadership Award is a testament to her profound impact on the industry and her unwavering commitment to innovation and excellence.

About Prota Therapeutics

Prota Therapeutics is an Australian proprietary limited, privately-held biotech company established in 2016 to develop and commercialize novel oral immunotherapy treatments for food allergy. Prota holds intellectual property covering the proprietary food immunotherapy technology developed at the MCRI. The company is, in part, a OneVentures' Healthcare Fund III investment. This fund was established with investment in part from the Australian Commonwealth Government through the BioMedical Translation Fund initiative. Prota Therapeutics has its headquarters in Melbourne, Australia. For more information please visit: https://protatherapeutics.com/.

About Murdoch Children's Research Institute:

Murdoch Children's Research Institute is the largest child health research institute in Australia committed to making discoveries and developing treatments to improve child and adolescent health in Australia and around the world. They are pioneering new treatments, trialling better vaccines and improving ways of diagnosing and helping sick babies, children and adolescents. It is one of the only research institutes in Australia to offer genetic testing to find answers for families of children with previously undiagnosed conditions.

Media Contacts: 
Prota Therapeutics – WE Communications
Ana Luiza Harrop
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