Australian researcher wins global Gilead grant for repurposed drug in breast cancer

A Monash University scientist has been named one of only three researchers globally to receive the 2025 Gilead Sciences Research Scholars Program grant, securing US$180,000 over two years to advance promising research in aggressive breast cancer.

Dr Aeson Chang, from the Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences (MIPS), was awarded in the Solid Tumours category for his investigation into a repurposed medicine – an anti-nausea drug commonly used during chemotherapy – that appears to improve long-term survival in breast cancer patients. His recognition highlights the strength of Australian scientific talent and the vital role of sustained investment in early-stage innovation.

Dr Chang’s research found that aprepitant – a selective NK-1 receptor antagonist distributed in Australia by Southern Cross Pharma and Apotex – was associated with an 11% reduction in the risk of cancer recurrence and a 17% lower risk of breast cancer–related death over a decade. Importantly, these findings were not mirrored in patients treated with other classes of anti-nausea medication.

The results were even more striking in women with triple-negative breast cancer, a particularly aggressive form of the disease with limited treatment options. In this subgroup, aprepitant use was associated with a 39% reduced risk of death and a 34% reduced risk of recurrence over 10 years.

“The support from Gilead is timely and instrumental in helping us to delve deeper and explore the biological mechanisms behind the interplay between chemotherapy and anti-nausea medication, and their influence on survival outcomes in early breast cancer, which we saw in our initial findings.

“We particularly want to know if this could influence the future treatment of triple-negative breast cancer – an aggressive malignancy with limited therapeutic options,” said Dr Chang.

Dr Paul Slade, Senior Country Medical Director at Gilead Sciences Australia, commented “Dr Chang’s work is a fantastic example of the innovative research we seek to support through the Research Scholars Program.

“We are so thrilled and proud to see an Australian researcher being recognised as one of only three recipients globally this year. This achievement highlights the outstanding contributions of Australian researchers on the world stage, and I look forward to seeing the insights generated through this project and their potential implications for breast cancer treatment paradigms.”

Since its inception in 2008, the Gilead Sciences Research Scholars Program has awarded over US$36 million to more than 280 scholars across 160 countries, including Australia.

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