Monash Spin-Out Rage Biotech Raises $29m to Tackle Chronic Inflammatory Disease
Melbourne-based biotech spin-out Rage Biotech, born out of breakthroughs at Monash University, has secured $29 million in Series A funding to accelerate the development of its next-generation RNA therapeutics targeting chronic inflammatory diseases.
The round was led by prominent institutional investors, including IP Group Australia and Hostplus, with continued support from Monash Ventures. The investment will allow Rage Biotech to push its lead candidate, RB042, into first-in-human clinical trials. RB042 is an inhaled splice-switching RNA therapy designed to modulate RAGE, a receptor known to drive inflammation in chronic lung and systemic diseases. Unlike traditional treatments that focus on symptom relief, the company aims to deliver truly disease-modifying therapies.
To guide this next stage of growth, Rage Biotech has appointed Dr Siro Perez as Chief Executive Officer and Dr Edwin Tucker as Chief Medical and Development Officer. Perez played a key role in forming the company during his time at IP Group, while Tucker brings more than three decades of clinical development experience, including leadership roles in inflammation and antibody-based therapeutics.
Rage Biotech’s scientific foundation was developed at Monash University, where researchers identified a naturally occurring lung-derived variant of RAGE that helps dampen inflammation. The company’s therapeutics are designed to amplify this protective mechanism, offering a targeted approach that could transform the treatment landscape for conditions such as COPD and other chronic inflammatory disorders.
With the new funding, Rage Biotech plans to begin clinical trials, expand its therapeutic pipeline, and strengthen its manufacturing and regulatory capabilities. If successful, the company’s platform could open the door to a new wave of precision RNA medicines aimed at treating the underlying causes of chronic inflammatory disease rather than just its symptoms.
EV Charging Provider JOLT Expands into the U.S. with Stake in Shell’s Volta Media Network
Australian electric vehicle charging company JOLT has taken a major step in its global expansion, announcing its entry into the United States through the acquisition of a significant stake in Shell’s Volta Media Network. The move marks JOLT’s first large-scale push into the American market and positions the company as a growing player in the intersection of EV infrastructure and digital advertising.
The deal will give JOLT access to thousands of existing EV charging and digital out-of-home (DOOH) media sites across dozens of U.S. states, including major metropolitan areas such as Los Angeles, Chicago, and Dallas–Fort Worth. Volta’s network is known for integrating EV charging stations with high-visibility digital screens, a model that aligns closely with JOLT’s own approach, which pairs public charging with targeted advertising opportunities for brands.
JOLT CEO Doug McNamee described the expansion as a milestone that accelerates the company’s long-term vision of building a global, media-driven EV charging platform. With the Volta assets, JOLT plans to enhance the combined network by introducing advanced analytics, expanded audience targeting, and performance measurement tools to help advertisers better engage with consumers at high-traffic locations.
The acquisition is expected to officially close at the start of 2026, pending standard regulatory approvals. Once finalized, JOLT intends to upgrade and expand the network, leveraging its experience in Australia—where it partners with councils, retailers, and property owners to deploy chargers that offer drivers a mix of free top-ups and paid charging options.
For drivers, the move promises wider access to convenient public charging, while property partners can benefit from increased foot traffic and new advertising revenue streams. For JOLT, the U.S. expansion represents a strategic leap into one of the world’s largest EV markets, reinforcing its ambition to become a global leader in integrated charging and digital media infrastructure.
Ambitious $2.6b Plan Unveiled for Australia’s First ‘Integrated Entertainment City’ North of Brisbane
A bold $2.6 billion proposal has been announced to create Australia’s first fully integrated entertainment city, planned for a 68-hectare site north of Brisbane in the Moreton Bay region. The project, known as Infinity Planet, aims to transform former farmland into a world-class destination blending entertainment, culture, business, and education in one expansive precinct.
At the centre of the development is the vision of a “permanent world expo,” featuring around 50 multicultural pavilions, each celebrating a different country’s heritage, innovation, and cuisine. The entertainment city is also set to include a major indoor and outdoor theme park, capable of drawing more than a million visitors annually, along with a 9,000-seat ‘City Hall’ arena designed to host concerts, festivals, sporting events, and large-scale cultural gatherings.
Visitors will be able to explore a vast retail and dining district spanning over 130,000 square metres, offering themed malls, international restaurants, artisan markets, and immersive experiences. The precinct will also include a business and innovation park, providing office, training, and research facilities aimed at attracting global companies, tech ventures, and education providers.
Accommodation options will range from boutique hotels to luxury five-star offerings, with more than 700 rooms planned across the site. Developers anticipate the project will become a major tourism drawcard, attracting both domestic and international travellers while creating thousands of local jobs during construction and ongoing operations.
Sustainability will underpin the design, with an emphasis on renewable energy, water efficiency, and walkability. A transport-oriented layout will encourage visitors to use nearby Elimbah Station, with limited car access inside the precinct to maintain a pedestrian-friendly environment.
If approved, Infinity Planet could open its first stage by the time Brisbane hosts the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games, positioning the region as one of Australia’s most ambitious new entertainment and cultural destinations.
The Sydney Fish Market, a New Harbourside Icon, on the Home Run and Ready to Open This January
The long-anticipated transformation of the Sydney Fish Market is nearing completion, with the new harbourside precinct set to open to the public this January. Designed to become one of Sydney’s most recognisable waterfront landmarks, the redeveloped market will offer a vibrant mix of food, retail, culture, and community spaces while strengthening the city’s connection to Blackwattle Bay.
The striking new building features a dramatic wave-like timber roof, expansive glass façades, and open-air circulation designed to maximise natural light and ventilation. These architectural elements not only create a visually iconic structure but also enhance the visitor experience, offering sweeping harbour views and a sense of openness throughout the complex.
Inside, the market will house expanded seafood retail areas, upgraded auction floors, and modernised wholesale facilities, ensuring a more efficient and contemporary working environment for vendors and industry operators. Visitors can look forward to an impressive range of seafood restaurants, casual eateries, cafés, and fresh produce stalls that celebrate Australia’s culinary diversity. Cooking schools, demonstration kitchens, and event spaces will add to the precinct’s educational and cultural appeal.
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A major focus of the redevelopment has been reconnecting the public with the waterfront. The new design includes generous boardwalks, public promenades, landscaped terraces, and shaded outdoor seating areas that encourage people to linger and enjoy the harbour. Cyclists and pedestrians will benefit from new paths that integrate the market into wider foreshore routes.
Sustainability features strongly in the project, with solar shading, energy-efficient systems, improved waste and recycling facilities, and water-sensitive landscaping all incorporated to reduce the site’s environmental footprint.
As opening day approaches, anticipation is building among Sydneysiders and tourists eager to explore the revitalised market. Once launched, the new Sydney Fish Market is expected to become a major visitor drawcard and a celebrated new icon on the city’s ever-evolving waterfront.
ASIC Targets SQM Research in Civil Actions Over Shield and First Guardian Collapse
The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) has launched civil proceedings against SQM Research, along with financial services firms Interprac Financial Planning and MWL Financial Services, following the collapse of the Shield Master Fund and First Guardian Master Fund. The regulator alleges that failures by these firms exposed thousands of Australian investors to significant financial loss.
ASIC claims that SQM Research, a leading investment research provider, issued highly favourable star ratings for Shield across multiple reports despite serious concerns about the fund’s structure and underlying assets. The regulator argues that SQM failed to obtain essential information, ignored inconsistencies, and misrepresented key facts regarding related-party management and asset allocation. These allegedly misleading ratings were relied upon by financial advisers when recommending that clients roll over their superannuation into Shield, leaving investors exposed to losses when the fund collapsed.
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Interprac Financial Planning is also facing action for allegedly failing to ensure its advisers acted in clients’ best interests and adequately assessed the risks associated with Shield. ASIC contends that inadequate oversight by the firm contributed to thousands of investors being directed into a high-risk, unsuitable investment.
MWL Financial Services is accused of recommending more than $100 million of superannuation funds into Shield, despite clear risks and the complex nature of the product. According to ASIC, these actions collectively demonstrate systemic weaknesses in investment research, financial advice, and fund governance.
ASIC is seeking civil penalties, declarations, and additional court orders against all three firms, emphasizing the importance of accountability and professional standards in the financial services sector. The regulator has described the actions as a landmark effort to hold investment research providers and advisers to account, underscoring the critical role of independent oversight in protecting investors.
The proceedings serve as a reminder of the potential consequences when financial advice, research, and oversight fail, and they reflect ASIC’s ongoing commitment to maintaining confidence and integrity in Australia’s superannuation and investment markets.
