Phylogica was founded and incorporated in 2001 to commercialise proprietary drug discovery technologies developed over six years of collaboration between the Telethon Institute for Child Health Research in Western Australia and the Fox Chase Cancer Centre in Philadelphia, USA.

The Telethon Institute for Child Health Research was established in 1990 and is renowned for its excellence in research and application of research in childhood diseases. The Institute is directed by former Australian of the Year, Professor Fiona Stanley and its multidisciplinary approach is a key strength in research of major childhood diseases such as asthma, leukaemia and other childhood cancers, cerebral palsy and spina bifida. Phylogica is applying its drug discovery technologies to inflammatory diseases including asthma, stroke and diabetes and the Telethon Institute for Child Health Research has been instrumental in providing expert scientific staff in these fields as well as providing world class facilities and equipment. Expert scientists in the fields of inflammatory diseases have been recruited to Phylogica’s scientific advisory board.

Fox Chase Cancer Center was founded in 1904 in Philadelphia as the nation’s first cancer hospital. In 1974, Fox Chase became one of the first institutions designated as a National Cancer Institute Comprehensive Cancer Center. Fox Chase conducts basic, clinical, population and translational research; programs of prevention, detection and treatment of cancer; and community outreach. Fox Chase scientists have made many key biological discoveries and received numerous honors, including Nobel Prizes in medicine and chemistry; the Kyoto Prize; a Lasker Clinical Research Award; memberships in the National Academy of Sciences; General Motors Cancer Research Foundation Prizes; American Cancer Society Medals of Honor and induction into the National Inventors Hall of Fame.

Each of the founding research institutes is committed to making Phylogica a commercial success and each has assigned their rights to the technologies into Phylogica in exchange for shareholdings in the Company.