Changing the course of cancer: Australian breakthrough captured in powerful new SBS series

Gripping two-part series 'The Cancer Killers' premieres Tuesday 4 November on SBS and SBS On Demand.

Dr Himanshu Brahambhatt describes the Engeneic Dream Vector in 'The Cancer Killers'. Credit: Rymer Childs

With almost one in two Australian adults set to be diagnosed with cancer by the age of 85, two Australian scientists make a groundbreaking discovery that could change the future of cancer treatment forever. But bringing it to the world sends Dr Jennifer MacDiarmid and Dr Himanshu Brahmbhatt on a decades-long rollercoaster of hope, heartbreak and resilience, as they battle against impossible odds to see their vision realised. Their extraordinary journey is captured in gripping detail in new SBS documentary series The Cancer Killers, premiering Tuesday 4 November at 9:30pm on SBS and SBS On Demand.

Guided by an unshakable belief that they could change the way the world treats cancer and save millions of lives, Drs MacDiarmid and Brahmbhatt set out two decades ago to develop a bold new therapy. Shot over ten years, The Cancer Killers offers a gripping behind-the-scenes look at the relationship between science and business and reveals how difficult it is to take a scientific discovery to market, even when it has the potential to save millions of lives.

Working side by side, the scientists created a ground-breaking disruptive technology called EnGeneIC Dream Vector (EDV), a microscopic ‘Trojan Horse’ that slips inside cancer cells and destroys them from within, sparing healthy cells entirely, unlike chemotherapy. At the same time, it rallies the body’s immune system to join the fight. This revolutionary approach has the potential to eliminate the debilitating side effects of chemotherapy, including nausea, vomiting and hair loss, while preserving the body’s natural defences.

Drs MacDiarmid and Brahmbhatt’s path has been anything but easy. From their first world-first human trials in Melbourne in 2009 to the extraordinary moment when the U.S. Food and Drug Administration granted their latest trial fast-track status, the pair have weathered relentless challenges, from financial hardship to fierce resistance from both the medical and business establishment.

Dr Jennifer MacDiarmid examines the results of an experiment. Credit: Rymer Childs

With limited funding but unwavering resolve, Dr MacDiarmid and Dr Brahmbhatt forged ahead, conducting trials in Australia and the United States, fighting to keep their company, EnGeneIC, alive, and refusing to abandon a discovery that could save millions of lives.

Now, in late 2025, their vision faces its greatest test yet. At the end of October, the team will launch a six-site clinical trial throughout the U.S., including one of the world’s leading cancer research sites, Columbia University’s Irving Cancer Research Centre in New York. The trial will target pancreatic cancer, a disease with no known cure. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has granted the trial fast-track status, following the team’s extraordinary early results.

Drs Jennifer MacDiarmid and Himanshu Brahmbhatt in Central Park, New York. Credit: Rymer Childs

The Cancer Killers takes viewers deep inside the extraordinary world of two pioneering Australian scientists, not only in the lab, but in the boardrooms, clinics, and late-night moments where business, science and dedication collide. It’s a story of courage and conviction, of human resilience against impossible odds, where the stakes are life and death, and the finish line is hope itself.

Bernadine Lim, Senior SBS Commissioning Editor for Documentaries, says: “The Cancer Killers offers a rare, behind-the-scenes glimpse into the making of a breakthrough cancer treatment. It follows two remarkable Australian scientists whose relentless dedication and belief have driven them through years of triumph and despair. The series captures not just the science, but the deeply human story – the hope, sacrifice and determination to bring new life-saving treatments to those who need them most.”

Producer and director Judy Rymer, founder of production company Rymer Childs Founder, says: "Across 15 years of filming, we’ve been swept up in an extraordinary journey through the fast-moving world of biotechnology, full of innovation, resilience, and hope. With passion and perseverance, these scientists navigate the path from the laboratory to patient bedside, determined to make a lasting difference. It's a story of dedication, discovery, and the power of science to change lives."

The Cancer Killers is a Rymer Childs production for SBS. Principal production funding from Screen Australia in association with SBS.

Two-part series The Cancer Killers airs Tuesdays from 4 November at 9:30pm on SBS and SBS On Demand. The Cancer Killers will be subtitled on SBS On Demand in Arabic, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Vietnamese and Korean. All episodes will be available with audio description.