Astellas and the Canadian National Transplant Research Program (CNTRP) Partner to Support Personalized Medicine Approaches to Improve Transplantation

CNTRP and Astellas announce the first recipients of the Research Innovation Grant competition and a renewed commitment to research innovation

MARKHAM, ON, May 6, 2015 /CNW/ - Astellas Pharma Canada, Inc., the Canadian subsidiary of Tokyo-based Astellas Pharma, Inc. (Tokyo: 4503), and the Canadian National Transplant Research Program (CNTRP), are pleased to announce the recipients of the first CNTRP Astellas research innovation grant competition.

In 2013, Astellas entered into a commitment with the transplant scientific community through a research partnership with the CNTRP. Astellas has pledged $1 Million over a period of five years to support Canadian investigators as they work to address barriers to tissue and organ donation and improve long-term outcomes and quality of life for transplant patients. Last year, Astellas launched the 2014 CNTRP Astellas Research Innovation Grant Competition, committing an additional $50,000 to support peer-reviewed pilot research project(s) in the area of personalized medicine approaches in transplantation to improve long-term health outcomes.

The recipients of the 2014 CNTRP Astellas Research Innovation Grants include:

Dr. Joseph Kim and Dr. Ana Kovalinka
University of Toronto, Toronto, ON
Project Title: Urinary markers of intra-renal renin angiotensin system activity in renal allograft recipients

Dr. Jean-Sébastien Delisle
Hôpital Maisonneuve-Rosemont
Project Title: Optimizing autologous anti-EBV T-cell lines from seronegative patients for adoptive immunotherapy; a pre-clinical study

"These two projects are important new pieces of the CNTRP and will have a significant impact on both solid organ and stem cell transplant patients," says Dr. Lori West, Director of the CNTRP and Director of the Alberta Transplant Institute. "This new funding will allow these investigators to integrate their research into the CNTRP structure, enabling them to leverage the full resources of the network to translate personalized medicine interventions into clinical practice.  We are very grateful for the ongoing support from Astellas, which will help the CNTRP achieve its goal of addressing the critical gaps and barriers to effective transplantation for Canadians."

Following the success of the first competition, Astellas has decided to pledge an additional $150,000 to further support the competition in 2015 and 2016.

"Astellas has always demonstrated a strong commitment in supporting the Canadian transplant community," said Michael Tremblay, President of Astellas Pharma Canada. "Through this renewed collaboration with the Canadian National Transplant Research Program, we will be able to provide additional support that will lead to better outcomes for transplant patients across Canada."

About the Canadian National Transplant Research Program (CNTRP)

The Canadian National Transplant Research Program (CNTRP) is a national initiative designed to increase organ and tissue donation in Canada and enhance the survival and quality of life of Canadians who receive transplants. The research goals of the CNTRP:

• Increase the availability of transplants
• Extend the longevity of grafts
• Improve the long-term survival and quality of life of transplant patients
• Develop and enhance the pool of researchers and clinicians in the field of transplantation
• Integrate and coordinate transplantation research nationwide

More information about CNTRP can be found at www.cntrp.ca.

About Astellas Pharma Canada, Inc.

Astellas Pharma Canada, Inc., headquartered in Markham, ON, is a Canadian affiliate of Tokyo-based Astellas Pharma Inc. Astellas is a pharmaceutical company dedicated to improving the health of people around the world through the provision of innovative and reliable pharmaceutical products.

The organization is committed to becoming a global category leader in focused areas by combining outstanding R&D and marketing capabilities. In Canada, Astellas has an intense commercial focus on five therapeutic areas – Urology, Immunology, Infectious Disease, Dermatology and Oncology.

For more information about Astellas Pharma Canada, Inc., please visit the corporate website:  www.astellas.ca

SOURCE Astellas Pharma Canada, Inc.

Michelle Reale, Corporate Communications, Astellas Pharma Canada, Inc., [phone], [email protected]; Dr. Lori West, Director, Canadian National Transplant Research Program, [phone], [email protected]