MARKHAM, ON, April 23, 2014 /CNW/ - The Canadian transplant field will receive an additional boost in funding thanks to a new collaborative project between Astellas Pharma Canada, Inc. (Astellas) and the Canadian National Transplant Research Program (CNTRP).
Last year on July 3, 2013, Astellas announced a new partnership with the CNTRP, pledging $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. Astellas is building on this important commitment to research and development within the transplant scientific community with the launch of the 2014 CNTRP Astellas Research Innovation Grant Competition.
Astellas is pledging an additional $50,000 to support peer-reviewed pilot research project(s) that align with a key strategic research priority for the CNTRP in the area of personalized medicine approaches in transplantation and the health economic benefits.
"This competition will provide much needed support for new ideas and research projects across the transplant community and allow investigators to leverage and access the full resources of the CNTRP," says Dr. Lori West, Director of the CNTRP and Interim Director of the Alberta Transplant Institute. "We are very grateful for the ongoing enthusiastic support from Astellas, both financial and philosophic. This support is an important endorsement not only of our program but also of the unique approach taken by CNTRP to addressing the critical gaps and barriers to effective transplantation for Canadians."
Astellas is pleased to continue to partner with the CNTRP. This newest collaboration will seed novel and innovative pilot projects that contribute to the mandate of the CNTRP and continue to advance research in the transplant field with the goal of improving patient care.
"Astellas has always demonstrated a strong commitment in supporting the Canadian Transplant community," said Michael Tremblay, President of Astellas Pharma Canada. "Through this collaboration with the Canadian National Transplant Research Program, we are building on that commitment and will continue to strive to enhance the survival and quality of life of Canadians who receive transplants."
The deadline for applications to the CNTRP Astellas Research Innovation Grant Competition is July 14th, 2014. For more information about the application process, including eligibility criteria, please visit www.cntrp.ca or www.astellas.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
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.
SOURCE: Astellas Pharma Canada, Inc.
Michelle Reale
Corporate Communications
Astellas Pharma Canada, Inc.
(905) 946-5621
[email protected]
Dr. Lori West
Director, Canadian National Transplant Research Program
(780) 492-3200
[email protected]
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