Pfizer Canada announces new round of Canadian Cardiovascular Research Award
recipients

    
    - Pfizer commits an additional $610,000 in support to Canadian
    researchers and launches one new award -
    

EDMONTON , Oct. 28 /CNW/ - Pfizer Canada is pleased to announce the sixth round of recipients of the Pfizer Cardiovascular Research Awards Program. The program, first launched in October 2005 , was developed to fund and support cardiovascular research in Canada .

This year, Pfizer Canada is pleased to introduce one new partnership award: the Cardiovascular Health Network (CHN) - Pfizer Canada Grant for the Future. This award is a unique and innovative alliance between Pfizer Canada and the Cardiovascular Health Network of the Fonds de la Recherche en Santé du Québec (FRSQ) and will fund a young Quebec investigator's project (within five years of his/her first academic appointment). This year's recipient is Dr. Sébastien Bonnet, PhD, Assistant Professor at the Université Laval.

The Pfizer Cardiovascular Research Awards Program aims to fund and support independent cardiovascular research in the areas of basic, biomedical and clinical sciences, patient care enhancement, epidemiology and outcome research. All proposals are reviewed and selected by an independent committee of 22 Canadian cardiovascular experts, chaired by Dr. Jean-Claude Tardif, Director of Research, Montreal Heart Institute and professor of medicine at the Université de Montréal.

"As always, we are so pleased with the response from medical professionals interested in cardiovascular research and this awards program," says Dr. Tardif . "It shows a great level of commitment to this area of research from Canada's independent researchers, but also a commitment and dedication from Pfizer Canada to improve our understanding and treatment of cardiovascular disease in this country."

Award recipients were announced this week at the Canadian Cardiovascular Congress in Edmonton , Alberta. The seven recipients are:

    
    -  Dr. Sébastien Bonnet, PhD, Assistant Professor, Université Laval;
       Cardiovascular Health Network - Pfizer Canada Grant for the Future;

    -  Dr. Bernard Le Foll, MD, PhD, Associate Professor, University of
       Toronto;

    -  Dr. Nabil Seidah, PhD, Professor, Université de Montréal; The Jean
       Davignon Distinguished Cardiovascular Metabolic Research Award;

    -  Dr. Jean Sévigny, PhD, Associate Professor, Université Laval;
       The Canadian Hypertension Society - Pfizer Award;

    -  Dr. John Tyberg, MD, PhD, Professor, University of Calgary; The Kidney
       Foundation of Canada/Pfizer Canada - Cardio-Renal Research Award;

    -  Dr. Rudiger Von Harsdorf, MD, Associate Professor, University of
       Toronto; and,

    -  Dr. Dawei Zhang, PhD, Assistant Professor, University of Alberta.
    

Pfizer Canada is proud to support the innovators and ideas that make better health possible.

"Pfizer is dedicated to supporting outstanding research that may lead to improve the cardiovascular health and quality of life of Canadians," says Dr. Bernard Prigent , Vice President and Medical Director, Pfizer Canada . "It is part of our mission to continue to invest in Canadian research to generate scientific knowledge in the area of cardiovascular health."

The Pfizer Cardiovascular Research Awards Program is open to all researchers interested in cardiovascular disease, including physicians, academics and pharmacists. Additional information about the awards can be found at www.pfizercv.ca.

CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE IN CANADA

Every seven minutes, someone in Canada dies from cardiovascular disease, including heart disease or stroke. Cardiovascular disease accounts for the death of more Canadians than any other disease.(1) Unfortunately, Canadians run a high risk of developing cardiovascular disease as nine-in-ten (90 per cent) have at least one risk factor for heart disease or stroke (including smoking, alcohol use, physical inactivity, obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes).(2)

ABOUT PFIZER CANADA INC.

Pfizer Canada Inc. is the Canadian operation of Pfizer Inc., the world's leading biopharmaceutical company. The company is one of the largest contributors to health research in Canada . Our diversified health care portfolio includes human and animal biologic and small molecule medicines and vaccines, as well as nutritional products and many of the world's best-known consumer products. Every day, Pfizer Canada employees work to advance wellness, prevention, treatments and cures that challenge the most feared diseases of our time. We apply science and our global resources to improve the health and well-being of Canadians at every stage of life. Our commitment is reflected in everything Pfizer does, from our disease awareness initiatives to our community partnerships, to our belief that it takes more than medication to be truly healthy. To learn more about Pfizer's More than Medication philosophy and programs, visit www.morethanmedication.ca. To learn more about Pfizer Canada , visit www.pfizer.ca.

    
    References:
    ------------------------------
    (1) Statistics Canada, Mortality Summary List of Causes 2005.
        http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/84f0209x/84f0209x2005000-eng.pdf.
        Released March 2009.
    (2) Canadian Heart Health Strategy-Action Plan Steering Committee.
        Building a Heart Healthy Canada.
        http://www.chhs-scsc.ca/web/?page_id=464.
        Released February 2009.
    

For further information: Laura Espinoza, Edelman, [email protected], [phone] ext. 245; Maureen McConnell, Pfizer Canada Inc., [email protected], [phone], 1-866-9Pfizer (1-866-973-4937)