PHC Announces $7.5 Million in New Research Funding

A total of $7.5 million in new research funding for Providence Health Care and its partners was announced today. Of that total, $4.25 million is being contributed by Pfizer Canada.

The first investment is for targeted research at the BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS and the second is to establish the first Canadian research chair in cardiovascular disease prevention. Both research initiatives are to be housed in St. Paul's Hospital, part of Providence Health Care.

The development in Canada of an important tropism virus strain test for HIV/AIDS with the BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS will receive support with a $3 million investment by Pfizer. Currently available only in the United States, this blood-screening test would be one of the solutions available to deal with HIV/AIDS drug resistance in Canada because it enables identification of the tropism of the virus. This would then allow physicians to prescribe the appropriate treatment regimen.

Pfizer Canada also contributed $1.25 million for the creation of the first Canadian research chair in cardiovascular prevention research. This new, innovative Simon Fraser University chair will be named the Pfizer/Heart and Stroke Foundation Chair in Cardiovascular Prevention Research at St. Paul's Hospital. Other contributions to this chair include $1.5 million from Simon Fraser University, $1 million from an anonymous donor to St. Paul's Hospital Foundation and $750,000 from the Heart and Stroke Foundation of BC & Yukon, for a total of $4.5 million, making it one of the largest in the country.

"Our support of these two B.C.-led initiatives demonstrates Pfizer Canada's commitment to excellence in healthcare research in the province Pfizer Canada is also announcing the contribution of $1.25 million and for the benefit of all Canadians," says Paul Lévesque, President and CEO of Pfizer Canada. "We are extremely pleased to participate in bringing to Canada a novel test - called a tropism test -- which will benefit all HIV/AIDS patients experiencing resistance to their current treatment and allow their physician to better target the appropriate treatment regimen."

"The second investment is a unique academic partnership to create the first Canadian chair in cardiovascular prevention research, and Pfizer Canada is proud to bring this vision to reality. This Chair is of paramount importance because much of what we know about cardiovascular disease is preventable," adds Mr. Lévesque.

"We thank Pfizer for making this significant investment in both the BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS and the Providence Heart and Lung Institute at St. Paul's Hospital," said Dianne Doyle President & CEO of Providence Health Care. "These initiatives will further our research agenda in two important areas of emphasis - HIV/AIDS and cardiac - and help the patients that we serve."