Backgrounder

February 7, 2008

SUNNYBROOK RECEIVES $22.9 MILLION FOR RESEARCH THAT WILL SAVE LIVES

Today’s announcement represents the second round of funding under the Ontario Research Fund’s Research Excellence program. In this round, the government is providing $22.9 million to support two world-class projects at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre. Funding will be matched by 11 industry and other partners participating in the projects.

Improving Health Outcomes For Patients With Cardiovascular Disease

Imaging for Cardiovascular Therapeutics (ICT)

Developing better tools to diagnose and treat cardiovascular disease

Lead researcher: Dr. Graham Wright
Total project cost: $43,471,452
Provincial funding: $14,490,484

Cardiovascular disease was once a sudden killer. But with new treatments and a greater understanding of atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries), prevention is becoming a realistic goal. As a result, new approaches are emerging aimed at better diagnosis and treatment – but their full commercialization potential has yet to be realized.

Researchers at Sunnybrook Hospital are working with private sector partners to apply a range of the imaging technology to create better tools to diagnose, monitor and treat cardiovascular diseases. Sunnybrook’s new approach is a ‘world-first’ because currently, patients wait for individual imaging tests including MRI, x-rays and CAT scans. With this new all-in-one, streamlined process which is unique to Sunnybrook, the patient will remain in the same room and receive all of the imaging diagnostics at the same time. 

This will lead to faster and more accurate diagnosis, potentially less invasive surgical procedures and ultimately, better health outcomes for patients with cardiovascular disease.

Key private sector partners:
Bayer HealthCare, Boston Scientific, GE Healthcare, Medtronic, MediRecon, Siemens, St Jude Medical, Pfizer

Key Facts:

• The North American market for cardiovascular devices is estimated to grow to more than $40 billion by 2011.
• Currently available technology requires a multi-step approach where different images (MRI, x-Rays and CAT scans) are recorded at different times. This creates gaps in the timeline for detecting cardiovascular disease and results in longer wait times for patients.
• The Sunnybrook project will integrate efforts to create a comprehensive program in imaging for cardiovascular therapeutics that will lead to faster and more accurate diagnosis and more effective treatments – including pharmacology, biology (cells) and medical devices.
• This project will be critical to realizing these health benefits and tapping into the multi-billion dollar diagnostic imaging, pharmaceutical and interventional devices industries.
• Dr. Wright will create a team of 52 investigators supported by 56 trainees to conduct the five-year project.

Ontario Research Fund – Research Excellence Program

This second round of funding under the Research Excellence program will invest  $114,709,614 to support 19 world-class projects at nine Ontario universities, institutes and hospitals. Funding will be matched by 107 major industry and other partners participating in the projects.

For more information about the Ontario Research Fund, please visit www.ontario.ca/innovation.

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