Protein plays a key role in cancer and DNA repair
August 28, 2015
"Research collaborations with experienced industry partners are vital to translating our discoveries into effective medicines for patients. Thanks to this collaboration with Pfizer, we will be able to extend our search for new therapeutic targets and biomarkers, using the BC Cancer Agency's unique breast tumour resource," said Dr. Samuel Aparicio, head of the molecular oncology and breast cancer research program at the BC Cancer Agency and a professor in the department of pathology and laboratory medicine at UBC. "By combining our platforms with our anonymous, long-term data on breast cancer patients in B.C., we hope to discover new drug targets and biomarkers that will be developed into new therapies."
The research at the Vancouver Prostate Centre will be conducted through the Translational Research Initiative for Accelerated Discovery and Development (PC-TRIADD), directed by Gleave, who is also a distinguished professor in the department of urologic sciences, UBC faculty of medicine, and the B.C. leadership chair in prostate cancer research.
"This partnership with one of the world's major pharmaceutical companies supports and accelerates one of our key areas of focus, which is to identify why prostate cancer becomes hormone-resistant and to use this information to develop new treatments that improve the quality and longevity of life for patients," said Gleave. "We are proud to work with Pfizer and the BC Cancer Agency to continue to bring discoveries from the lab to our patient clinic and offer the best in cutting-edge treatment to British Columbians."
It is hoped this collaboration will identify new molecular entities that can be developed into therapeutics to fight cancers more rapidly. Breast cancer is the second leading cancer-related cause of death in females, and prostate cancer is the third leading cancer-related cause of death in Canada.
Source: PFIZER CANADA INC.