Cardiovascular Innovation
Israel’s Technion and Toronto-Based Health Network Launch $75 million Centre for Cardiovascular Innovation
Canadian partners include the McEwen Centre for Regenerative Medicine and the Peter Munk Cardiac Centre, core members of University Health Network (UHN), Canada’s largest research hospital; $10 million already raised, with total funding to be obtained by the end of 2014; one-third of the funds will be invested in the Technion
Technion – Israel Institute of Technology and the Toronto-based University Health Network (UHN) have announced the establishment of the “Technion – UHN International Centre for Cardiovascular Innovation”, aimed at developing new ways to treat heart disease.
Prof. Lior Gepstein, a pioneer in the study of stem cells and their therapeutic potential in the cardiovascular system, will lead the Technion team in the joint venture. Prof. Gepstein heads the Sohnis Family Research Laboratory for Cardiac Electrophysiology and Regenerative Medicine at the Technion’s Rappaport Faculty of Medicine.
Dr. Barry Rubin, the Medical Director of the Peter Munk Cardiac Centre in Toronto, said that “heart disease is the major cause of death in OEDC countries, and the second leading cause of death in Israel and Canada. This collaboration holds significant potential for the development of new cardiovascular devices and regenerative medicine therapies, innovations that will benefit not only residents of Canada and Israel, but all mankind. I anticipate that Technion scientists will develop new devices, like miniature heart pumps, and the Peter Munk Cardiac Centre team will determine if these are good treatment options for patients that we are unable to currently manage effectively. In the coming weeks we will forward an initial amount of the $10 million that was already raised to the Technion. We expect to meet the fundraising target of $75 million (CDN) by the end of the year. At least one third of this amount will be directed to Technion scientists.”
The agreement for the centre’s establishment states that “The combined efforts of scientists and doctors from the Technion, the McEwen Centre for Regenerative Medicine and the Peter Munk Cardiac Centre are aimed at developing new medical technologies and innovative applications in areas such as medical devices and stem cell therapies – medical innovations with substantial commercial potential, and provide a cure to millions of patients worldwide.”
Technion President Prof. Peretz Lavie said that the Technion is increasingly involved in major international partnerships, and is excited at the potential of the joint venture with leading Canadian scientists. “Only by combining forces through collaboration with leading researchers from around the world, will breakthroughs be realized,” he emphasized. “I’m very pleased that a worldwide leader in regenerative medicine and the management of heart disease patients, UHN in Canada, chose the Technion as its partner in this venture, and did so because we are a global leader in biomechanical engineering and stem cell research. I am convinced that the developments coming out of this new centre will provide new treatments and cures to millions of patients worldwide.”
Prof. Boaz Golany, Technion’s Vice President for External Relations and Resource Development, stressed that the new centre will see the emergence of the next generation of scientists and researchers who will specialize in the emerging field of stem cell research that has the potential to provide new therapies for the treatment of a range of debilitating diseases. Prof. Golany also noted that the collaboration between Technion and UHN is consistent with the Canada–Israel Strategic Partnership announced by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper on January 21, 2014, which provides for “further scientific research cooperation, more business linkages, including in innovation; closer academic ties and development cooperation”, among other benefits.