Research collaboration to develop diagnostic tools for osteoarthritis

Toronto, ON December 2, 2003 ChondroGene and the Canadian Arthritis Network (CAN), say they have entered into a new research collaboration. Under the terms of the agreement, ChondroGene will make its technology and tools available to CAN researchers; in return, it will gain access to CAN’s research activities across Canada.

The Canadian Arthritis Network, a member of the federal Networks of Centres of Excellence, is the single point of contact that links 125 leading Canadian arthritis researchers and clinicians, 40 Canadian academic institutions, The Arthritis Society, pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, and government.

Specific projects will be identified and undertaken to further advance ChondroGene’s research and clinical objectives with the ultimate goal of developing new diagnostic tools for osteoarthritis, and eventually new therapeutics to treat the disease, not merely the symptoms of the disease.

“We are extremely pleased to be working with ChondroGene”, says Dr Robin Poole, scientific co-director of the network. “ChondroGene has developed key proprietary technologies and tools which we believe can be applied as catalysts to enable the development of new diagnostics and treatments for OA. Having access to ChondroGene’s technologies and expertise will enable CAN investigators to accelerate existing programs as well as to initiate novel studies.”

Dr Poole is an active researcher in the field of arthritis and is director of the Joint Diseases Laboratory at Montreal’s Shriners Hospitals for Children, and professor at McGill University’s department of surgery and an adjunct associate professor at the University of Montreal. He is also a member of the advisory board of the CIHR Institute of Musculoskeletal Health and Arthritis, and acts as a consultant in research for a number of pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies in Canada, the US and Europe. He has also been a member of ChondroGene’s scientific advisory board since its inception.