Media Release | Nov. 15, 2007

BC Health Research Community Congratulates Dr. Michael Hayden on Receiving the Prix Galien Canada

The British Columbia health research community congratulates Dr. Michael Hayden on receiving the Prix Galien Canada (Research) 2007. This award recognizes the outstanding contribution of a researcher or a research team to the Canadian biopharmaceutical research. This annual award, the Nobel Prize of the pharmaceutical industry, represents one of the highest honours in the field of biopharmaceutical. Dr. Hayden receives the award today from Dr. Jacques Gagné, President of the Prix Galien Canada Jury, at a gala event in Montreal. This event is held jointly by Prix Galien Canada and Rx&D Health Research Foundation.

A pioneer in the development of predictive testing for Huntington disease, Dr. Hayden has made major contributions to understanding how changes in specific genes result in Huntington disease, premature coronary artery disease, and diabetes. Recently, he provided the first evidence of a cure for Huntington disease in a mouse model. He discovered the ABCA1 gene, which is the primary determinant of high density cholesterol levels, and he showed that the ABCA1 gene is involved in insulin secretion and the development of type 2 diabetes. He's also identified the genes for eight other disorders, including amyotrophic laterol sclerosis 2, high lipids, and pain. Dr. Hayden, along with Dr. Bruce Carleton, are supported by Genome BC and Genome Canada for the project: Genotype-specific Approaches to Drug Therapy in Childhood.

"Michael is one of the premier clinician scientists in Canada," says Dr. Stuart MacLeod, Executive Director of the Child & Family Research Institute at BC Children's Hospital. "His work in genetics and genomics has opened a myriad of possibilities for better treatment of patients with genetic diseases and other conditions such as adverse drug reactions."

"We are delighted that Michael's outstanding work is being recognized with this important prize," adds John Hepburn, UBC Vice-president, Research. "He has made milestone advances in his areas of investigation and demonstrated the power of international research collaborations and industry partnerships."

Dr. Hayden is a Killam Professor of Medical Genetics at the University of British Columbia and Canada Research Chair in Human Genetics and Molecular Medicine. He is Director of the Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics (CMMT) and Senior Scientist at the Child & Family Research Institute at BC Children's Hospital. He's authored more than 400 peer-reviewed publications in high impact journals such as Cell, the Nature journals, Proceedings of the National Academies of Science, New England Journal of Medicine, and The Lancet. Additionally, he's co-founded three pharmaceutical companies: Xenon Pharmaceuticals, Aspreva Pharmaceuticals Inc., and Neurovir. He currently serves as Chief Scientific Officer for Xenon Pharmaceuticals and Chief Medical Advisor for Aspreva Pharmaceuticals Inc.

Primary support for Dr. Hayden's research comes from BC Children's Hospital Foundation. Additional supporters include Genome BC and Genome Canada, Pfizer Canada, Merck Frosst, Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Heart and Stroke Foundation, Lilly, National Institutes of Health (USA), and other American agencies and foundations.

The Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics (CMMT)

The Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics at the Child & Family Research Institute at BC Children's Hospital is built on a 10-year history of research excellence. CMMT is dedicated to advancing the fundamental understanding of the molecular function and structure of genes as the key to improved diagnosis, treatment and prevention of health problems in children and adults.

The Child & Family Research Institute

The Child & Family Research Institute is dedicated to world-class research at the Children's and Women's Health Campus. It is the largest research institute of its kind in Western Canada and it is supported by the BC Children's Hospital Foundation. Research is conducted in the areas of community child heath, diabetes, applied health research and evaluation, infectious and inflammatory diseases, molecular medicine and therapeutics, oncology, reproductive health, nutrition, genetics, immunology, informatics, neurobiology and mental health. Incorporated in 1995, the Institute works in close partnership with the BC Children's Hospital and Sunny Hill Health Centre for Children, and BC Women's Hospital & Health Centre, which are agencies of the Provincial Health Services Authority, and also with the University of British Columbia. For more information, visit www.cfri.ca.

BC Children's Hospital

BC Children's Hospital, an agency of the Provincial Health Services Authority, provides expert care for the province's most seriously ill or injured children, including newborns and adolescents. Children's is an academic health centre affiliated with the University of British Columbia, Simon Fraser University, and the Child & Family Research Institute. For more information, please visit www.bcchildrens.ca.

University of British Columbia

The University of British Columbia is one of Canada's largest and most prestigious public research and teaching institutions and consistently ranks among the top 40 institutes in the world. It offers a range of innovative undergraduate, graduate and professional programs in the arts, sciences, medicine, law, commerce and other faculties. UBC ranks in the top 10 of North American universities in creation of spin-off companies, has particular strengths in biotechnology, and its research generates more U.S. patent applications than any other Canadian institution.

Genome British Columbia

Genome BC is a research organization that invests in and manages large-scale genomics and proteomics research projects and science and technology platforms focused on areas of strategic importance such as human health, forestry, fisheries, ethics, agriculture and the environment. Working collaboratively with all levels of government, universities and industry, Genome BC is the catalyst for a vibrant, genomics-driven life sciences cluster with far reaching social and economic benefits for the province and Canada.

- 30 -

Contact

Jennifer Kohm
Child & Family Research Institute
Tel: 604.875.2401
E-mail: jkohm@cw.bc.ca

Hilary Thomson
University of British Columbia
Tel: 604.822.2644
E-mail: hilary.thomson@ubc.ca

Linda Bartz
Genome British Columbia
Tel: 604.637.4373
E-mail: lbartz@genomebc.ca