Ten-year strategy for stem cells released

A new strategy and action plan for advanced cell therapy and regenerative medicine calls for $500 million in federal funding over 10 years and $1 billion from other sources to position Canada as the go-to nation for the next frontier in therapeutics and treatments. The plan says a fully funded strategy could create more than 12,000 jobs through the growth of existing companies and new firms with global marketing reach.

"Government plays a critical role in endorsing and seeding support, while the private sector ... must drive the strategic priorities and actions to achieve the vision of global leadership," states the report.

Entitled Following Through: Realizing the Promise of Stem Cells, the plan was produced by KPMG LLP for the Canadian Stem Cell Foundation (CSCF) on behalf of the Joint Strategy Working Group for the Canadian Stem Cell Strategy. The working group is comprised of representatives of the CSCF, Centre for the Commercialization of Regenerative Medicine, Stem Cell Network, Health Charities Coalition of Canada, Ontario Stem Cell Initiative, CellCAN Regenerative Medicine and Cell Therapy Network and Ontario Bioscience Innovation Organization.

"The proposed Action Plan is a 10-year transformative initiative to create a successful, internationally recognized cell therapy and regenerative medicine industry," states the report. "‘Made in Canada' could be the hallmark of cell therapies in much the same way ‘Made in Switzerland' is for quality timepieces."

The plan is predicated upon five strategic pillars and key enablers for building a multi-billion dollar industry that is sustainable and scalable to support future market demands.

The plan's five priorities for action are: support and maintain a vibrant multi-disciplinary R&D pipeline; seed and support private sector-led initiatives with investors to mobilize private capital; implement a streamlined regulatory and reimbursement pathway for advanced stem cell therapies; establish a clinical trials co-development fund to launch 430 trials over 10 years; and, explore and develop a reimbursement framework working with protocols established by the Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies and the Common Drug Review.

FMI: www.stemcellfoundation.ca.

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