The Government of Canada announced investments in 14 new clinical trials to support Canada’s response to major health threats and bolster the life sciences sector

On August 13, the Honourable Mark Holland, Minister of Health, announced that the Government of Canada is investing more than $43 million to support 14 new clinical trials focused on preparing Canada to respond to future health emergencies and advancing the country’s life sciences sector.

Researchers at the RI-MUHC will lead four of the fourteen newly funded clinical trials.

Researchers at the RI-MUHC will lead four of the fourteen newly funded clinical trials. From left, Patrick Lawler, MD, Dick Menzies, MD, Ruth Sapir-Pichhadze, MD, PhD, Makeda Semret, MD
  • Patrick Lawler, MD: CLEAR-HORIZONS Post-Sepsis Platform Trial: Statin Pilot RCT
  • Dick Menzies, MD: Finding the right balance: An adaptive trial to identify the safest regimen with the shortest duration for TB prevention (treatment of TB Infection)
  • Ruth Sapir-Pichhadze, MD, PhD: Efficacy and safety of COVID-19 vaccine Co-administration and Interval in Immunocompromised hosts (CO2I2 Trial)
  • Makeda Semret: Biomarker-signature Supported Antibiotic Treatment Decisions in ICU (BAST-ICU)

The full list of funded clinical trials can be found here: CIHR Clinical Trials Projects. These trials are being supported by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Clinical Trials Fund, an important part of Canada’s Biomanufacturing and Life Sciences Strategy, and Canada’s Strategy for Patient-Oriented Research.

“Canada is home to many world-class researchers passionate about improving the health and wellness of Canadians and the world. Congratulations to the 14 clinical trials research teams whose projects are advancing the development of life-saving treatments,” said the Honourable Mark Holland, Minister of Health.

“I am incredibly proud of the exceptional success achieved in this competition, and I extend my gratitude to our researchers and their teams for their unwavering dedication to improving health outcomes,” said Dr. Rhian Touyz, Executive Director and Chief Scientific Officer of the RI‑MUHC. “Our capacity for innovation is further strengthened by our Centre for Innovative Medicine, where trialists may leverage the resources they need to develop new treatments and tools.”

“CIHR is proud to support 14 innovative clinical trials testing ground-breaking treatments and tools to protect people living in Canada from significant threats to our health. I am eager to see where these trials will lead,” said Dr. Tammy Clifford, Acting President, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research

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