Alberta Boehringer Ingelheim Collaboration aims to tackle care gaps in respiratory diseases

Alberta, Canada - June 4, 2019 – Boehringer Ingelheim (Canada) Ltd., the University Hospital Foundation and the Government of Alberta are pleased to announce a collaboration which will focus on developing solutions to address treatment gaps in the area of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) care and its associated co-morbidities.  

The Alberta Boehringer Ingelheim Collaboration (ABIC) is a public-private philanthropic partnership developed to support innovation and industry-driven, applied research in Alberta’s life science sector. The ultimate goal is to advance health innovation projects in the area of respiratory diseases, in particular COPD and its associated co-morbidities including diabetes, obesity and heart failure. 

The partnership will be announced later today on the Canadian Pavilion Stage at the BIO International Convention in Philadelphia, PA. The BIO International Convention brings together more than 16,000 attendees from around the globe for unparalleled collaboration amongst key partners in the biotech industry. 

Purpose of the Alberta Boehringer Ingelheim Collaborative Partnership Fund (ABIC)
In partnership with Boehringer Ingelheim (Canada) Ltd., the University Hospital Foundation and the Government of Alberta, the Collaborative is inviting proposals from Alberta-based investigators for funding to help identify, develop and implement effective solutions from early diagnosis to end-of-life in people with respiratory diseases. Projects that are submitted must address one of the three healthcare gaps identified below: 

• Early Diagnosis and Coordinated Screening: 50% or more of COPD patients in Alberta remain undiagnosed 
• Patient Awareness and Education related to COPD: Lack of disease self-management programs
• Connecting Patients to Services: Connecting patients to available and appropriate services for COPD patients

“We are pleased to announce our collaboration with the Government of Alberta and the University Hospital Foundation to advance innovation in healthcare” said Uli Brödl, Vice President, Medical and Regulatory Affairs, Boehringer Ingelheim (Canada) Ltd. “Patients are at the heart of everything we do, and we are dedicated to developing novel solutions that drive transformative change for a better patient experience.”

Alberta is uniquely positioned for these partnerships because of the strength of its life sciences sector, the proven willingness of many organizations to partner with a common vision, and the provincial government’s commitment to increasing economic diversification, by building Alberta’s knowledge economy.

“Through public-private philanthropic partnerships like this, we are able to pioneer innovative solutions that will reduce costs, support a sustainable healthcare system and improve access to care for patients,” says Christy Holtby, Vice President, Strategic Partnerships with the University Hospital Foundation. “We’re so grateful for the support from community members through our Foundation to help fund this forward-thinking collaboration.”

Through this partnership between Boehringer Ingelheim (Canada) Ltd., the Government of Alberta and the University Hospital Foundation, the power of collaboration between industry, the public and philanthropic sectors are brought together with the shared vision of translating goals into real-world practice. Together, the collaboration will uncover evidence that will allow the organizations to make major changes in how they battle these chronic diseases and enable Canadians to live better lives. 

University Hospital Foundation
The University Hospital Foundation raises and manages funds to advance patient care, research and healthcare education at the University of Alberta Hospital, the Mazankowski Alberta Heart Institute and the Kaye Edmonton Clinic. Through Strategic Partnerships, the University Hospital Foundation brings together industry, the public sector, and philanthropic collaborations to advance and translate Alberta’s innovations into solutions that impact the health of all Albertans. With this collaborative approach to invest in shared areas of interest, the Foundation’s philanthropic investment – and that of our partners - is multiplied. www.GivetoUHF.ca.

Government of Alberta
The Ministry of Alberta Economic Development, Trade and Tourism focuses on economic growth and diversification by supporting innovation and research; expanding access to capital for small and medium-sized enterprises; promoting trade, investment and market access initiatives; and leading Alberta’s negotiations on trade agreements. http://economic.alberta.ca.

Boehringer Ingelheim (Canada) Ltd.
Improving the health of humans and animals is the goal of Boehringer Ingelheim, a research-driven pharmaceutical company. In doing so, the focus is on diseases for which no satisfactory treatment option exists to date. The company therefore concentrates on developing innovative therapies that can extend patients’ lives. In animal health, Boehringer Ingelheim stands for advanced prevention. 

Family-owned since it was established in 1885, Boehringer Ingelheim is one of the top 20 companies in the pharmaceutical industry. Some 50,000 employees create value through innovation daily for the three business areas of human pharmaceuticals, animal health and biopharmaceuticals. In 2018, Boehringer Ingelheim achieved net sales of around 17.5 billion euros. R&D expenditure of almost 3.2 billion euros, corresponded to 18.1 per cent of net sales. 

As a family-owned company, Boehringer Ingelheim plans in generations and focuses on long-term success. The company therefore aims at organic growth from its own resources with simultaneous openness to partnerships and strategic alliances in research. In everything it does, Boehringer Ingelheim naturally adopts responsibility towards mankind and the environment. 

More information about Boehringer Ingelheim can be found on www.boehringer-ingelheim.com or in our annual report: http://annualreport.boehringer-ingelheim.com.

For more information

Christy Holtby
University Hospital Foundation
(780) 407-2969
christy.holtby@ahs.ca

Sara McClelland
Boehringer Ingelheim (Canada) Ltd.
(905) 631-4713
sara.mcclelland@boehringer-ingelheim.com