Baxter to Provide Funding for Genetics Testing Program for Next Three Years

 

VANCOUVER - May 24, 2006 –Baxter Corporation (Canada) was recently recognized at the Annual General Meeting of the Association of Hemophilia Clinic Directors of Canada (AHCDC) for its long-standing commitment to, and ongoing partnership with, the AHCDC in ensuring excellent care through continued clinical services, research and education programs for Canadians with congenital bleeding disorders.

 

The AHCDC is a professional organization of directors and co-directors from all of the comprehensive hemophilia care programs across Canada. Specifically, they are committed to improving both the treatment of hemophilia patients and their quality of life.

 

Since 2000, the AHCDC has been overseeing the National Hemophilia Mutation Laboratory at Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario. The scientific director of the laboratory is Dr. David Lillicrap, an internationally recognized investigator in the field of genetics and haemostasis. The laboratory has had the important mandate of defining the range of genetic mutations responsible for hemophilia A and B in Canada. This information remains a critical aspect of advancing the understanding and treatment of hemophilia.

 

Specifically, the lab provides genetic testing for family genetic counseling purposes, and to help with the clinical management of hemophilia patients in areas such as determining effective therapy regimens and the prediction of antibody development in their therapy.

 

Prior to 2006, the funding of the National Hemophilia Mutation Laboratory was maintained by several funding agencies, such as Health Canada. Beginning in 2006, Baxter will be the sole source of funding of the laboratory for the next three years, through a $375,000 grant. This support from Baxter will allow researchers to continue to make advancements in hemophilia care.

 

"The ability to provide direct genetic testing for patients with hemophilia enables them to make informed decisions about future family planning and also provides clinicians with new information to optimize the clinical care of these patients," stated Dr. David Lillicrap, Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine, Richardson Laboratory, Queen's University and Director of the National Hemophilia Mutation Lab.

 

Each year the researchers at the National Mutation Laboratory communicate all of the genotypes that are identified to the various international organizations that maintain databases for hemophilia A and B. The results from the testing have also been integrated into several research studies that have resulted in publications on novel therapeutic approaches for hemophilia.

 

ABOUT HEMOPHILIA

 

Hemophilia A affects one in 10,000 people, or about 3,000 people in Canada. People with hemophilia A, an inherited disorder that primarily affects males, do not produce adequate amounts of factor VIII, which is necessary to effectively clot blood. Without enough factor VIII, patients can experience spontaneous, uncontrolled internal bleeding that is painful, debilitating and damaging to joints. If untreated, patients with severe hemophilia A have a greatly reduced life expectancy.

 

ABOUT BAXTER

 

As a subsidiary of Baxter International Inc. (NYSE: BAX), Baxter Corporation (Canada) assists healthcare professionals and their patients with treatment of complex medical conditions, including cancer, hemophilia, immune disorders, kidney disease and trauma. The company applies its expertise in medical devices, pharmaceuticals and biotechnology to make a meaningful difference in patients' lives.

 

For more information, please visit Baxter Corporation (Canada) at www.baxter.ca

 

To view this announcement in French:  Baxter Est Reconnue Par L'association Canadienne Des Directeurs De Cliniques D'hémophilie