CALGARY (660 NEWS) – The Alberta government has announced a new $15-million program to offer a new kind of cancer treatment.
The government is partnering with the Alberta Cancer Foundation to help offer CAR T-cell immunotherapy.
CAR T-cell therapy genetically reprograms a patient’s immune cells to attack the cancer cells in their body. It’s usually provided to patients when conventional cancer treatments are ineffective.
Health Minister Tyler Shandro made the announcement Monday in front of the Foothills Medical Centre.
More details here in the press release from the government. pic.twitter.com/05oOLNBY0c
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“CAR T-cell therapy trials have demonstrated durable remissions and potential cures in about 50 per cent of adults and 80 per cent of children and young adults. We want to provide Albertans with the same recovery opportunities, and that’s why we’re establishing a made-in-Alberta program. Our government is pleased to be partnering with the Alberta Cancer Foundation to make this happen.”
Shandro said there will be clinical trials held in Alberta as a part of the partnership to help further the knowledge of this treatment.
The trials will be done at the Cross Cancer Institute, the Tom Baker Cancer Centre and the Alberta Children’s Hospital. Those are expected to start in the coming winter.
The Stollery Children’s Hospital is expected to start offering treatment by 2023.
“We are grateful to the provincial government for providing additional, significant funding to help bring this program to Albertans,” said CEO of the Alberta Cancer Foundation, Wendy Beauchesne.
“Alberta is home to such bright minds in the emerging field of immunotherapy and our donors are excited about this game-changing technology that has potential to change the way we treat cancer here and around the world.”
Alberta will be the third province offering the CAR T-cell treatment, following Ontario and Quebec.
