University of Alberta Edmonton, Canada 18 April 1997

Partnership makes research possible

Briana Bio-Tech Inc., an Edmonton-based biopharmaceutical company, has licensed the research and is funding clinical trials and ongoing research of the immunogene therapy for cancer developed by U of A researchers Dr. Lung-Ji Chang and Dr. Ken Petruk.

The company has committed to funding for at least the next three years. Romano Robusto, president and CEO of Briana Bio-Tech, said this is the first collaborative effort for the company. "We have been scouring universities for technology which we could fund," he says. He describes this as a great first project.

"We are very excited by the outstanding world-class research under way at the University of Alberta and with this collaboration," he says.

Phase I of the clinical trials will cost $500,000. Briana Bio-Tech will have worldwide, exclusive license to commercialize and market the new immunogene technology. In addition to the three-year funding, they will provide milestone and royalty payments.

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