The Morris Animal Foundation has launched a $30 million initiative to find a cure for canine cancer within the next 10 to 20 years.
The Foundation says it hopes to raise the $30 million from April 2007 through April 2012. This would include funding for:
- Clinical trials to test new innovative therapies to help save dogs and alleviate dog suffering.
- Prevention studies related to genetics and canine genome, incorporating lifetime risk assessment studies.
- Establishment of an endowment to guarantee continued research efforts.
- Creation of a tumor tissue bank.
The MAF says it has already secured financial contributions and is managing and/or administering research grants to many colleges of veterinary medicine, universities, organizations and scientists.
As an example, 14 veterinary academic institutions – each members of the National Cancer Institute’s Comparative Oncology Trials Consortium – will receive funding for canine cancer research.
The initiative has already received a $1.1 million donation from Pfizer Inc.’s Pfizer Animal Health, according to the animal foundation.
Foundation President and CEO Patricia Olson said that while the Foundation’s mission focuses on animal health, the dog has proven to be a crucial player in solving the human-cancer cure puzzle.
“This is the ultimate win-win situation. As we treat and cure cancer in our pet dogs, we may help alleviate the ravages of cancer among humans,” Olson said.
For more information, visit http://www.curecaninecancer.org, or http://www.morrisanimalfoundation.org.