Helmsley Charitable Trust Awards Critical Path Institute a Grant to Focus on Crohn’s Disease Biomarkers

Tucson, AZ, and New York, NY – April 16, 2018 — The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust has awarded Critical Path Institute (C-Path) a grant to support a Crohn’s disease biomarker pre-consortium. The pre-consortium will identify unmet needs for the use of biomarkers in developing new treatments for people with Crohn’s disease.

Currently, a lack of regulatory-endorsed tools, such as biomarkers, hinders the rapid development and approval of improved treatments for Crohn’s disease patients. The pre-consortium will focus on identifying Crohn’s disease biomarkers and laying the groundwork for future regulatory endorsement. The long-term objective is to fully validate and obtain regulatory qualification of biomarkers, which will enable drug developers and the broader Crohn’s disease community of clinicians and researchers to accelerate the development and approval of treatments for those living with this disease.

“At C-Path, we work collaboratively to identify mechanisms to address areas of unmet need. The partnership and support from Helmsley will allow us to define the most effective approach to forming a Crohn’s Disease Biomarker Consortium to take forward the best biomarkers into regulatory qualification,” said John-Michael Sauer, PhD, C-Path Biomarker Program Officer.

“Helmsley is committed to improving the quality of life, advancing better treatments, and ultimately finding cures for Crohn’s disease patients,” said Garabet Yeretssian, PhD, Director of the Helmsley Charitable Trust’s Crohn’s Disease Program. “C-Path’s initiative to identify and position Crohn’s disease-specific biomarkers for regulatory endorsement is a pivotal step in getting improved therapies into the hands of people living with Crohn’s disease more quickly than currently possible.”

About the organizations:

The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust aspires to improve lives by supporting exceptional efforts in the U.S. and around the world in health and select place-based initiatives. Since beginning active grantmaking in 2008, Helmsley has committed more than $2 billion for a wide range of charitable purposes. For more information, visit www.helmsleytrust.org. 

Critical Path Institute (C-Path) is an independent, nonprofit organization established in 2005 with public and private philanthropic support from the Arizona community, Science Foundation Arizona, and the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). C-Path’s mission is to catalyze the development of new approaches that advance medical innovation and regulatory science, accelerating the path to a healthier world. An international leader in forming collaborations, C-Path has established numerous global, public-private partnerships that currently include over 1,450 scientists from government and regulatory agencies, academia, patient advocacy organizations, and dozens of major pharmaceutical companies. C-Path is headquartered in Tucson, Arizona. For more information, visit www.c-path.org.

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Kissy Black
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