Massachusetts Biotechnology Council Issues $1.4 Million 'Cancer Research Challenge'...

Massachusetts Biotechnology Council Issues $1.4 Million 'Cancer Research Challenge' to Support American Cancer Society

AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals and Novartis step forward with lead
commitments to fund three-year Postdoctoral Fellowship
CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--(Business Wire)--
Massachusetts Biotechnology Council (MBC) President Robert K.
Coughlin will announce at the MBC Annual Meeting in Boston today that
the organization is issuing an unprecedented challenge to life
sciences companies to fully fund our region's most promising cancer
research in 2008, through a partnership with the American Cancer
Society. MBC member companies, AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals and
Novartis have generously stepped forward with the lead commitments to
each fund a three-year American Cancer Society Postdoctoral
Fellowship. Both companies have significant operations in
Massachusetts and are committed to ensuring that the state's pipeline
of talented research investigators remains full. AstraZeneca has a
major cancer research facility in Waltham, and operations located in
Westborough, while Cambridge is home to Novartis headquarters for its
global research organization and the headquarters for its global
Vaccines Division.

An unprecedented partnership involving academic, nonprofit, and
corporate sectors, the MBC Cancer Research Challenge will dramatically
increase the amount of basic scientific research in the region's
universities and academic medical centers, with the goal of funding
100 percent of American Cancer Society top-ranked Postdoctoral
Fellowships in New England.

While cancer research has increased, particularly in
Massachusetts, a recent study has shown that federal funding for basic
science research has, in fact, declined. Alternative sources of
funding, such as the American Cancer Society's research program, are
increasingly critical. By funding talented beginning investigators
with innovative ideas, American Cancer Society Postdoctoral
Fellowships launch hundreds of new cancer researchers and research
directions each year. In fact, Society-funded investigators have
contributed to most of the major cancer advances of the last 60 years.

The goal of the MBC Cancer Research Challenge is to fund a total
of ten (10) additional $140,000 American Cancer Society Postdoctoral
Fellowships in 2008, meeting the following criteria:

-- Top-rated, already peer-reviewed research proposals for which
there currently is no funding;

-- Each commitment of $140,000 supports one three-year
Postdoctoral Fellowship;

-- Commitments may be a multi-year pledge of up to three (3)
years.

"There is no area of investigation that has received greater
attention among Massachusetts biotechnology companies than cancer
research," said Robert Coughlin, President of MBC. "The MBC Research
Challenge sends a clear message that we are committed to keeping our
most important resource, our educated and talented researchers and
future life science leaders, in the state to ensure that we continue
to be the leader in solving unmet medical needs of patients around the
world."

"There has never been a more promising time in the field of cancer
research than today," said Donald J. Gudaitis, CEO of the American
Cancer Society, New England Division. "The future of cancer discovery
lies in the creative minds of beginning researchers, whose pioneering
work can change the therapeutic landscape and accelerate the pace of
progress toward cures. We can secure the future of cancer research -
and the region's pipeline of scientific talent - by showing these
highly sought-after young researchers that we value the contributions
they will make toward conquering cancer."

About Massachusetts Biotechnology Council

http://www.massbio.org/

The Massachusetts Biotechnology Council (MBC) is the nation's
oldest biotechnology trade association. Founded in 1985, the MBC is a
not-for-profit organization that represents and provides services and
support for the Massachusetts biotechnology industry. The MBC is
committed to advancing the development of critical new science,
technology and medicines that benefit people worldwide. Representing
over 500 biotechnology companies, academic institutions, research
hospitals, and service organizations involved in life sciences and
health care, the MBC works to advance policy and promote education,
while providing member programs and events, industry information, and
services.

About the American Cancer Society

The mission of the American Cancer Society is to eliminate cancer
as a major health problem by preventing cancer, saving lives and
diminishing suffering from cancer through research, education, service
and advocacy.

As the largest private, not-for-profit source of funding for
cancer research in the world, the American Cancer Society targets
beginning investigators working in institutions throughout the
country, and directs research money into high-priority projects not
being emphasized by other funding agencies. The Society's Extramural
Grants are awarded to individual investigators in medical schools,
universities, research institutes, and hospitals throughout the
country for both basic and applied science, providing as much as
20-25% of all grant monies available to beginning cancer researchers.
The American Cancer Society uses a rigorous peer-review system to
evaluate proposals, and only the best are selected for funding. As of
January 2008, the American Cancer Society is supporting over 800
current multi-year grants at institutions around the country totaling
over $400 million dollars.

Despite these impressive numbers, the American Cancer Society is
able to fund only 50% of the top-ranked New England research projects
approved for funding by the volunteer peer review system. The lack of
funding for these exciting and worthwhile projects often means that
great ideas are not funded and young researchers must leave or never
are able to enter the field of cancer research.

The Society's total investment in research - about $3.4 billion
since 1946 - has launched the careers of generations of scientists and
generated major advances in virtually every aspect of cancer. Among
the researchers who have received Society funding, 42 have gone on to
receive science's highest recognition, the Nobel Prize - a record
unmatched by any other funding organization in the world.

About AstraZeneca

AstraZeneca is a major international healthcare business engaged
in the research, development, manufacturing and marketing of
meaningful prescription medicines and supplier for healthcare
services. AstraZeneca is one of the world's leading pharmaceutical
companies with healthcare sales of $29.55 billion and is a leader in
gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, neuroscience, respiratory, oncology
and infectious disease medicines. In the United States, AstraZeneca is
a $13.35 billion dollar healthcare business with 12,200 employees
committed to improving people's lives. AstraZeneca is listed in the
Dow Jones Sustainability Index (Global) as well as the FTSE4Good
Index.

For more information visit www.astrazeneca-us.com.

Massachusetts Biotechnology Council
John Heffernan, 617-674-5145
John.heffernan@massbio.org

Copyright Business Wire 2008