The Critical Path Institute (C-Path) has received an award totaling $1,250,000 from the Phoenix-based Flinn Foundation to support its scientific and educational programs over the next five years.
“We are honored by this substantial demonstration of support to C-Path and its programs,” said Dr. Raymond Woosley, president and chief executive officer of C-Path. “The Flinn Foundation’s leadership in guiding our statewide strategy for bioscience and biomedical technology is well known. Their support of our work is a clear indication of the important role C-Path will play in Arizona’s biotech future through development of advanced testing methods for pharmaceuticals and other medical products.”
The grant will support startup operations of C-Path in its mission to strengthen the nation’s drug-development system. It currently takes an average of 12-15 years and up to $1.7 billion to place a drug on the market, according to Dr. Woosley. C-Path aims to reduce this to three years with greater evidence of effectiveness and safety. The diminished timeframe would result in significantly smaller research-and-development costs to pass along to consumers, leading to more affordable prescription drugs.
“The future of drug development in the U.S. may well be revolutionized in Tucson, Arizona,” said John W. Murphy, Flinn Foundation president and CEO. “C-Path has tremendous potential to become not only one of Arizona’s anchor organizations in the biosciences, but an asset of national stature. Under the able leadership of Ray Woosley–a highly-respected name in pharmaceutical circles–we are confident that this potential will be realized.”
C-Path was established in late 2004 as an independent nonprofit research and education institute to facilitate collaboration among its founding partners: the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, University of Arizona, and SRI International. Its mission is to facilitate the Critical Path Initiatives of the FDA with the objective of faster, safer, and smarter development of new medicines.
For more information:
“Paving the way for new drugs,” Arizona Daily Star, 04/03/2005
UA, Tucson meet funding deadline for drug institute, 10/07/2004
“UA bags $7.5M for local drug institute,” Arizona Daily Star, 10/06/2004
UA, Tucson seek $7.5M to secure drug-development institute, 8/20/2004
“UA seeks drug institute,” Arizona Daily Star, 8/11/2004