The Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada, Biogen Canada, and Brain Canada announced the launch of a more than $7 million call for research proposals that will invite researchers to establish a Canadian cohort of people living with MS to study progression in the disease. Bennett Jones is donating $1 million to this study—the MS Progression Cohort. It's the first of its kind in Canada. Hugh MacKinnon, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Bennett Jones, attended the announcement event in Toronto today.

"This is a pioneering study and Bennett Jones is proud to support it," says Hugh MacKinnon. "It's an important step in helping Canada’s world-class scientists and researchers work towards finding a cure to MS."

Canada has the highest rate of multiple sclerosis in the world. The MS Society of Canada said the development of the MS Progression Cohort will serve as a unique Canada-wide opportunity to answer the critical question of why some people with MS progress and others do not, and to pinpoint the exact triggers of progression and establish tools that can detect and monitor those triggers. In addition, the impact of the disease and treatments on individuals as well as the impacts on the Canadian healthcare system will be researched.

The MS Society states that progression—or the steady worsening of disease and increase in disability—is a challenging reality faced by all people affected by MS, and despite major advances in MS research, the mechanism of progression and the ways in which researchers and clinicians can track progression are still not fully understood. The Canadian MS Progression Cohort can have significant implications on how those living with MS manage and understand their illness from diagnoses and throughout the various stages of the disease.

More information on the study and details on the request for applications can found on the MS Progression Cohort webpage.

About MS and the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada

Canada has the highest rate of multiple sclerosis in the world. MS is a chronic, often disabling disease of the central nervous system comprising the brain, spinal cord and optic nerve. It is one of the most common neurological diseases affecting young adults in Canada. Most people with MS are diagnosed between the ages of 15 and 40, and the unpredictable effects of MS last for the rest of their lives. The MS Society provides services to people with MS and their families and funds research to find the cause and cure for this disease. Please visit mssociety.ca or call 1-800-268-7582 to make a donation or for more information.

About Bennett Jones

Bennett Jones is one of Canada's premier business law firms and home to over 380 lawyers and business advisors in nine offices. With exceptional experience in complex cross-border and international transactions, the firm is well equipped to advise foreign businesses and investors with Canadian ventures, and connect Canadian businesses and investors with opportunities around the world.

Media contact

Peter Zvanitajs
Senior Communications Advisor
Bennett Jones
T: 416 777 6128 | C: 437 999 6214
E: zvanitajsp@bennettjones.com
W: www.bennettjones.com