UBC receives historic $34 million donation for multiple sclerosis research

UBC's gateway sign (UBC)

The University of British Columbia (UBC) is on the receiving end of a historic $33.8 million donation, which is believed to be the world’s largest known donation ever towards research treatments and cures for multiple sclerosis (MS).

The university says the donation was made by a BC-based philanthropist but did not elaborate on their identity as this was a contribution made privately.

The funds will be shared by UBC, the UBC Faculty of Medicine, and the VGH & UBC Hospital Foundation to establish the BC MS Cell Therapies Translation Research Network, also simply known as MS Research Network — a world-class research and patient-care hub that will use the latest advances in cell and gene engineering to develop, manufacture, and test next-generation, cell-based therapies.

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Nearly $15 million will go towards recruiting researchers from around the world, and another $15 million will be directed into biomanufacturing infrastructure for local development and clinical testing of homegrown cell and gene therapies. The remaining $4 million will be directed to Vancouver Coastal Health to support the creation of an integrated and comprehensive model of care within the MS Clinic.

“We are beyond grateful to this incredibly generous donor for choosing to invest in MS research right here at UBC,” said Dr. Dermot Kelleher, the UBC Faculty of Medicine Dean and Vice-President, Health. “Thanks to this gift — the largest ever made by an individual to the UBC faculty of medicine — a new era of MS research is unfolding that has the potential to transform patient care in BC and beyond.”

MS is a life-changing autoimmune disease that progresses over time, affecting individuals typically between the ages of 20 and 49. The immune system attacks the myelin sheath — the insulating layer that forms around the nerves in the brain and spinal cord — and causes communication problems between the brain and the rest of the body.

According to the MS Society of Canada, this country has one of the highest rates of MS in the world, with more than 4,000 people newly diagnosed annually.

“It breaks my heart to see patients I’ve known since their diagnosis continue to decline due to a current lack of treatment options,” said Dr. Anthony Traboulsee, a UBC professor and MS Clinic neurologist.

“These patients don’t have five or 10 years to wait, but through participation in early-stage clinical trials for promising new therapies, we can give them a greater chance at success. Thanks to this investment, I can envision a future where we deliver innovative, lifesaving therapies that have the potential to conquer MS one day.”

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