In 2008, AllerGen launched CHILD as a national discovery platform. This pan-Canadian, general population-based longitudinal birth cohort study is one of only a few global initiatives that enable investigation of the early-life origins of asthma, allergy, and other chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs).

The CHILD team has generated over 100 scientific publications and delivered break-through findings on the impact of early-life exposures (e.g., mode of delivery, breast-feeding, antibiotics, air pollution, pets, household cleaning products, sleep, screen-time, food and nutrition) on the development of childhood allergies, asthma, obesity, cognitive capacity, the immune system and the internal microbiome.

Impactful CHILD results have been reported over 2,000 times by global media outlets (TIME Magazine, People, CNN, New York Times, CBC, Globe & Mail, Maclean’s, and many others), informing policy, practice and the advocacy efforts of organizations such as UNICEF Canada and The Sandbox Project, healthcare professionals, and dozens of grassroots maternal/child health organizations and stakeholders.

CHILD has produced data critical to hypothesis-generation and novel basic and applied research initiatives in the field of maternal-child health.

CHILD data will also fuel novel research opportunities for decades to come.

Mikaela, 8 years (CHILD participant in Vancouver, BC): “My poster is about all the good things the CHILD Cohort Study has done.”

Clinical Investigator Collaborative (CIC)

To accelerate drug development for the treatment of asthma and other inflammatory airways diseases, AllerGen established the CIC, a multisite Phase II clinical trials consortium operating as an academic clinical research organization (A-CRO) at six Canadian universities and one international site—the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden.

Led by world-renowned scientists, the CIC has conducted 29 clinical trials with 19 industry partners, including global pharmaceutical enterprises AstraZeneca, Genentech, Novartis and Pfizer, and new Canadian biotechnology companies Asmacure and AIM Therapeutics.

CIC trials have attracted nearly $30 million in R&D investment to Canada and created over 41 jobs for scientists, trainees and research associates, positioning Canada as a global leader in the development of allergic asthma therapeutics.

For example, the CIC identified the new biologicals Ligelizumab (anti-IgE, Novartis), Quilizumab (anti-IgE, Genentech Inc.) and Mepolizumab (anti-IL-5, GlaxoSmithKline), as molecules for future investment to treat various forms of asthma.

In 2014, the CIC studied the biologic drug Tezepelumab (anti-TSLP, Amgen) and first identified the drug’s significant therapeutic potential to treat allergic asthma. The findings were published in The New England Journal of Medicine, reported broadly in major media outlets, and set the stage for rapid clinical development of the molecule hailed as a “blockbuster drug.”

National Food Allergy Strategic Team (NFAST)

To improve the quality of life of Canadians affected by food allergies, AllerGen established a unique translational research program focused on understanding the causes, prevalence, treatment and consequences of food allergy and anaphylaxis. NFAST—comprising clinical, natural and social scientists working in trans-disciplinary, inter-institutional teams –has enabled better clinical management strategies, created innovative educational tools, and advanced policy and public health measures addressing food allergy.

With 138 refereed publications since 2007, NFAST teams and their partners across sectors have:

• produced Canada’s first food allergy prevalence data, informing Health Canada’s food allergen labelling reform initiative in 2012 and contributing to provincial legislation that protects students at risk of anaphylaxis;
• created the first national anaphylaxis surveillance database that provides critical information on what causes anaphylaxis, how often it occurs, whom it affects, and how it is being treated across provinces;
• supported emerging clinical therapies such as food allergy oral immunotherapy (OIT) and produced new findings on the genetic basis of food allergy; and
• created innovative, award-winning educational tools, food allergy apps and peer-to-peer mentoring programs for kids with food allergies.

Highly Qualified Personnel (HQP) Program

AllerGen’s Highly Qualified Personnel (HQP) program has been one of the Network’s most impactful and transformational achievements.

From 2005 to 2019, AllerGen invested $26.4 million in HQP programming ($22.3 million in research support and $4.1 million in specialized awards, grants and Fellowships) to provide advanced education, training and capacity-building opportunities to 1,763 trainees, research staff and early-career professionals.

Of the Network’s HQP graduates, at least 328 are now employed across sectors including industry, policy development, healthcare and academe; 14 advanced to become Network investigators; and 74 (4.2%) secured faculty positions in Canada and abroad.

In addition to value-added HQP awards, studentships and training opportunities, AllerGen established a prestigious, two-year Emerging Clinician Scientist (ECS) Fellowship to support the development of the next generation of Canadian clinical immunologists and allergists in their pursuit of research training and a combined career as clinicians and academic researchers.

Through this program, AllerGen invested $1.25 million in support of five outstanding clinician-scientists, who are now ideally positioned to translate and transform research knowledge into improved patient care and health for the benefit of Canadians.

Enabling Platforms

AllerGen’s Legacy Initiatives have been complemented by three Enabling Platforms that have produced investigative breakthroughs in biomarkers, bioinformatics, gene-environment interactions and personalized health, and enabled improved policies and clinical care/management practices in asthma and allergies.

The Platforms have provided a strategic connection to research technologies and methods, ensuring that AllerGen discoveries continue to be both novel and relevant to industry, clinicians and policymakers.

Partnerships

Network partners have played a vital role in shaping AllerGen’s research outcomes, and in translating and commercializing findings that bridge the gap between the lab and Canadians living with allergic and asthmatic disease.

Since 2005, Network-wide partner cash and in-kind investments total more than $128.6M, representing an NCE to non-NCE leveraging of $1 : $1.75.

Knowledge & Technology Exchange & Exploitation

AllerGen’s knowledge mobilization and commercialization activities have accelerated the uptake and application of Network research outputs by partners, stakeholders and receptor communities in Canada and abroad.

Poised to address new health priorities

AllerGen’s 15-year commitment to networked, collaborative research across disciplines has positioned its pan-Canadian teams to contribute to global efforts to address new and evolving health priorities across the entire span of immune/ inflammatory disorders and responses.

Currently, AllerGen investigators are leveraging the network structure to mount rapid responses to address the COVID-19 pandemic and CHILD is conducting an important add-on study to measure the direct impacts of COVID-19 infection, as well as the indirect emotional and socioeconomic impacts of public health containment strategies on Canadian families.

AllerGen NCE wishes to thank the Government of Canada for the opportunity to build this Networks of Centres of Excellence over the past 15 years and is proud t0 confirm that AllerGen has had a significant and lasting impact on the Canadian landscape of discovery, innovation and translation that will endure for generations to come.