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Pour diffusion immédiate le 9 avril 2020

Contact : Marc-Antoine de La Vega, directeur scientifique / Mary McCown, directrice de la communication

Trois-Rivières, le 9 avril 2020 – Alors que le monde trouve des moyens de plus en plus créatifs de rester en contact tout en faisant sa part pour combattre COVID-19, le pilote de course chevronné, Bertrand Godin, utilisera son talent pour combattre le virus d’une manière différente. À partir du 10 avril, Godin sera au volant de la voiture #77, portant les couleurs du Groupe À l’infini.

Comme de nombreux événements sportifs, le sport automobile est devenu virtuel.  L’Autodrome Granby, RPM Speedway, et l’équipe de simulation DRIVR se sont associés pour offrir une série de courses virtuelles sur iRacing. À partir du vendredi 10 avril à 19h30, les courses seront diffusées en direct sur Facebook. Comme pour toute course classique, les pilotes auront des essais, des épreuves de qualification et une course finale.

Quel est le rôle de Bertrand Godin dans le combat contre COVID-19 ? Il s’est associé à l’organisation à but non lucratif GuardRX, en s’engageant à faire un don personnel de 25$ à chacune des courses virtuelles auxquelles il participera au cours de la saison.

« Nous espérons que nous pourrons divertir les amateurs de sport automobile pendant cette période de confinement tout à fait nécessaire. Chacun d’entre-nous doit mettre l’épaule à la roue pour trouver des solutions à cette crise humanitaire et planétaire. J’invite donc tout le monde à limiter leurs déplacements et à rester chez soi le plus possible pour gagner cette bataille contre la pandémie. »

Sous la direction du Dr Gary Kobinger, microbiologiste et chef de file mondial en recherche sur les vaccins, GuardRX a pour mission d’optimiser l’accès à des vaccins et à des médicaments à faible coût tout en créant de bons emplois au Québec et au Canada en participant au développement préclinique et clinique de vaccins et de traitements contre les maladies. Situé dans le Technocentre d’IDE Trois-Rivières, GuardRX se concentrera sur le COVID-19.  Pour plus d’information sur : GuardRx.org.

Pour regarder les courses virtuellement, visitez la page Facebook de l’Autodrome Granby et la page Facebook de Bertrand Godin.

Mary McCown

GUARD

Director of Communications

marym@guardrx.org

581-980-2829

For Immediate Release March 21, 2020

Contact: Marc-Antoine de La Vega, Scientific Director or Mary McCown, Communications Director

GUARD Green Initiative to Divert Surplus Medical Supplies from Landfill

Trois-Rivières, March 21, 2020: The non-profit organization, GUARD (Global Urgent Advanced Research and Development), has launched its Pilot Project: GUARD Green Initiative to initially divert more than ½ ton of surplus medical supplies and distribute them to countries in need; a symbiotic relationship between medical research and environmentalism.

Marc-Antoine de La Vega, GUARD’s Scientific Director, has worked in several African countries during outbreaks such as those caused by the deadly Ebola virus. He knows first-hand how critical these medical supplies are to these countries. “Because of protocol specifics, these perfectly good reagents and materials would go to waste.” he explains. “We saw this as an opportunity to give them (the materials) a second life.”

“The supplies we’re collecting are made for clinical trials; one kit per visit per patient. Several factors influence the fate of each kit.  For example, if an enrolled patient does not show up for their visit, the kit can’t be used. It’s very specific to the clinical trial protocols; one box can be used only for that one patient schedule for that visit. Without the GUARD Green Initiative, there is nothing else to do other than discard them.” says de La Vega.

The surplus supplies are being gathered and will be sent out based on need. Reappropriating these crucial medical supplies is not without logistical challenges. Each medical supply kit will be deconstructed, confidential patient information will be removed, the supplies will then be organized and sent as needed. GUARD will use its own staff to collect medical supplies in Quebec but will rely heavily on donations to continue this innovative project.

“Every dollar donated will help bring some of these lifesaving supplies to where they are most needed in low resource environments in Africa and beyond” says Dr. Gary Kobinger, founder and CEO of GUARD.

For more information or to donate to this cause, please visit guardrx.org.

Mary McCown

GUARD

Director of Communications

marym@guardrx.org

581-980-2829

Trois-Rivières, January 16, 2020 – Innovation et Développement économique Trois-Rivières is proud to announce the arrival of GuardRX to its Technocentre. GuardRX is a non-profit organization whose mission is to participate in the preclinical and clinical development of prophylactic and therapeutic products against neglected diseases with no traditional avenue of commercialization.

GuardRX was founded in 2018 by Dr. Gary Kobinger, microbiologist, Director of the Infectious Diseases Research Centre of the CHU de Québec-Université Laval Research Centre and a world leader in vaccine research. In recent years, Dr. Kobinger’s work has contributed to the development of the ZMapp treatment and ERVEBO vaccine against the serious and often fatal Ebola virus, which was recently licensed in Europe and the United States.

In addition to Dr. Kobinger, GuardRX is led by world-renowned research experts including Bruce Clark, President and CEO of Medicago Inc. Larry Zeitlin, President of Mapp Biopharmaceutical Inc. Amadou Sall, Director of the Pasteur Institute in Dakar, Senegal, and Brad Goble, Director of Goble Consulting Inc.

Dr. Kobinger’s team will occupy a laboratory at the IDE Trois-Rivières Technocentre. In the coming months, his research will focus on treating diseases such as Lassa fever, Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever and some diseases caused by respiratory viruses. Note that no pathogens will be handled from the Technocentre.

« Our goal is to develop vaccines and treatments, and possibly medical equipment, in a non-profit structure that creates good jobs and solves real public health problems. The Lassa virus, among others, has about 3,000 infections per year, mostly in Africa, and has a mortality rate of 35%, » says Dr. Kobinger.

Field work in Africa will also keep GuardRX researchers busy. « Through the construction of clinics, we will assist local teams in the diagnosis and detection of pathogens. We will also train them to conduct clinical studies on vaccines, ensuring that they use good laboratory practices so that the accumulated data can be recognised by the major regulatory agencies, » explains the scientist.

Field work in Africa will also keep GuardRX researchers busy. « Through the construction of clinics, we will assist local teams in the diagnosis and detection of pathogens. We will also train them to conduct clinical studies on vaccines, ensuring that they use good laboratory practices so that the accumulated data can be recognised by the major regulatory agencies, » explains the scientist.

Source:

Gary Kobinger
Director
GuardRX

Information:

Josiane Gagnon
Communications Advisor
IDE Trois-Rivières
819-374-4061, ext. 5129