Novartis Canada Partners with Nova Scotia Health Innovation Hub to Accelerate Clinical Research and Patient Access to Trials
Key Insights
Premier Tim Houston met with Novartis Canada (search) President Dimitri Gitas at the Nova Scotia Health Innovation Hub (search) to discuss expanding clinical research collaboration in the province.
Novartis Canada (search) has become a formal partner of the Innovation Hub, aiming to accelerate clinical trials and bring global innovation to Canadian patients faster.
The partnership builds on Nova Scotia's growing clinical research momentum, with approximately 400 active clinical trials at any given time across the province.
Premier Tim Houston met today with Dimitri Gitas, Country President of Novartis Canada (search), at Nova Scotia Health's Innovation Hub to discuss strengthening clinical research collaboration and expanding patient access to innovative therapies across the province. The meeting, held during the Health Innovation Hub's bi-annual Health Innovation Exchange, marks a significant step in positioning Nova Scotia as a growing destination for medical research in Canada.
"Medical research helps find new treatments and improves existing ones and Nova Scotians can be part of a process that most certainly helps discover some new cures and saves lives," said Premier Houston.
A Formal Partnership to Accelerate Trials
Novartis Canada (search) has recently become a formal partner of Nova Scotia Health's Innovation Hub, a key engine for clinical trials and research collaboration in Atlantic Canada. The partnership is designed to accelerate clinical research, expand patient access to trials, and bring global innovation to Canadian patients faster.
"Nova Scotia is showing what's possible when governments, healthcare organizations and industry move forward together," said Dimitri Gitas, Country President at Novartis Canada (search). "As a proud partner of the Innovation Hub, we are helping bring clinical research closer to patients, strengthening Canada's role in global studies and connecting people earlier to the breakthroughs redefining care, including in breast cancer (search) where innovation continues to change what patients can expect."
Oncology Expertise and Breast Cancer (search) Focus
The partnership reflects Novartis' long-standing leadership in oncology, particularly in breast cancer (search). For more than 35 years, the company has helped shape the treatment landscape through a broad portfolio and more personalized approaches aimed at improving outcomes and reducing recurrence. Gitas further emphasized that the collaboration supports broader efforts to advance research in Canada and connect patients to innovative treatments, "including in areas like breast cancer and prostate cancer (search)."
Novartis, a Swiss-based innovative medicines company, reaches more than 300 million people worldwide and focuses on four core therapeutic areas: oncology, immunology, neuroscience, and cardiovascular, renal and metabolic diseases. In Canada, the company employs approximately 500 people, invests more than $36 million annually in Research & Development, and reaches 2.4 million patients across the country.
Nova Scotia's Growing Clinical Research Landscape
The meeting builds on strong momentum across the province. Nova Scotia is home to world-class research institutions and more than 120 dynamic life sciences companies, with approximately 400 active clinical trials at any given time. The sector directly employs more than 2,000 people and generates an estimated $200 million in gross domestic product.
In April, Premier Houston announced a new initiative allowing Nova Scotians to register their interest in participating in medical research when they apply for or renew their health card. Participation is voluntary, and those who opt in could be part of groundbreaking discoveries in cancer care, women's health, chronic disease management, vaccine research, and more.
"We are supporting more Nova Scotians to take part in medical research that will lead to hope for patients and will encourage more companies to come here," Premier Houston said.
The Health Innovation Exchange brings together leaders from government, healthcare, academia, and industry to advance collaboration and showcase new models of innovation. Together, these efforts are positioning Nova Scotia as a destination for medical research while ensuring patients benefit from the latest advances in care.