Alberta Cancer Foundation invests $35-million to power cancer clinical trials for Albertans

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Historic funding over the next five years strengthens Alberta’s newly launched 10-Year Cancer Care Strategy

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CALGARY, Alberta, July 06, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Alberta Cancer Foundation is investing $35-million to advance cancer clinical trials in Alberta.

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The amount represents one of the largest investments into clinical trials over a five-year window in the Foundation’s history. The funding will support innovative new treatments and back essential day-to-day trial operations that make existing therapies safer, faster and more effective for patients.

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“Clinical trials are the backbone of progress in cancer care and ultimately turn medical breakthroughs today into standard of care for future generations,” says Wendy Beauchesne, CEO of the Alberta Cancer Foundation. “Together with our donor community, we are proud to make this transformational investment which will accelerate the journey from discovery to impact so promising new treatments reach Alberta patients faster.”

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The funding will support operations and expand infrastructure at flagship research hubs across the province. This includes Calgary’s Riddell Centre for Cancer Immunotherapy and Owerko Family Centre for Clinical Trials, as well as the Clinical Trials Unit at Edmonton’s Cross Cancer Institute, where teams are accelerating CAR T-cell therapy and other emerging immunotherapies. In Lethbridge, the investment will help launch a clinical trial using advanced MRI imaging to test whether doctors can safely reduce the number of prostate cancer radiation sessions required by patients during treatment.

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The investment directly builds on the Government of Alberta’s new 10-Year Cancer Care Strategy, announced this June, which aims to improve outcomes, enhance patient experiences, advance research, and strengthen cancer care.

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“The Alberta Cancer Foundation’s historic $35-million investment directly accelerates Alberta’s Strategic Plan for Cancer to 2036, driving advanced research and expanding access to clinical trials,” says Brenda Hubley, Managing Director of Cancer Care Alberta. “By expanding our clinical trial capacity, we are bringing more innovative treatment options to Albertans right now. We are deeply grateful to the donors whose generosity makes this critical investment possible for patients and families across the province.”

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The Alberta Cancer Foundation is the fundraising engine behind every cancer centre in the province. Funding from the Foundation helps ensure that on any given day, Albertans have access to more than 200 active cancer clinical trials.

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Donor-funded research and clinical trials have directly contributed to a dramatic shift in Alberta’s cancer outcomes. Over the last 25 years, the province has gone from having one of the lowest cancer survival rates in Canada to one of the highest.

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