Peterborough, Ontario : The International Consortium on Anti-Virals is pleased to announce that Dr. Luis Barreto MBBS, MD, MHSc was elected to its Board of Directors today. Dr Barreto is the former Vice President, Immunization and Science Policy for Sanofi Pasteur Limited. He was born and educated in India where he completed his medical degree and post-graduate degree in community medicine in 1975. After completing his master's degree in health sciences, in Community Medicine and Epidemiology, at the University of Toronto in 1982, he worked as a territorial epidemiologist for the government of the Northwest Territories. At Sanofi Pasteur, he has held a number of senior leadership positions including Director Medical and Clinical Affairs, Vice-President Medical, Clinical & Regulatory Affairs, and Director Corporate Public Policy-International Public Health Affairs.

Dr. Barreto has been involved with and has led various vaccine clinical trials in Canada, the United States, and internationally: measles, BCG-IT, smallpox, haemophilus type b, polio, acellular pertussis, as well as various combination vaccines, including the acellular pertussis combination Pentavalent vaccine for children (PentacelTM and PediacelTM) and Adolescent and Adult Pertussis and Polio vaccines (AdacelTM ) and (RepevaxTM).

Published extensively in scientific journals, Dr. Barreto has managed bio-security issues for Sanofi Pasteur in Canada and helped organize the Canadian Conference on Counter-Terrorism and Public Health. He coordinated the production and delivery of smallpox vaccine for the Canadian government. He has represented Sanofi Pasteur in international organizations including the World Health Organization (WHO), the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI), Children's Vaccine Program (CVP) and the World Bank.

Dr. Barreto was part of CIHR-III SARS Consortium and a member of CIHIR-III Pandemic Scientific Advisory Group. He was also member of the Chief Public Health Officer of Canada’s H1N1 Pandemic Advisory Group.
Dr Barreto was a member various BIOTECanada's committees including Health Policy Committee and co-chair of the Government Relations Committee. He is a member of various Boards including Research Canada, PREVENT (NCE). He is currently the Chair of the VIDO/InterVAC Board in Saskatchewan. He was recently appointed to be a member of the core team of the working group on Funding and Political support for the Decade of Vaccines (DoV) initiative by the Gates Foundation.

“Dr. Barreto brings extensive global public health expertise to the ICAV Board at a time when ICAV, based on its demonstrated scientific and analytical expertise, is becoming a valued contributor to the global pandemic monitoring and planning process”, said Mr. Patrick Michaud, Chairman of the ICAV Board of Directors.

“His networks in the Americas, in India and in China will help us extend our 500-strong Network even further”, said Dr. Michel Chrétien, Co-Founder of ICAV with responsibility for International Partnering.

Dr. Jeremy Carver, CEO and Co-Founder of ICAV said, “Dr. Barreto’s expertise and private sector experience will significantly enhance the depth of resources available to the planned for Centre of Excellence in the Rapid Production of Biologics, a joint initiative by ICAV and Trent University that is currently under consideration for funding by the government of Ontario.”
About ICAV:

The International Consortium on Anti-Virals, headquartered on the campus of Trent University in Peterborough, is an institutional innovation - a not-for-profit drug development and discovery company - dedicated to the discovery and development of anti-viral therapies for neglected and emerging diseases. Through the international collaboration of scientists, government and industry, ICAV’s goal is to deliver at least one novel drug to market every five years that is affordable, effective, and globally accessible to all patients in need. ICAV:

• fills the gap between academic research and clinical development
• accelerates development of drugs for neglected and emerging viral diseases
• ensures global access to novel therapies at affordable prices

About Trent University:
One of Canada's top universities, Trent University is renowned for striking a unique balance between outstanding teaching and leading-edge research. The University is consistently recognized nationally for faculty who maintain a high level of innovative research activity and a deep commitment to the individual student. Distinguished by excellence in the humanities, social sciences and natural sciences and increasingly popular professional and graduate programs, Trent is dedicated to providing its students with an exceptional world view, producing graduates who are ready to succeed and make a difference in the world.

For more information please contact:
Christine Hodge
christine.hodge@icav-citav.ca
(705) 748-1011 x6276


Kate Shaughnessy
Planning and Administrative Assistant
Marketing and Communications
Trent University - 1600 West Bank Drive
Peterborough, ON  K9J7B8
705.748.1011 x 6180