Baxter Announces 2008 Renal Discoveries Grant Winners

Grants support the highest quality clinical research from around the world to advance knowledge and treatment of kidney disease

DEERFIELD, Ill. — Baxter International Inc., (NYSE: BAX) announced today that three global research projects focused on advancing the knowledge of kidney disease and treatment will each receive $375,000 in research funding as winners of its annual Renal Discoveries Extramural Grant Program (EGP).

An independent, international Medical Advisory Board selects no more than one winning proposal from each global region that demonstrates the highest quality patient-oriented clinical research. The grant provides operating funds for the full-time training of one fellow in nephrology research during the course of the grant period at the institution.

The 2008 grant recipients are:

Region: Europe

Institution: School of Medicine, Cardiff University (Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom)

Sponsor: John D. Williams, M.D., F.R.C.P.

Principal Investigator: Eberl Matthias, Ph.D.

Fellow: Chan-Yu Lin, M.D.

Grant Title: “T Cells, Monocytes and Neutrophils: Detrimental Crosstalk in Peritoneal Dialysis-related Infection”

Region: North America

Institution: Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School (Boston, Mass., United States)

Sponsor: Mark Zeidel, M.D.

Principal Investigator: John Danziger, M.D.

Fellow: Marta Hristova, M.D., Ph.D.

Grant Title: “The Importance of Vitamin K Dependent Proteins in the Vascular Calcification of End Stage Renal Disease”

Region: Asia Pacific

Institution: The Jikei University School of Medicine (Minatoku/Tokyo, Japan)

Sponsor: Hosoya Tatsuo, M.D., Ph.D.

Principal Investigator: Yokoo Takashi, M.D., Ph.D.

Fellow: Matsumoto Kei, M.D.

Grant Title: “Novel Therapeutic for Renal Anaemia Using Epo-producing Self-tissue”

“Baxter feels it is important to support international research that will improve the quality of life for patients suffering from chronic kidney disease. The medical community needs to continue efforts to better understand renal therapy and advance dialysis patient care,” according to Sarah Prichard, MD, vice president of global clinical affairs for Baxter’s Renal business. “Through the Renal Discoveries EGP, Baxter is able to contribute to the research efforts of some of the world’s most talented nephrologists and the training of fellows.”

Dr. Simon Davies from Keele University and University Hospital of Staffordshire in the United Kingdom was one of the researchers involved in the winning grant from 2006 for the Europe region. According to Dr. Davies, “Winning such a prestigious, highly competitive grant resulted in a high level of recognition within the university and the renal community. Since the award is so well respected, it helped to attract a very high quality candidate for the Fellows program and also raised the profile of the nephrology department at the university.”

Since 1989, the Renal Discoveries EGP has distributed more than $30 million to 265 researchers from 24 countries. Many previous winners have published or presented the research they conducted to advance knowledge in the study of chronic kidney disease.

Chronic kidney disease is affecting more of the global population, and an increasing number of patients are requiring renal replacement therapy, through either dialysis or transplantation. Worldwide, almost 1.8 million people are receiving renal replacement therapy in more than 120 countries, with 1.4 million on some form of dialysis treatment.

About the Renal Discoveries Extramural Grant Program
The Renal Discoveries Extramural Grant Program is designed to stimulate scientific advancement and general knowledge in nephrology in all regions of the world. Recent grant rounds have also provided foundation training to the next generation of clinical investigators. The grant has supported translational research in the areas of dialysis therapies, chronic kidney disease and co-morbidities associated with chronic kidney disease, with the goal of improving the quality of life and reducing the morbidity and mortality of patients with kidney disease.

An independent international Medical Advisory Board (MAB)—whose membership represents a breadth of scientific knowledge—evaluate and score each application based on the merit of the submitted proposals.