Press Release – International Aspirin Foundation’s Meeting in Edinburgh stimulates intense international debate and discussion amongst leaders in aspirin basic and clinical research

The principle investigators from five recently completed major aspirin trials (ARRIVE1, ASCEND2, ASPREE3-5, AspECT6 and seAFOod7) met at the Royal Society of Edinburgh on the 20th September 2018 to share their interpretation of important new findings.  The delegates and presenters included professors of neurology, epidemiology, gastroenterology, oncology and pharmacology.  This meeting facilitates scientists to connect, debate and clarify the knowledge base for current aspirin use and further investigation.

The International Aspirin Foundation is unique in its ability to bring together global experts in aspirin to a forum in which in-depth and energetic debate of the currently available data can take place.  This meeting gathered respected scientists from many different disciplines of medicine and science, which allowed challenge and sophisticated discussion of the recently completed aspirin trials with other delegates and the principal investigators.

Professor John McNeil, Head of Epidemiology and Preventative Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia presented his data for the first time taking the audience through the ASPREE trial.  The ARRIVE trial was presented on behalf of Professor J Michael Gaziano by Professor Peter Rothwell, Professor of Neurology at the University of Oxford, world expert in aspirin and member of the ARRIVE Steering Committee. Jane Armitage, Professor of Clinical Trials and Epidemiology at the University of Oxford presented the ASCEND data. The AspECT trial findings were delivered by Professor Janusz Jankowski from NICE, UK and Professor Mark Hull from the University of Leeds took the audience through the findings and interpretation of the seAFOod trial.

The pharmacologists at the meeting, including Professor Paola Patrignani and Professor Carlo Patrono, added to the discussion by helping to put the new clinical findings into the context of what is known about the mechanism of action of aspirin and drew attention to the many factors that can influence its pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics in humans.

Great value was brought to the meeting by the quality of the audience. Amongst the delegates were Dr Andrew Chan, a gastroenterologist from Harvard Medical School, USA; Dr John Chia, Consultant Oncologist, Singapore; Ruth Langley, Professor of Oncology and Clinical Trials from London; Dr Asad Umar and Dr Leslie Ford from the National Cancer Institute USA; Professor Jack Cuzick, renowned expert in cancer prevention from Queen Mary University of London and Professor Peter Elwood eminent epidemiologist from Cardiff.  They asked many stimulating questions and made valuable comments on the data and this added to the overall scientific utility of the event.

This unique meeting demonstrates that the future is exciting for this 121-year-old medicine, as researchers continue to strive to build the knowledge that is vital for enabling the safe use of aspirin in the appropriate clinical context.

To register interest in the full meeting report please sign-up using this form

References

  1. Gaziano JM, Brontons C, Coppolecchia R et al. Use of aspirin to reduce risk of initial vascular events in patients at moderate risk of cardiovascular disease (ARRIVE): a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. The Lancet. 2018; 392; 10152: 1036-1046. (ARRIVE = Aspirin to Reduce Risk of Initial Vascular Events).
  2. The ASCEND Study Collaborative Group. Effects of Aspirin for Primary Prevention in Persons with Diabetes Mellitus. NEJM 2018 DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa1804988 (ASCEND = A Study of Cardiovascular Events iN Diabetes).
  3. McNeil JJ, Woods RL and Nelson MR et al. Effect of Aspirin on Disability-free Survival in the Healthy Elderly. NEJM. 2018 DOI:10.1056/NEJMoa1800722 (ASPREE = ASPirin in Reducing Events in the Elderly).
  4. McNeil JJ, Nelson MR and Woods RL et al. Effects of Aspirin on All-Cause Mortality in the Healthy Elderly. NEJM. 2018 DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa1803955 (ASPREE).
  5. McNeil JJ, Wolfe R and Woods RL et al. Effect of Aspirin on Cardiovascular Events and Bleeding in the Healthy Elderly. NEJM 2018 DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa1805819 (ASPREE).
  6. Jankowski JAZ, de Caestecker J, Love SB et al. Esomeprazole and aspirin in Barrett’s oesophagus (AspECT): a randomised factorial trial. 2018 The Lancet; 392;10145:400-408. (AspECT = Aspirin and Esomeprazole Chemoprevention Trial).
  7. SeAFOod = Systematic Evaluation of Aspirin and Fish Oil awaiting publication.

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Djp

Daniel José Piñeiro

ASSOCIATE
Name
Daniel José Piñeiro
Academic Affiliations:
Full Professor of Medicine, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Argentina Trustee, Board of Trustees, American College of Cardiology
Professional Setting:
My academic experience includes more than 40 years as a practicing medical doctor, teacher, and researcher. I have fulfilled these appointments in settings of vital social engagement and impact, most notably at the Hospital de Clínicas “José de San Martín” of the Universidad de Buenos Aires, a public hospital with high academic recognition. Additionally, I currently hold the position of Full Professor of Medicine at that same University.
Academic Activities:
  • International Meetings Participations: 180
  • Books-Editor: 1
  • Books Chapters: 39
  • Refereed Full Articles: 118 (listed in Pubmed: 29)
  • Refereed Abstracts: 221
  • Editorial Boards: 10
Profesional Associations:
  • 2005 President, Sociedad Argentina de Cardiología.
  • 2011-2013 President, Inter-American Society of Cardiology.
  • 2011-2013 Member (ex-officio), Board of Directors, World Heart Federation
  • 2017-2018 Member (at large), Board of Directors, World Heart Federation
  • 2018-2021 Trustee, Board of Trustees, American College of Cardiology
Chia

John Chia

Name
John Chia MBBS (Spore), MRCP (UK), FAMS (Spore)
Academic Affiliations:

Adjunct Associate Professor DUKE-NUS Graduate Medical School,
Consultant Oncologist Curie Oncology Singapore,
Visiting Consultant National Cancer Centre Singapore.

Discipline:

Medical Oncology

Scientific Interests:
  • Aspirin as adjuvant therapy in established cancers
  • Adoptive T cell therapy and Dendritic cell vaccines in the treatment of solid tumors
  • Clinical Trial Design and Management
Declaration of Conflicts of Interest:

In the past 3 years, I have received consultant fees from Tessa Therapeutics, Aslan Pharmaceuticals, Novartis, and AstraZeneca.

I received grant support for investigator-initiated research from:

  • National Medical Research Council Singapore
  • Bayer AG

I hold shares in:  Roche, BMS, AstraZeneca, Incyte, Teva Pharmaceuticals, Trillium Therapeutics, Compugen, Arrowhead pharmaceuticals, Emergex, QuantumDx and Halozyme Therapeutics

Badimon

Lina Badimon

Name
Lina Badimon BSc, PharmD, PhD, FESC, FAHA
Academic Affiliations:
Director of the Cardiovascular Science Program (ICCC) at the Hospital Santa Creu and San Pau, IIB-Sant Pau; CIBER CV. Director of the Cardiovascular Research Chair of the Autonomous University of Barcelona and Director of the UNESCO Chair in Biomedical Sciences Training and Research.
Discipline:
Pharmacology, Cardiovascular Disease
Scientific Interests:
Cardio-metabolic diseases, thrombosis, atherosclerosis and ischemic heart disease
Declaration of Conflicts of Interest:

I received consultant and speakers fees from Amgen, AstraZeneca, Bayer, Lilly and Sanofi.

    Ge

    Junbo Ge

    Name

    Jubo Ge

    Ge Junbo, male, was born in Wulian, Shandong province on Nov. 8, 1962. He is the member of Chinese Academy of Sciences, professor and doctoral supervisor. He received his doctor’s degree of Medicine from German Mayence University in 1993 and now works as the director for Shanghai Institute of Cardiovascular Disease and the Center for Stem Cells and Tissue Engineering, Fudan University. He is also the designate chairman of the Cardiovascular Disease Branch of Chinese Medical Association, council member of the Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions Association, international consultant of the American Heart Association. In Dec. 2013, he was appointed as the vice president of Tongji University.

    Prof. Ge has been engaged in clinical and scientific research work of cardiovascular disease since 1987, and his research area covers the pathogenesis of coronary heart disease, early diagnosis and treatment plan optimization.

    Langley

    Ruth Langley

    Name
    Ruth Langley PhD, FRCP
    Academic Affiliations:
    Professor of Oncology and Clinical Trials, MRC Programme Leader and Chair of the Cancer Group, MRC Clinical Trials Unit at UCL, honorary consultant in medical oncology at the Brighton and Sussex University Hospital.
    Discipline:
    Medical oncologist; trialist
    Scientific Interests:
    • Aspirin
    • Gastro-oesophageal malignancy
    • Transdermal oestrogen in the treatment of prostate cancer
    • Trials methodology
    Declaration of Conflicts of Interest:
    Has received honorarium from Bayer
    Chan

    Andrew T Chan

    Name
    Andrew T. Chan MD, MPH
    Academic Affiliations:
    Chief, Clinical and Translational Epidemiology Unit, Vice Chair, Division of Gastroenterology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Co-leader, Cancer Epidemiology Program, Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center, Boston.
    Discipline:
    Gastroenterology
    Scientific Interests:
    • The role of aspirin in the prevention of colorectal cancer and other cancers
    • The role of the gut microbiome in colorectal cancer and other chronic gastrointestinal diseases, including inflammatory bowel disease and diverticulitis
    • The role of diet and lifestyle in colorectal cancer and other chronic gastrointestinal cancers
    Declaration of Conflicts of Interest:

    AACR Honors Dr. Andrew T. Chan With 2019 AACR-Waun Ki Hong Award

    Click here to find the press release.

    I received consultant Bayer and Pfizer, Inc.

    I received grant support for investigator-initiated research from:

    • National Institutes of Health
    • National Cancer Institute
    • Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation
    • Bayer AG
    Gaziano

    Mike Gaziano

    Name
    J Michael Gaziano MD, MPH
    Academic Affiliations:

    Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School; Chief Division of Aging, Brigham and Women’s Hospital; Director of Preventive Cardiology and Director of Massachusetts Veterans Epidemiology Research and Information Center (MAVERIC), VA Boston Healthcare System.
    Discipline: Cardiology and Epidemiology

    Scientific Interests:
    I am a chronic disease epidemiologist with a particular interest in the roles that individual lifestyle choices (diet, exercise, smoking), metabolic factors (obesity, high cholesterol, and hypertension), and biochemical and genetic markers play on the risk of cardiovascular disease and other chronic illnesses. Also, of interest is the impact that vascular disease has on other organ systems, including cognitive dysfunction and renal disease. I have an interest in the design of large-scale trials and observational studies nested in large health care systems using big data analytic techniques.
    Declaration of Conflicts of Interest:

    I received consultant and speaker fees Bayer.

    I received grant support as a principal investigator or co-investigator for research from the VA, DOD, NIH, Merck and Kowa.

    Rothwell

    Peter Rothwell

    PAST – CHAIR
    Name

    Peter M. Rothwell PhD, MD, FRCP, FMedSci

    Academic Affiliations:
    • Action Research Chair of Neurology, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford;
    • Founding Director, Wolfson Centre for Prevention of Stroke and Dementia, University of Oxford;
    • Wellcome Trust Senior Investigator;
    • Emeritus NIHR Senior Investigator;
    • Theme Leader, Stroke and Vascular Dementia, NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford
    Discipline:
    Neurology and Stroke Medicine
    Scientific Interests:
    • Risks and benefits of aspirin;
    • Primary and secondary prevention of stroke;
    • Effects of blood pressure on the brain.
    Declaration of Conflicts of Interest:
    I received consultant and speakers fees from Bayer AG.

    Carlo Patrono

    CHAIR
    Name
    Carlo Patrono MD, FESC, FRCP
    Academic Affiliations:
    Adjunct Professor of Pharmacology at the Catholic University School of Medicine in Rome (Italy) and at the Perelman School of Medicine of the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia (USA).
    Discipline:
    Clinical Pharmacology
    Scientific Interests:
    • Studying platelet activation and inhibition in diabetes mellitus
    • Studying platelet activation and inhibition in myeloproliferative neoplasms
    • Investigating the mechanism of action of low-dose aspirin in preventing colorectal cancer
    Declaration of Conflicts of Interest:

    I received consultant and speakers fees from Acticor Biotech,  Amgen,  Bayer, GlaxoSmithKline,  Tremeau,  Zambon.

    I received grant support for investigator-initiated research from:

    • AIFA (Italian Drug Agency)
    • Bayer AG
    • Cancer Research UK
    • European Commission, FP6 and FP7 Programmes

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