June 2nd, 2023

Life Sciences BC seeks to raise the profile of our members and supporters, highlight their achievements, and promote BC's dynamic life sciences ecosystem. If you have news or a story to share, let us know.

The Last Word

Registration is now open for our LSBC Annual Summer Social on June 28 from 5-7 PM in the stunning Zymeworks offices, featuring a two-story outdoor patio. We hope you can join us for an evening of relaxed camaraderie and networking as we kick off summer! Register here. 

LUPKYNIS® (voclosporin) Achieved Significantly Higher Renal Response in Lupus Nephritis Patients with High Proteinuria Compared to Patients Treated with MMF and Low Dose Steroids Alone

Aurinia Pharmaceuticals Inc. announced the results of a post-hoc, pooled analysis of the Phase 2 AURA-LV (NCT02141672) and Phase 3 AURORA 1 (NCT03021499) studies, which found that LUPKYNIS® with mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) and low-dose steroids resulted in earlier and greater reductions in proteinuria in lupus nephritis (LN) patients with high proteinuria across biopsy classes, races, and ethnicities. These data were presented at the European Congress of Rheumatology, EULAR 2023, in Milan, Italy...READ MORE

ESSA Pharma to Present at 2023 Jefferies Healthcare Conference

ESSA Pharma Inc., a clinical-stage pharmaceutical company focused on developing novel therapies for the treatment of prostate cancer, announced that the Company will be presenting at the Jefferies Healthcare Conference on Thursday, June 8, 2023 at 8:00 a.m. Eastern Time in New York...READ MORE

InMed’s Neurodegenerative Disease Study Presented at Canadian Neuroscience Meeting

InMed Pharmaceuticals Inc., a leader in the pharmaceutical research, development, manufacturing and commercialization of rare cannabinoids and cannabinoid analogs, announced that results from a neurodegenerative disease study was presented in a scientific poster at the Canadian Neuroscience Meeting in Montreal from May 28-31, 2023...READ MORE

Algernon Pharmaceuticals Receives Notice of Allowance from the Japanese Patent Office for Repirinast and the Treatment of CKD

Algernon Pharmaceuticals Inc., a clinical stage pharmaceutical development company, is pleased to announce that it has received a Notice of Allowance from the Japanese Patent Office (JPO) for patent application 2021-522114 entitled “Compositions and Methods for Treating Chronic Kidney Disease” for its lead chronic kidney disease (CKD) program drug NP-251 (Repirinast). The Company has also filed corresponding patent applications in the United States, Canada, Europe and China...READ MORE

OraPharma and Alex Rodriguez Team Up to Raise Awareness About the Importance of Managing Gum Disease

Bausch Health Companies Inc. and its oral health care business, OraPharma, announced its collaboration with World Series Champion and 3-time American League MVP, Alex Rodriguez, to launch a national awareness campaign about the prevalence and impact of gum disease. The Cover Your Bases campaign includes educational content about the disease and encourages patients to talk to their dentist about comprehensive treatment options. The campaign launch is timed to Oral Health Month recognized throughout June and features Alex as a patient ambassador...READ MORE

Biopharma Company GSK Grants $1 Nillion to Halifax-based Canadian Center for Vaccinology (CCfV)

GSK announces a $1 million grant to strengthen the Canadian Center for Vaccinology (CCfV)’s position in the national infectious disease research landscape. The private funding will be a catalyst for growth of the Halifax-based centre, increasing employment opportunities and bolstering top-quality research and pandemic preparedness locally and nationally...READ MORE

Health Research Foundation Launches Call For Nominations For New Diversity and Equity in Research Award

The Health Research Foundation (HRF) of Innovative Medicines Canada is pleased to announce that nominations are now open for the 2023 Diversity and Equity in Research Award. This new award recognizes a remarkable individual whose research demonstrates the highest quality of excellence and advances equitable participation in health research and access to health care in Canada, improving the well-being of all Canadians, particularly those facing inequities...READ MORE

Kardium Announces First US Procedures in PULSAR Study of Globe® Pulsed Field System

Kardium Inc., a private medical device company that has developed the Globe System for the treatment of atrial fibrillation using pulsed field ablation, announced that the first US patients have been successfully treated in the PULSAR clinical study. The PULSAR study will enroll over 400 patients for treatment at up to 35 sites in the United States, Canada, and Europe. Dr. Vivek Reddy (Mount Sinai Hospital, New York) and Dr. Atul Verma (McGill University Health Centre, Montreal) are the principal investigators. The first US patients were treated this week at New York’s Mount Sinai Hospital...READ MORE

Renaissance BioScience’s Novel RNAi Biopesticide Technology Receives Canadian Regulatory Approval for 2023 Field Studies

Renaissance BioScience Corp., a leader in bioengineering for the global agriculture and food industries, is pleased to announce that the Government of Canada’s Pest Management Research Agency (PMRA) has approved the company’s field study application for its sustainable and eco-friendly RNA interference (RNAi) biopesticide delivery technology. Authorization from the PMRA, following a thorough review of the company’s extensive data dossier, indicates a mutual understanding of the composition, potential and low risk of the RNAi technology. It also provides the regulatory permission required to engage in in-depth field research throughout Canada this summer...READ MORE

Sernova Announces Executive Alignment and Appoints New Board Chair

Sernova Corp. announced the outcomes from a strategic and executive leadership review conducted by its Board of Directors. Following the recent 2023 Annual General Meeting of Shareholders, the Sernova Board welcomed Mr. Brett Whalen, Dr. Steven Sangha and Mr. Bertram von Plettenberg as newly elected Directors. The newly constituted Board has appointed Mr. Brett Whalen as its new Chair, Mr. Bertram von Plettenberg to serve on its Audit and Compensation Committees, and Dr. Steven Sangha to serve on its Nomination and Corporate Governance Committee. In addition, the new Board has determined that it is in the best interest of the Company that Dr. Philip Toleikis remain as President and Chief Executive Officer and continue leading the Company’s Management Team and executing Sernova’s vision...READ MORE

Health Canada Approves(PR) BRUKINSA® (zanubrutinib) for the Treatment of Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL), the Most Common Leukemia in Adults

BeiGene, Ltd., a global biotechnology company, announced that BRUKINSA (zanubrutinib), a Bruton’s tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitor, has been granted a Notice of Compliance from Health Canada for the treatment of adult patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). This is the fourth Canadian approval for BRUKINSA, following authorizations for: adult patients with Waldenström’s macroglobulinemia; adult patients who have received at least one prior therapy for the treatment of mantle cell lymphoma; and adult patients with relapsed or refractory marginal zone lymphoma...READ MORE

Filament Health Announces Interim Results From Phase I Clinical Trial At The University Of California San Francisco

Filament Health Corp., a clinical‐stage natural psychedelic drug development company, announced interim safety reporting from its Phase I clinical trial in partnership with the University of California, SanFrancisco Translational Psychedelic Research Program. Four healthy subjects have been dosed with Filament’s botanical psilocybin drug candidate, PEX010, as well as the Company’s botanical psilocin drug candidates, PEX020 and PEX030...READ MORE

AbCellera to Present at the Goldman Sachs 44th Annual Global Healthcare Conference on June 13, 2023

AbCellera announced that executives from the Company will present at the Goldman Sachs 44th Annual Global Healthcare Conference in Dana Point, California on Tuesday, June 13, 2023, at 1:20 p.m. Pacific Time (4:20 p.m. Eastern Time)....READ MORE

Roche Canada and the Pan-Canadian Pharmaceutical Alliance (pCPA) Successfully Complete Negotiations for VABYSMO® (faricimab injection) for the Treatment of Neovascular (Wet) Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD) and Diabetic Macular Edema (DME)

Hoffmann-La Roche Limited (Roche Canada) announced that it has successfully completed negotiations with the pan-Canadian Pharmaceutical Alliance (pCPA) for VABYSMO® (faricimab injection), indicated for the treatment of neovascular (wet) age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and diabetic macular edema (DME), two of the leading causes of vision loss among Canadians. VABYSMO is the first treatment for wet AMD and DME in Canada that acts by targeting both VEGF-A and Ang-2, two key drivers of vascular instability that have been associated with vision-threatening retinal conditions. This unique dual MoA is made possible by Roche’s antibody engineering expertise...READ MORE

New Cancer Centre on the way for Nanaimo

The Nanaimo Cancer Centre will bring the life-saving treatment closer to the people of Nanaimo, as well as residents of the central and north Island. The new cancer centre is expected to offer radiation therapy, an outpatient ambulatory care unit and a net new PET/CT machine. Construction will also include a new radiation-treatment space with four shielded treatment rooms for high-energy radiation-treatment linear accelerators, which deliver high-energy X-rays or electrons to the region of a patient’s tumour...READ MORE

New Cancer-Care Centre Coming to Kamloops

​People in Kamloops and throughout the Thompson-Cariboo region are one step closer to having a new cancer centre at the Royal Inland Hospital (RIH). When open, the new centre will help make the B.C. cancer-care system stronger and better equipped to deal with the demand from a growing and aging population by adding expanded cancer treatment facilities and oncology services. The new cancer centre in Kamloops will bring cancer care closer to home for patients and families in the Interior...READ MORE

Minister Champagne Highlights Renewed Funding for the Digital Technology Cluster While Visiting Ideon Technologies Inc.

The Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, met with representatives of Ideon Technologies Inc. in Richmond, British Columbia, to discuss how they are accelerating the transition to low-impact mining through projects like the Earth X-ray for Low-Impact Mining.

Minister Champagne also had the opportunity to congratulate the Digital Technology Cluster on its recently renewed funding, bringing the total Government of Canada funding of the cluster to up to $298 million. This reinvestment in the Digital Technology Cluster will help mobilize Canadian industry to build digital technologies that will continue to make Canada a global leader in clean, healthy economic growth and see Canadian companies scale and grow...READ MORE

Minister Ng Wraps up Canada’s First Economic Development Week

This week, ministers Ginette Petitpas Taylor, Minister of Official Languages and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, Pascale St-Onge, Minister of Sport and Minister responsible for the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec, Dan Vandal, Minister of Northern Affairs, Minister responsible for Prairies Economic Development Canada and Minister responsible for the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency, Filomena Tassi, Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario, Patty Hajdu, Minister of Indigenous Services and Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario, Harjit S. Sajjan, Minister of International Development and Minister responsible for the Pacific Economic Development Agency of Canada, were out across the country to mark Canada’s first Economic Development Week...READ MORE

Government of Canada Supports Research to Improve Brain Health

On behalf of the Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Health, Peter Fragiskatos, Member of Parliament for London North Centre, announced four grants being awarded to Dr. Emma G. Duerden of Western University, Dr. Lisa Saksida of Western University, Dr. Sylvia Villeneuve of the Douglas Hospital Research Centre, and Dr. Signe Bray of the University of Calgary. This funding is made possible through Health Canada’s Canada Brain Research Fund (CBRF) Program, which has to date committed an overall federal investment of $200 million to Brain Canada Foundation (Brain Canada) in support of brain health discoveries...READ MORE

Senior Associate Scientist (Biophysical Characterization)

Amgen BC are seeking a Senior Associate Scientist (Biophysical Characterization). The individual will join a team of dedicated scientists to discover and characterize molecules that have the potential to help patients in need. A well-suited applicant will have great laboratory skills, a strong analytical mindset, deep scientific curiosity, and a can-do attitude. The successful candidate will be responsible for the development, optimization, and implementation of various biophysical based screening assays for novel therapeutic candidates with guidance from the lead Scientist...LEARN MORE

Bioinformatician

EYAM are seeking a bionformatician. The ideal candidate will have a PhD (within the last 3 years) and a background in bioinformatics, computer science, or another equivalent quantitative discipline. Candidates with a background in biological sciences and/or immunology and demonstrable equivalent experience in bioinformatics will be considered. Required skills are fluency in one or more mainstream programming languages used in bioinformatics, such as Python. Experience in shell programming and Unix/Linux, with possibly previous experience in HPC, is also a prerequisite...LEARN MORE

Events Specialist

Life Sciences BC is looking for an enthusiastic new co-op student to assist with preparations and execution of both in-person and virtual events. With several scheduled events happening between September and December, this role will offer a varied mix of tasks and projects and will provide fantastic experience for the chosen candidate to see how a professional industry association operates. This position will report to the Manager, Events...LEARN MORE

mlHealth 360 is a pioneering and forward-thinking healthtech focused company committed to revolutionizing and empowering the healthcare industry by employing the transformative power of artificial intelligence.

The company’s vision aims to create next-generation solutions to improve patient outcomes, reduce costs, and optimize healthcare providers’ workflows. MlHealth 360’s vision holds immense potential for transforming the healthtech industry. By offering cutting-edge solutions that bolster patient care, streamline workflows, and support informed decision-making, the company could create a lasting impact on the healthcare landscape, ultimately benefiting patients, providers, and the industry as a whole.

Beyond their current focus of improving image screening by leveraging deep learning technologies, mlHealth 360 also envisions a future of personalized medicines, predictive analyses, remote monitoring and advanced diagnostics.

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Algernon Pharmaceuticals is a clinical stage drug development company focused on the areas of non–alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), chronic kidney disease (CKD), inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), and stroke.

The Algernon drug development program was the brainchild of Dr. Mark Williams, whose innovative approach to drug discovery was developed over many years as senior scientist in the drug development industry. The company and its business model are highly capital efficient and strives to deliver maximum shareholder value.

Algernon’s unique approach to drug discovery is based on the concept of drug repurposing. Drug repurposing is the process of discovering new therapeutic uses for existing drugs. Repurposing offers several benefits over traditional drug development including a reduction in investment and risk, shorter research periods and a longer active patent life.

In addition to drug repurposing Algernon is on the forefront of psychedelic research with their clinical program investigating N,N-Dimethyltryptamine (DMT) as a neuroprotective and neurodegenerative agent in stroke.

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