Each year, our thriving life sciences sector employs thousands of British Columbians while generating billions in market capital (for example a record breaking $2 billion was raised in 2020)! While our growth was undoubtedly accelerated by the pandemic, there’s no question the future is bright. As a sector, we continue to produce a highly skilled workforce earning above average salaries and the revenue growth rate, GDP, and salary growth rate are above the national average. And, as one of the fastest growing life sciences sectors in Canada, this is just the beginning. There are so many opportunities on the horizon.
For example, last week, I highlighted opportunities around Medtech Canada seeking session proposals for conference themes and speaker series for the upcoming Canada’s Medtech Conference and Canada's Medtech Regulatory Conference. I also shared how Creative Destruction Lab is offering a fantastic program for deep tech start-ups. Over the years, this program has helped more than 4,000 founders of over 1,700 companies, who have gone on to create over $18 billion in equity value!
In this week’s update, I wanted to add more incredible opportunities to the list. First, applications for the upcoming EFFERVESCENCE Pan-Canadian Start-up Pitch Competition close this coming Monday, March 28th at 9am EST. Interested startups should submit an online application. Secondly, the Michael Smith Health Research BC’s Health Professional-Investigator Program is now accepting applications to provide funding that helps close the gap between health research and its implementation, with the goal of ultimately improving health outcomes in BC and beyond.
Events-wise, there are also a number of upcoming events I want to draw attention to: On April 7th, 2022, CityAge, in collaboration with GenomeBC, will be hosting The Data Effect. Featuring presentations by the industry’s best and brightest - including Federica Di Palma, Chief Scientific Officer and VP, Sectors, Genome BC, and Ali Ardakani, Founder and Managing Director of Novateur Ventures Inc. and Vice Chair of our LSBC Board - this cutting edge, digital event will discuss how health data can save lives while keeping Canada competitive on the global stage. At LSBC, we also strongly believe in creating additional forums where it’s possible for people to connect. As such, on April 6th, we are proud to host our Showcase Series: Vancouver Island event, and similarly, on May 11th, we will host our Showcase Series: Surrey event.
We’ve also seen many exciting recent announcements from our members, who are continuing to drive the sector forward. This past week, NanoVation Therapeutics announced the expansion of its global gene therapy builder with the launch of its first GENErator™, NanoVationTx™ UK. Wales McLelland has constructed a new 400,000 sq.ft. production, distribution and storage facility for Daiya Foods, representing one of the largest food production facilities of its kind in the province! And Evonik enters a new era of sustainable cleaning with the launch of REWOFERM RL 100 biosurfactant. Updates like these further reflect our thriving sector, from new areas of study - gene therapy and regenerative medicine - to the overall strength of Canadian STEM talent, we are truly in a "golden era" of our sector.
In closing, I want to congratulate Anne Stevens, who also sits on our LSBC Board, for being promoted to Vice President of Business Development at AbCellera.
Wendy and the LSBC team
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Where were you 30 years ago? We’re celebrating 30 years of Life Sciences BC this year by celebrating 30 years of life sciences in BC. Please visit our survey and add your favourite memorable event from our vibrant life sciences sector.
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Research Shows Lower Dose Drug Strategy for Severe COVID-19 Patients Both Clinically and Economically Effective
Scarcity of a drug central to the treatment of critically ill COVID-19 patients inspired British Columbia researchers to develop a novel dosing strategy that resulted in more people being treated with smaller doses of a life-saving drug... READ MORE
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Roche Donates Additional Medicines and Diagnostics for Ukraine
Roche announced the donation of additional medicines and diagnostics to Ukraine. Beyond the already communicated 150,000 packs of an antibiotic medicine the new donation includes another 4,600 packs of specialized medicines for the treatment of influenza, rheumatoid arthritis, SMA and various cancers... READ MORE
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LifeMine Therapeutics and GSK Enter Drug Discovery and Development Alliance
LifeMine Therapeutics Inc., a biopharmaceutical company reinventing drug discovery by mining genetically-encoded small molecules from the biosphere, announced a strategic R&D collaboration with GlaxoSmithKline (GSK). The collaboration will provide GSK with access to LifeMine’s genomically enabled drug discovery platform to identify novel small molecule leads directed to up to three human targets provided by GSK addressing multiple disease areas... READ MORE
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Horizon Therapeutics and IAPB Partner to Advocate for Better Eye Health
Horizon Therapeutics has joined IAPB as a Global Patron, as part of Horizon’s widening global presence. Working together, Horizon and IAPB will advocate to bring better eye health to all at global, country and regional levels...
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NervGen Pharma to Present at 2022 Virtual Growth Conference Presented by Maxim Group / Engages Apaton Finance to Provide Investor Relations Services in Europe
NervGen Pharma Corp., a clinical stage biotech company dedicated to developing innovative solutions for the treatment of nervous system damage, will be presenting at the 2022 Virtual Growth Conference presented by Maxim Group, being held virtually on March 28-30, 2022... READ MORE
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Evonik Invests in New ROHACELL® Production Facility
Evonik is investing a significant double-digit million Euro sum in a new, modern production facility for its high-performance foams for fiber composites manufactured in Darmstadt. At the same time, parts of the original production plant, which went into operation in 1972, will be shut down or extensively modernized... READ MORE
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FDA Approves Merck’s KEYTRUDA® (pembrolizumab) for Patients With MSI‑H/dMMR Advanced Endometrial Carcinoma, Who Have Disease Progression Following Prior Systemic Therapy in Any Setting and Are Not Candidates for Curative Surgery or Radiation
Merck announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved KEYTRUDA, Merck’s anti-PD-1 therapy, as a single agent for the treatment of patients with advanced endometrial carcinoma that is microsatellite instability-high or mismatch repair deficient, as determined by an FDA-approved test, who have disease progression following prior systemic therapy in any setting and are not candidates for curative surgery or radiation ... READ MORE
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Construction Begins for New St. Paul’s Hospital
Improved access to life-saving health care in downtown Vancouver takes another leap forward as construction kicks off for the new St. Paul’s Hospital at the Jim Pattison Medical Centre, the largest hospital redevelopment project in B.C.’s history... READ MORE
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High-tech Mouthguard Tracks Head Impacts During Varsity Hockey Playoffs
A high-tech mouthguard worn by UBC Thunderbird hockey players will record every big hit of the upcoming playoffs to capture data for UBC researchers who study concussions. The study is led by Dr. Lyndia Wu, an expert in brain injury biomechanics at UBC’s faculty of applied science... READ MORE
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Evonik and Asiga Collaborate on Photopolymer-Based 3D Printing for Large-Scale Industrial Manufacturing
The specialty chemicals company Evonik and Australia’s 3D printer manufacturer Asiga are strengthening their collaboration in photopolymer-based 3D printing. Both companies aim to drive forward 3D printing large-scale industrial manufacturing by extending today’s capabilities of photo-curing technologies. Evonik is contributing its expertise in development and manufacturing of ready-to-use photopolymer materials... READ MORE
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Evonik Enters New Era of Cleaning with Launch of REWOFERM® RL 100 Biosurfactant
Following a triple-digit million-euro investment to build a new biosurfactant plant in Slovakia, Evonik has launched the sustainable rhamnolipid REWOFERM® RL 100. The new biosurfactant meets demand from the cleaning solutions market for low-emission, low-impact cleaning products that enable a circular economy... READ MORE
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A Fit-Out Fit for Daiya Foods
Wales McLelland is proud to have constructed a new 400,000 sq. ft. production, distribution, and storage facility for Daiya Foods. Recently completed, this project represents one of the largest food production facilities of its kind in the province... READ MORE
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Merck’s KEYTRUDA® (pembrolizumab) Significantly Improved Disease-Free Survival (DFS) Versus Placebo as Adjuvant Therapy in Patients With Stage IB-IIIA Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) Regardless of PD-L1 Expression
Merck, known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) and the European Thoracic Oncology Platform (ETOP) announced results from the pivotal Phase 3 KEYNOTE-091 trial, also known as EORTC-1416-LCG/ETOP-8-15 – PEARLS. The study found that adjuvant treatment with KEYTRUDA significantly improved disease-free survival... READ MORE
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NanoVation Therapeutics Launches UK Hub
NanoVation Therapeutics™ (NTx) is pleased to announce the expansion of its global gene therapy builder with the launch of its first GENErator™, NanoVationTx™ UK. The operations of NTx UK will be tightly integrated with NTx Canada’s strategic direction. The operations of NTx UK will be tightly integrated with NTx Canada’s strategic direction. The extension of NTx Canada will bring decades of experience in creating nucleic acid therapeutics utilizing lipid nanoparticles to the UK whilst leveraging the UK’s outstanding environment for scientific innovation and collaboration... READ MORE
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InMed Announces Management Changes
InMed Pharmaceuticals Inc., a leader in the research, development, manufacturing and commercialization of rare cannabinoids, announced that its Chief Financial Officer, Mr. Bruce Colwill, will be retiring and will be stepping down from his position at the Company effective March 31, 2022...
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Moderna Says Vaccine Results for Kids Under 6 are Encouraging, Will File for Authorization Soon
Moderna anticipates filing for vaccine authorization in Canada this spring for the youngest age group. Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine works in babies, toddlers and preschoolers, the company announced Wednesday — and if regulators agree it could mean a chance to finally start vaccinating the youngest children by summer... READ MORE
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Studies Suggest Links Between COVID-19 and Diabetes, Pregnancy Risks and Dementia
The most obvious risks from COVID-19 are hospitalization and death. But study after study shows the disease comes with an increased risk of a number of health problems, including diabetes. One of the best ways to avoid those risks is to get vaccinated. Read on for more details... READ MORE
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The Government of Canada Announces Additional Funding to Four Safer Supply Pilot Projects
The evidence is clear that the COVID-19 pandemic has contributed to a worsening of the overdose crisis, which continues to affect individuals, families and communities across Canada every single day. The pandemic has exacerbated the illegal drug supply in Canada, which is causing high rates of overdoses and deaths... READ MORE
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L9 BioScience Inc. (L9) is an early-stage, Vancouver-based enterprise with an innovative, unique, and disruptive, patented technology that changes the molecular structure of drugs so that it increases the gastric bioavailability by up to 1800%. The L9 technology so fundamentally changes existing drugs, that it creates a net new Biosimilar drug which can be re-patented. This technology has unlimited growth potential as they go after drugs whose patents have recently expired or drugs which have failed the FDA approval process!
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3DQue Systems Inc. produces Quinly, the automation suite that makes 3D printers smart enough to run themselves. By removing up to 99% of labour, manufacturers, machine shops and retailers can cost-effectively mass produce commercial and industrial finished goods. Quinly allows companies to bring production home so they get to market 6-9 months faster, secure their supply chain, and respond in real-time market changes quickly and easily.
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Quality Control Specialist
Response Biomedical Corp. is seeking a Quality Control Specialist who is responsible for the inspection/testing of incoming raw materials, completing inspections for manufacturing, and the analytical testing of components and products.
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Communications Specialist
Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute (VCHRI) is seeking a Communications Specialist who is on the front lines of planning and executing internal and external communication and engagement strategies to advance local and regional initiatives for the VCHRI.
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LSBC Job Board
Jobs posted to our Job Board automatically post out to all our social media accounts for wider sharing. Make sure you include your company name in the first line of your job ad for maximum exposure!
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Post A Job on the LSBC Website! |
LSBC Membership Discounts on Job Postings
As an LSBC member, your first five job postings EARNS a free repost on BioTalent Canada's The Petri Dish. After your first five reposts, you will also receive 25% off all job postings on The Petri Dish. Want more info? Contact Megan Pan -talent@lifesciencesbc.ca
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