August 3rd, 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. You can find previous editions of BioLinks newsletters and other resources on our website at News/Publications

Member Highlights 

PharmaAla Biotech CEO, Nick Kadysh, was recently interviewed by MedicalGold to discuss the company's approach to manufacturing an in-demand drug that has not achieved regulatory approval. Read it here. 

Sernova CEO, Dr. Philip Toleikis, was featured among industry leaders in a recent Pharma’s Almanac article to discuss how an increased focus on patient-centric concerns is influencing the development of their cell therapy approach to treating type 1 Diabetes and other chronic diseases. Read it here.

St. Paul’s Foundation is hosting its summer 50/50 raffle from August 1 to 29 to help fund essential services for patients, long-term care residents, and families throughout BC. Learn more and purchase tickets here. 

Drs. Jean Nachega and Edward Mills of Platform Life Sciences have been featured in The Lancet HIV with their article "Global HIV Control: Is the Glass Half Empty or Half Full?" addressing the progress made in HIV treatment and prevention over the past two decades, and the challenges that lie ahead. Read it here.

Our members VoxCell BioInnovation, Alpha9 Theranostics, Avivo Biomedical and Incisive Genetics have been featured in a recent Canada Venture News article showcasing 15 Remarkable BC Medical Startups. Read it here.

Zymeworks has announced the launch of its new Early R&D hub in Singapore, one of the leading biomedical and pharma hubs in the Asian Pacific region. Learn more.

PacifiCan has announced $1.9M in support of BCIT's Centre for Applied Research and Innovation (CARI) in creating the Advanced Additive Manufacturing Technology Hub (AAMTECH) - a cutting-edge 3D printing prototyping center. Learn more. PacifiCan has also announced $5M in funding to ARTMS to help scale up and expand its production to include three additional medical isotopes. These financial commitments are part of a larger announcement supporting seven Burnaby businesses and organizations totalling over $20.8M in investment. Learn more and see the other recipients here.

Molecular You was recently featured in New York Weekly showcasing their leadership team and predictive health analytics platform that provides a tailored approach to health care. Read it here. Molecular You is also a finalist in RESI's Innovator's Pitch Challenge and will pitch to a panel of investor judges on September 18. Best of luck! Learn more here.

OkaSciences (formerly GelMA) has been listed as a significant player in GelMA manufacturing in Transparency Market Research’s latest report about the gelatin methacryloyl market, which is expected to reach $309M by 2031. Read the report here.

New Members

We are pleased to welcome the following new LSBC Members:

ACROBiosystems is a biotechnology company aimed at being a cornerstone of the global biopharmaceutical and health industries by providing products and business model innovation. Its main products and services are recombinant proteins, kits, antibodies, scientific services, and other related products.



Hana Rahili is a third-year student in the Entry-to-Practice PharmD program at UBC, and Co-Founder and Co-President of the UBC Pharmaceutical Industry and Health Technology Organization (PITECH).

Industry Highlights

BC has released the results of its public engagement initiative on the international credential recognition process in its report "What We Heard: Public Engagement on International Credential Recognition." More than 1,450 British Columbians provided feedback about how to improve the process and remove unnecessary barriers. Read the report here.

Canada, in collaboration with JDRF Canada, is investing $33M to support 12 research projects that will work to prevent, detect, manage, and treat diabetes. Learn more.

Canadian scientists have made a significant breakthrough in HIV genetic research by discovering new genetic variants that may explain why certain people naturally have a lower viral load, which slows down the virus from replicating and transmitting. Their findings were published in the scientific journal Nature. The first new genetic variant discovered in nearly 30 years of HIV research, this breakthrough may lead to new HIV treatment and prevention strategies. Learn more.

As part of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) review of an update to the Tri-Agency Open Access Policy on Publications to require any peer-reviewed journal publications arising from agency-supported research to be freely and immediately available at the time of publication, they invite members of the community to complete a short online survey. Learn more here and take the 3-5 minute survey here.

The UK Digital Health Canadian Technology Accelerator (CTA) program, which provides the necessary information needed by Canadian companies looking to expand in the UK through market briefings, business intelligence, strategic guidance, and introductions to potential clients, investors, and partners, has recently opened applications. Learn more. An information session will be held for this program on August 24. You can register here.

Applications Open

BC Tech is accepting applications for its internship program, which provides skilled individuals with internship experiences at tech companies and in tech roles at non-tech companies across BC. Learn more and apply here.

Canada’s New Frontiers in Research Fund 2024 Transformation competition, providing Grants of $2-4M per year for six years to support large-scale interdisciplinary, world-leading research projects that address a major challenge, is open to applicants. The notice of intent to apply online is October 24. Learn more.

Applications for entrepreneurship@UBC’s Regional Ecosystem Showcase featuring ten companies across the province who’ve proven market traction and are ready to scale have been extended until August 8. Learn more.

The Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships (Vanier CGS) program helps Canadian institutions attract and retain highly qualified doctoral students and establish Canada as a global centre of excellence in research and higher learning. The competition awards 166 annual scholarships in health, natural sciences, engineering, and social sciences! Students should check with their nominating institution for submission deadline details. The deadline for nominating institutions is Nov 1. Learn more.

We invite you to explore our expanded list of current life sciences application opportunities by clicking on the following link. Applications Open.

Kudos

Congratulations to BioTalent Canada, recognized by Canadian HR Reporter as a 5-Star DE&I Employer of 2023 for their outstanding efforts to create a more inclusive future, and by HRD Canada as a 2023 Best Place to Work. Last year, BioTalent Canada launched the IDEAL Bioscience Employer Recognition Program to recognize organizations in Canada’s bio-economy embodying the diverse and inclusive corporate principles needed to promote growth and success. Applications are re-opening this fall. Learn more. 

People on the Move

CORCYM has announced its Scientific Advisory Board, including Prof. Vinayak (Vinnie) Bapat, Prof. Marco Di Eusanio, Dr. Maurice Enriquez-Sarano, Prof. Bart Meuris, and Dr. Vinod Thourani.

Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) has established a Quantum Advisory Council to provide impartial advice on the implementation and progress of the National Quantum Strategy, launched in January. It will be co-chaired by Raymond Laflamme of the University of Waterloo and Stephanie Simmons of Simon Fraser University. Members include Alexandre Blais, Ian D'Souza, Andrew Fursman, Shohini Ghose, David Gosset, Martin Laforest, Lindsay LeBlanc, Atefeh Mashatan, and Christian Weedbrook.

Cheryl Maitland Muir has joined DIGITAL as Vice President of Communications and Public Affairs.

The Last Word

Limited tickets are still available for the 25th Annual Life Sciences BC Awards presented by Farris on September 14. Join winners and fellow attendees for networking and watch the ceremony via live stream while enjoying refreshments in the Networking and Viewing Reception room adjacent to the main gala room. Take advantage of this opportunity to be part of a special evening celebrating outstanding achievements in the life sciences sector. Learn more here and secure your spot now.

Until next week,

Wendy and the LSBC team

WELL Health Announces Record Patient Visits and Interactions for Q2-2023 Resulting in Record Quarterly Revenue

WELL Health Technologies Corp., a digital health company focused on positively impacting health outcomes by leveraging technology to empower healthcare practitioners and their patients globally, is pleased to announce it has achieved over 1 million patient visits in a single quarter for the first time, and this achievement has driven record revenues for Q2-2023. WELL will also announce its Second Quarter 2023 Financial Results on August 10, 2023...READ MORE

Rethink Breast Cancer and Pfizer Canada Announce Recipients of the 2023 National Quality Improvement Grants to Support Metastatic Breast Cancer Patients

Rethink Breast Cancer (Rethink) and Pfizer Canada are proud to announce three recipients who will collectively receive over $200,000 in grants for their work in developing innovative strategies to measurably improve the quality of care for people living with metastatic breast cancer (mBC)...READ MORE

Baltic-Bound: is Lithuania Desirable for EU Life Science Investment?

Lithuania conjures up images of historic towns, vibrant forests and one of the top-ranked basketball teams in the world. But now the country is ushering in a modern wave of biotech and medtech innovation, ranging from medical psychedelic research to cutting-edge gene therapy. Innovation Agency, a consultancy firm established by the Lithuanian government, says that the country has the second-fastest growing start-up ecosystem in Central and Eastern European counties, worth around €9.5bn...READ MORE

Health Canada Authorizes TECVAYLI™ (teclistamab injection), a First-in-Class Bispecific Antibody for the Treatment of Patients with Relapsed or Refractory Multiple Myeloma

The Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson announced that Health Canada has issued a Notice of Compliance with conditions (NOC/c) for TECVAYLI™ (teclistamab injection) for the treatment of adult patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma who have received at least three prior lines of therapy, including a proteasome inhibitor, an immunomodulatory agent and an anti-CD38 monoclonal antibody, and who have demonstrated disease progression on the last therapy...READ MORE

Lung Diagnostic Assessment Program Outreach Clinic in Napanee, ON Expedites Assessment and Diagnosis for Patients with Lung Cancer

Just over two years since challenging Ontario-based innovators to identify solutions to help enhance the lung cancer patient journey by improving timeliness of care, Merck Canada is proud to share new data from the winning team at Kingston Health Sciences Centre (KHSC). The data reveals the far-reaching impact of the first-place solution to expand the Lung Diagnostic Assessment Program (LDAP) with an Outreach Clinic based in the Lennox & Addington County General Hospital (LACGH) in Napanee, Ontario...READ MORE

First Half of 2023: Boehringer Ingelheim Sees Strong Growth and Expansion in Key Therapy Areas

Boehringer Ingelheim, a leading research-driven biopharmaceutical company, continues to advance its pipeline in both Human Pharma and Animal Health expanding across its key therapy areas. Currency-adjusted net sales rose by 9.7 percent to 12.2 billion EUR driven by high demand for medications during the first six months of 2023, driven by strong momentum in Jardiance® for Human Pharma and NexGard® for Animal Health...READ MORE

Ondine Commences First NHS Steriwave® Pilot

Mid Yorkshire Teaching NHS Trust has this week started the first UK pilot evaluation of nasal photodisinfection for the prevention of surgical site infections. The six-month pilot will see 500 elective hip and knee surgery patients nasally decolonized using Ondine Biomedical’s Steriwave® nasal photodisinfection prior to their surgery...READ MORE

First Products Out NOW – The SnapCyte™ Cell Confluency App and Microscope Adapter

SnapCyte Solutions Inc., a bio-analytical software company committed to advancing artificial intelligence (AI)-powered smartphone technology for biological and life science research, has launched their first products, the SnapCyte™ App and the SnapCyte™ Adapter...READ MORE

PharmAla Files Patent for Novel MDXX Molecule PharmAla-1

PharmAla Biotech Holdings Inc., a biotechnology company focused on the research, development, and manufacturing of novel MDXX class molecules (including MDMA), is thrilled that it has filed a patent on the composition of matter of PharmAla-1. The patent filing follows a year of preclinical proof-of-concept research at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in the laboratory of Prof. William Fantegrossi. PharmAla’s novel drug development pipeline has been advancing rapidly in 2023, with PharmAla’s ALA family moving rapidly into clinical development...READ MORE

Chinook Therapeutics Announces First Patient Enrolled in Pivotal Phase 3 Beyond Study of Zigakibart (BION-1301) for Patients with IgA Nephropathy

Chinook Therapeutics, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of precision medicines for kidney diseases, announced that the first patient with IgA nephropathy (IgAN) has been enrolled in the BEYOND study, a pivotal phase 3 clinical trial evaluating the safety and efficacy of zigakibart (BION-1301), a potentially disease-modifying anti-APRIL monoclonal antibody...READ MORE

Mesintel has developed a proprietary target discovery platform that incorporates our extensive knowledge of mesenchymal progenitor (MP) biology, coupled with disease-specific datasets mined by state-of-the-art AI/ML capabilities. The platform is designed to accelerate the development of therapeutics centered around the key role MPs play in driving disease, including rare oncology and the solid tumor microenvironment. These efforts will enable Mesintel to leverage its platform into complementary therapeutic areas, such as rare disease, fibrosis, tissue regeneration and aging. We are seeking opportunities to propel collaborative discovery and development partnerships, and seed funding to advance internal programs and platform capabilities.

LEARN MORE

Scientists from the Public Health Agency of Canada Make a Major Breakthrough on HIV Genetic Research

Scientists from the Public Health Agency of Canada’s National Microbiology Laboratory (NML), École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) in Switzerland, and Imperial College London are leading a global effort to better understand the genetics of people living with HIV, who are of African ancestries, as they are a key population that is disproportionately affected by HIV. Scientists at the NML and their international partners have discovered new genetic variants that may explain why certain people in these populations naturally have a lower viral load, which slows down the virus from replicating and transmitting. Their findings were published in the scientific journal Nature...READ MORE

Government of Canada and JDRF Canada Jointly Invest $33 Million in Research to Defeat Diabetes

Canada is among the ten countries with the highest rates of type 1 diabetes in the world—and with the prevalence of type 1 diabetes projected to increase in all countries over the next two decades, it is more important than ever to support research to improve our understanding of the condition, develop more effective treatments, and prevent the complications that come with it

Adam van Koeverden, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Health, on behalf of the Honourable Mark Holland, Minister of Health, announced that the Government of Canada, in collaboration with JDRF Canada, is investing $33 million to support 12 research projects that will work to prevent, detect, manage, and treat diabetes...READ MORE

PacifiCan Announced $1.9 million for BCIT’s Centre for Applied Research and Innovation

The Honourable Harjit S. Sajjan, Minister of Emergency Preparedness and Minister responsible for the Pacific Economic Development Agency of Canada (PacifiCan) and the Honourable Terry Beech, Minister of Citizens’ Services announced support of over $1.9 million for BCIT’s Centre for Applied Research and Innovation (CARI) to establish the Advanced Additive Manufacturing Technology Hub (AAMTECH) – an advanced 3D printing prototyping hub. The investment was included as part of an announcement of over $20.8 million benefitting seven Burnaby-based businesses organizations...READ MORE

B.C. Releases Results of Credential-Recognition Engagement

More than 1,450 people gave feedback through wide-ranging public engagement on the international credential-recognition progress. Feedback from the Province’s engagement is available online and will be used to inform future legislation to improve credential recognition for newcomers to B.C...READ MORE

Medical Science Liaison – Oncology (British Columbia)

Amgen is seeking a Medical Science Liaison - Oncology to work full-time at the Vancouver location. Requirements for the candidate include a PhD/MD/PharmD and 2+ years of relevant medical science or industry experience. Preffered qualifications include medical/scientific expertise in Oncology/Hematology, and Medical Science Liaison experience...LEARN MORE

HR Generalist

uBriGene are seeking a skilled HR Generalist with a strong focus on either HR Operations or talent Acquisition to join their organization. The HR Generalist will play a critical role in supporting the day-to-day HR operations or talent acquisition functions of the company. This position requires a detail-oriented individual who can effectively manage multiple tasks while maintaining a high level of professionalism and confidentiality. The ideal candidate will have a solid understanding of HR best practices, talent acquisition strategies, and possess excellent interpersonal and communication skills...LEARN MORE

RA/QA & Testing Specialist

The RA/QA & Testing Specialist will report to the CEO. They will lead all Quality and Regulatory Affairs efforts within the company. Currently, GuideStar are in the process of seeking FDA clearance in the United States, with plans to enter other global markets including Europe, Canada, Brazil, and Australia. This role also includes ownership of Quality Assurance processes related to the production of our device, including managing our QMS and reviewing engineering documentation. Furthermore, the successful candidate will coordinate all necessary ongoing testing activities with external vendors...LEARN MORE

Manager, Commercialization

The Manager, Commercialization assists in managing Praxis’ Commercialization Program (including SCI Incubate and SCI Accelerate programs) to expand and strengthen Praxis’ network for commercialization, helps to evaluate technologies and implement mechanisms for mentorship and coaching for SCI technologies based on their specific needs. This position is expected to execute on Praxis’ fundraising strategy to meet initial targets for the Commercialization Program/Innovation Fund from various sources, including government, people of high net worth, and corporate giving from industry...LEARN MORE

Executive Project Manager – Piloter/Scaler and Lab Facility Construction

The Executive Project Manager will play a pivotal role in the successful establishment of a multi-use, modular biomanufacturing scaler/pilot and wet lab facility for new and establishing life sciences companies. This individual will report to the VILS board and oversee the coordination and execution of the facility's design and construction phase, actively engage in tenant recruitment and consultation efforts, and create a comprehensive business plan for the facility. The role will serve as a key liaison between the VILS Board of Directors, contractors, potential tenants, and other stakeholders, ensuring effective communication and reporting on project-related matters...LEARN MORE

ACROBiosystems Group, founded in 2010 and listed in 2021, is a biotechnology company aimed at being a cornerstone of the global biopharmaceutical and health industries by providing products and business models innovation. The company spans across the globe and maintains offices, R&D centers, and production bases in 12 different cities within the United States, Switzerland, England and Germany.

Its main products and services are recombinant proteins, kits, antibodies, scientific services, and other related products. ACROBiosystems employs a strict quality control system for its products that are used in biopharmaceutical research and development, production, and clinical application. Through the continuous development of new technologies and products, ACROBiosystems Group creates value for the global pharmaceutical industry and actively empowers our partners. The company is dedicated to accelerating the drug development process, including targeted therapies, immunotherapeutic drugs, and its clinical applications, and contributes to global health. LEARN MORE

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