March 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.

Algernon NeuroScience Appoints Global TBI Expert and Former NFL Neurological Player Care Safety Director Dr. David Brody to Advisory Board

Algernon Pharmaceuticals Inc., a clinical stage pharmaceutical development company, is pleased to announce that its subsidiary Algernon NeuroScience (AGN Neuro) has appointed Dr. David L. Brody as a consultant for its clinical research program for the treatment of Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) with AP-188 (“N,N-Dimethyltryptamine or DMT”). Dr. Brody, MD, PhD is a board-certified neurologist with both a research and a clinical specialization in TBI and neurodegenerative diseases....READ MORE

PharmAla Biotech Named Exclusive MDMA Supply Partner to Awakn Life Sciences

PharmAla Biotech Holdings Inc., a biotechnology company focused on the research, development, and manufacturing of MDXX class molecules (including MDMA) are pleased to announce that PharmAla has been named the exclusive MDMA supplier to Awakn LS Europe Holdings Limited. PharmAla will be the sole provider of both GMP and Engineering MDMA to Awakn...READ MORE

AstraZeneca Announces Major Investment in Ontario’s Life Sciences Sector

AstraZeneca announce it is bringing 500 highly-skilled scientific and high-tech jobs to the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) in a major expansion of its research footprint in Canada. The investment will contribute to AstraZeneca’s Research & Development Hub (R&D) in Mississauga, which focuses on leading global clinical studies in areas including breast, lung and prostate cancer, COVID-19, and chronic kidney disease. It also includes the creation of a new Alexion, AstraZeneca Rare Disease Development Hub, which focuses on rare disease research...READ MORE

Elizabeth Douville Appointed President and Chief Executive Officer of IRICoR

The members of IRICoR’s Board of Directors are proud to announce the appointment of Elizabeth Douville, Ph.D., ICD.D, to the position of President and Chief Executive Officer of the organization. This appointment comes after Dr. Nadine Beauger, Ph.D., MBA, informed the members of the Board of Directors of her decision to leave the position of President and Chief Executive Officer of IRICoR after 14 remarkable years with the organization...READ MORE

Notch Researchers Develop Improved Model for Predicting CAR-T Clinical Pharmacology and Response to Advance Next-Generation Product Design; Results Published in Nature Biotechnology

Notch Therapeutics, Inc., a biotechnology company developing renewable, induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived cell therapies for cancer, announced the publication of a study in Nature Biotechnology describing a novel computational workflow for predicting CAR-T pharmacology and clinical efficacy. The paper, entitled, “Deconvolution of clinical variance in CAR-T cell pharmacology and response,” documents a new model that is expected to help accelerate the design of next-generation CAR-T products, including those derived from iPSCs...READ MORE

B.C. Launches Action Plan to Better Detect, Treat, Prevent Cancers

Cancer patients and their loved ones will benefit from expanded access to care as B.C. launches a new action plan with immediate steps to better prevent, detect, and treat cancers. An initial $440 million investment will expand cancer care teams and service hours, introduce revised pay structures to ensure B.C. is attractive and competitive for oncologists and cancer-care professionals, improve cancer screening programs, support cancer research, increase Indigenous patient support positions, and support patients who must travel for care from rural communities...READ MORE

Izotropic’s Technical & Scientific Team Members Advocate for Commercialization of Breast CT Technology

Izotropic Corporation, a medical device company commercializing IzoView, a dedicated breast CT (computed tomography) imaging platform, for the more accurate detection and diagnosis of breast cancers, releases statements from select key members of its technical and scientific teams advocating for the commercialization and clinical capabilities of breast CT technology for the very first time...READ MORE

Patent Application Published for PharmAla Biotech’s MDMA Analogs

PharmAla Biotech announce the publication of a key Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) application containing 6 Novel Chemical Entities (NCEs). The application claims priority to and benefit of a United States provisional patent application filed on August 20, 2021. This PCT application disclosed novel compositions of MDMA and analogs thereof, which may be used to alleviate the known side effects of MDMA while retaining its efficacy...READ MORE

The Ottawa Hospital and Thrive Health Partner to Launch Survivor Advisor, a Breast Cancer Survivorship Digital Support Tool

Based on the Breast Cancer Survivorship Tool developed by Dr. Anna N. Wilkinson and Dr. Catherine E. Boutet, the digital tool Survivor Advisor offers an interactive, customizable application for individuals undergoing breast cancer survivorship care. Survivor Advisor is developed to tackle issues around care, with the added bonus of in-app education to empower patients. This includes a dynamic resource library that patients can access to learn more about their care with prompts to complete health promotion activities like cervical and colon cancer screening...READ MORE

VG161 Granted for FDA Orphan Drug Designation

Virogin Biotech announced that it has received a formal letter response from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Office of Orphan Products Development, of which its Class I innovative oncolytic virus product, VG161, has been granted for treatment of Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma (ICC). Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) is a rare tumor that arises from the epithelial cells of intrahepatic bile ducts. ICC accounts for about 10%-15% of primary malignant liver cancer, often known to be associated with abdominal pain, nausea, jaundice, and fever. ICC occurs mostly in people over the age of 50, and males have a slightly higher incidence of ICC...READ MORE

Government of Canada Establishes New Research Hubs to Accelerate Canada’s Vaccine and Therapeutics Production

The Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, and the Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Health, announced an investment of $10 million in support of the creation of five research hubs:

• CBRF PRAIRIE Hub, led by the University of Alberta
• Canada’s Immuno-Engineering and Biomanufacturing Hub, led by The University of British Columbia
• Eastern Canada Pandemic Preparedness Hub, led by the Université de Montréal
• Canadian Pandemic Preparedness Hub, led by the University of Ottawa and McMaster University
• Canadian Hub for Health Intelligence & Innovation in Infectious Diseases, led by the University of Toronto...READ MORE

The Government of Canada and British Columbia Reach Agreement in Principle to Improve Health Services for Canadians

The Government of Canada and the Government of British Columbia are taking the next step by announcing an agreement in principle for a shared plan that will invest $27.47 billion in federal funding over 10 years in British Columbia including $3.32 billion for a new bilateral agreement focusing on the shared health care priorities and $273 million through the immediate, one-time CHT top-up to address urgent needs, especially in pediatric hospitals and emergency rooms, and long wait times for surgeries...READ MORE

Budget 2023 Takes Action on Issues That Matter Most

Budget 2023 invests in improving health and mental-health care, creating more affordable housing, growing a clean economy and delivering more help with costs – especially for families and British Columbians most affected by global inflation. Almost $6.4 billion in new investments over three years will strengthen public health care and help people find and stay connected to the care they need. This includes funding to significantly improve cancer care, build up B.C.’s health-care workforce with new training seats, and create better supports for health-care workers and family doctors. This also includes $1 billion in new funding to expand mental-health and addictions services...READ MORE

Canada Steps up to Meet the Skilled Labour Needs of High-Growth Sectors

The Government of Canada is taking action to align the skills ecosystem with new industry demands. The Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, announced a $250 million program will be launched to support short-cycle upskilling programs driven by industry needs in high-growth sectors. This investment is expected to help more than 15,000 Canadian workers, including those from under-represented groups, transition into new jobs in high-growth sectors such as digital technology, cybersecurity, agriculture technology, advanced manufacturing, clean technology and biomanufacturing...READ MORE

Governments of Canada and Northwest Territories and Territorial Partners Renew Investment That Puts Patients First

Michael McLeod, Member of Parliament for Northwest Territories, on behalf of the Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Health, announced a combined investment of almost $24 million over five years from the Government of Canada, the Government of Northwest Territories (NWT) to support the ongoing work of patient-oriented research in the territory through its SPOR SUPPORT Unit named Hotıı̀ ts’eeda. In the Tłı̨chǫ language, Hotıı̀ ts’eeda refers to peace and well-being in mind, body and spirit, and moving beyond diplomacy to true collaboration so that when we part ways we leave each other in a state of grace...READ MORE

Canada Intellectual Property Office (CIPO) Releases its 2023−2028 Business Strategy

The Canadian Intellectual Property Office (CIPO) has released its 2023–2028 Business Strategy, setting the organization’s vision and the priorities that will guide us for the next 5 years. This strategy describes how CIPO will foster innovation and competitiveness in Canada by ensuring that the intellectual property (IP) system serves the needs of Canadians, and that innovators and entrepreneurs know the value of their IP and how to leverage it to prosper and grow...READ MORE

Director of Regulatory Affairs

Eupraxia Pharmaceuticals is seeking a Director of Regulatory Affairs. The Regulatory Affairs Director - has overall operational responsibility for delivery of specified product indications or projects. This is an opportunity to work in a small, entrepreneurial and highly motivating environment, with a strong emphasis on work/life balance and a supportive company culture. Eupraxia offers a competitive salary, excellent benefits and career development opportunities.

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Clinical Trial Associate

Xenon Pharmaceuticals is seeking a Clinical Trial Associate 1. The role holder will be an individual responsible for supporting the Clinical Operations team members with project-specific support related to the conduct of clinical trials activities. The Clinical Trial Associate 1 will assist the clinical research teams in ensuring the most effective and efficient conduct of clinical research studies by providing administrative and project tracking support.

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Manager, Trial Operations

The Manager, Trial Operations will work flexibly across a number of clinical stage trials and projects, acting as a study lead and manager for select clinical trials, and be hands-on in data compilation, review and analysis, clinical trial set-up and management, and operational support activities. The successful candidate must have strong project management experience, excellent collaboration skills, demonstrate good judgement, be flexible and detail oriented.



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With state of the art wet lab and animal facility in Burnaby, British Columbia, PharmaPlanter Technologies Inc. provides one-stop modeling solution and CRO services under the brand of Therapeutic Modeling & Experimentation (TME). 

Pharmaplanter turns their expertise in mouse and cell line modeling into an efficient and cost-effective technology platform and provide contract research services, mainly focusing on preclinical studies and IND-enabling services, to assist biotech companies to develop their therapeutic solutions and to support life science researchers to translate their scientific work into future therapies, aiming to overcome critical health challenges.

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Eupraxia is a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on the development of locally delivered, extended-release alternatives to currently approved drugs. Each of Eupraxia's product candidates has the potential to address therapeutic areas with high unmet medical need, and strives to provide improved patient benefit by delivering targeted, long-lasting activity with fewer side effects. In addition to Eupraxia’s lead product candidate, EP-104IAR, Eupraxia is developing a pipeline of earlier-stage long-acting formulations. 

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