Life Sciences BC News, December 12, 2024

We’re excited to partner with Novateur Academy to offer the Biotech Business Development & Licensing Masterclass: Blueprint for Success, a unique learning and development opportunity for life sciences executives and business professionals. This March 3-5, 2025, join us for an immersive experience and sharpen your skills to move the needle forward on business development, partnerships, and licensing negotiations. Learn more and apply for the course here. Applications will be considered until January 31, 2025.

Looking for opportunities and employment within the life sciences sector? LSBC is bringing our Career Connect Day to the Vancouver Convention Centre on January 24, 2025. The day will include a morning of inspirational stories and one of the largest life sciences career expos in the afternoon. You won’t want to miss out on an opportunity to get noticed by employers and network in the field. Register today.  

Want to be in the know about important topics, trends, and policies driving our sector? Join us on February 26, 2025, for our annual Access to Innovation. Attracting attendees across the ecosystem including SMEs and large corporations, research, government, academia and more, this full-day premier event brings together important stakeholders for candid discussion. Register here.

In an update to the Patented Medicine Pricing Review Board's (PMPRB) attempt to regulate the price of Galderma’s off-patent drug product Differin, the Federal Court ruled that the PMPRB had exceeded its jurisdiction. Patentees can now take comfort in the Federal Court of Appeal’s common-sense conclusion that: “The Board does not regulate the pricing of unpatented medicines…” Read more.

Member Highlights 

BC Cancer announces expansion of the Health Gateway platform for improved online access to cancer screening letters. Read more.

GlycoNet and partners Invest $12 million in Canadian glycomics research to advance health and agriculture. Part of the investment comes from the Canadian government through the Strategic Science Fund. Read more.

DIGITAL partners with Calabrio, in collaboration with ORX, Queen’s University and WELL Health Technologies to enhance patient-centered care through AI. Read more.

Michael Smith Health Research BC is partnering with the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) to support BC-based researchers in finding ways to prevent, prepare for, and respond to outbreaks of avian influenza. Read more.

AbbVie announces groundbreaking results from its latest Emotional Impact Report (EIR), a patient survey that provides an understanding of the mental health impacts of a chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) diagnosis. Findings are the first to report the emotional perspectives of Hispanic, Black, and Asian patients with CLL. Read more.

Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute launches the new M. H. Mohseni Institute of Urologic Sciences. Read more.

Variational AI announces partnership with Life Chemicals in early-stage drug discovery, bringing together the best in chemistry and generative AI to deliver potent and novel leads. Read more.

Industry Highlights

Government of Canada signs a bilateral agreement with Alberta investing over $162 million to improve access to drugs for rare diseases. Read more.

Government of Canada announces investment in Québec-based Aramis Biotechnologies. A federal contribution of $40 million through the Strategic Innovation Fund (SIF) will go to support Aramis Biotechnologies’ $80 million project to advance plant-based vaccines and therapeutics and to proceed with the development of a next-generation influenza vaccine. Read more.

Health Canada releases new data on cannabis use in Canada. Read more.

Kudos

Congratulations to the newest cohort joining Lumira Ventures’s Venture Innovation Program (VIP) for the 2024-2025 term. The VIP program offers Ph.D., MBA, and MD students across Canada a unique opportunity to gain hands-on experience in life sciences venture capital and startups. Read more.

Novartis Pharmaceuticals Canada Inc. has announced the three recipients of its inaugural Health Equity Initiative: Fort Severn First Nation, Foundations for Social Change, and Black Physicians of Canada. Novartis has awarded the recipients a combined total of more than $680,000. Read more.

Kudos to the Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute (VCHRI) and Providence Research, who have once again ranked among the top hospital-based research institutes nationwide by Research Infosource Inc., a Canadian research, consulting, and publishing firm. Read more.

The Legal 500 Canada has recognized Mintz in its 2025 guide of the best Canadian firms and lawyers practicing within the Canadian market. Notably, the guide has recognized Cheryl Reicin, Mintz’s International Chair of Life Sciences. Read more.

Two members of the Faculty of Medicine community – Drs. Jan Christilaw and Paul Sanberg – were recently recognized at the annual alumni UBC Achievement Awards. Congratulations! Read more.

Applications Open

Apply now for Johnson & Johnson Innovation’s Singapore QuickFire Challenge: Precision Immunology! Innovators with an interest in the Singapore innovation ecosystem are invited to submit their potentially transformative precision medicine approaches for targeted therapies that can be applied across Immune-Mediated Disease. Apply by January 24, 2025! Learn more.

Call for proposals! Web Summit is coming to British Columbia in May 2025, and Innovate BC is working to equip local tech companies to capitalize on this unprecedented opportunity. It is looking for select partners to support Road to Web Summit Vancouver events and programming. Submit your proposal by December 20! Learn more.

The National Research Council Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC IRAP) and UK Research and Innovation have launched the Canada-UK 2024-2025 Multisector Collaborative Industrial Research and Development Call for Proposals. Register by January 8, express your interest by January 15, and submit your proposal by April 16, 2025. Read more.

The Unmet Needs in Healthcare – Strategy and Solutions course (January 7, 2025 - March 8, 2025), part of UBC’s Micro-certificate in Innovation Leadership, empowers professionals to identify and address critical gaps in patient care. For a limited time, the SBME is offering 50% tuition bursaries for eligible learners. Email danielle.walker@ubc.ca for more information. Learn more.

See our expanded list of current life sciences opportunities on our website.

Member Spotlight

EMD Serono, Canada, is the Canadian biopharmaceutical business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany. EMD Serono, Canada has integrated cutting-edge science, innovative products and devices, and industry-leading patient support and access programs.

EMD Serono, Canada has deep expertise in neurology, fertility, and endocrinology, as well as a robust pipeline of potential therapies in neurology, oncology, immunology, and immuno-oncology. Today, EMD Serono, Canada has more than 100 employees across Canada with headquarters in Mississauga, Ontario. Learn more.

Until next week!

LSBC Team

January 24 - Life Sciences BC 6th Annual Career Connect Day

This dynamic full-day event brings together life sciences employers from across the sector, post-secondary students, and job seekers.

February 26 - Join us for our 10th Annual Access to Innovation conference.

This premier full-day gathering welcomes life sciences leaders and trailblazers from academia, research, health institutions, government, and industry to engage in insightful discussions on the ever-evolving trends, developments, and policies shaping British Columbia’s thriving sector.

2024 Alumni UBC Achievement Awards Honour Faculty of Medicine Community Members

Two members of the Faculty of Medicine community – Drs. Jan Christilaw and Paul Sanberg – were recently recognized at the annual alumni UBC Achievement Awards...Read more.

New M. H. Mohseni Institute of Urologic Sciences Established in Vancouver

The M. H. Mohseni Institute of Urologic Sciences has officially launched within the Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute...Read more.

WAT Medical Sponsors American Headache Society 2024 Scottsdale Headache Symposium

WAT Medical Enterprise proudly sponsored the 2024 Scottsdale Headache Symposium, organized by the American Headache Society from November 14-17 in Scottsdale, AZ...Read more.

Liraglutide Processed with DehydraTECH to be Studied in Human GLP-1 Study #5

Lexaria Bioscience Corp. is pleased to announce the engagement of a contract research organization (“CRO”) to design and execute a human pilot study evaluating DehydraTECH-liraglutide...Read more.

Bausch Health and Salix in Collaboration with Health Health Organizations Recognize the Second Annual Opioid-Induced Constipation (OIC) Awareness Day

Bausch Health Companies Inc. and its gastroenterology (GI) business, Salix Pharmaceuticals (“Salix”) have united to recognize Thursday, December 5, as the second annual Opioid-Induced Constipation (OIC) Awareness Day...Read more.

Two Data Analyses From Clinical Trials Show Epcoritamab (DuoBody® CD3xCD20) Induces Durable Complete Reponses As Monotherapy and Combination Treatment in Patients With Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma

AbbVie (NYSE: ABBV) announced new results from two ongoing clinical trials evaluating epcoritamab, a CD3xCD20 bispecific T-cell-engaging antibody administered subcutaneously...Read more.

AbbVie Announces Positive Topline Results for the Phase 3 TEMPO-2 Trial Evaluating Tavapadon as a Monotherapy for Parkinson’s Disease

AbbVie (NYSE: ABBV) announced positive topline results from its pivotal Phase 3 TEMPO-2 trial evaluating investigational tavapadon as a flexible-dose monotherapy in early Parkinson’s disease...Read more.

Mintz Recognized in 2025 Edition of The Legal 500 Canada

The Legal 500 Canada has recognized Mintz in its 2025 guide of the best Canadian firms and lawyers practicing within the Canadian market, based on extensive research conducted by the directory...Read more.

AbbVie Announces Emotional Impact Report on Mental Health of Underrepresented CLL Cancer Patients

AbbVie announced groundbreaking results from its latest Emotional Impact Report (EIR), a patient survey that provides an understanding of the mental health impacts of a chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) diagnosis...Read more.

Investigational Epcoritamab (DuoBody® CD3xCD20) Combination Therapy Shows High Response Rates in Clinical Trial of Patients With Relapsed or Refractory (R/R) Follicular Lymphoma (FL)

AbbVie announced updated results from the Phase 1b/2 EPCORE® NHL-2 trial evaluating fixed-duration investigational epcoritamab, a CD3xCD20 bispecific T-cell-engaging antibody administered subcutaneously...Read more.

Getinge Partnership Results in State-of-the-art Multi-modality Hybrid Operating Rooms in Italy

Getinge has been part of creating two new multi-modality Hybrid operating rooms (OR) in the ASST Sette Laghi hospital in Varese, Italy...Read more.

BC Researchers Funded to Respond to Bird Flu Outbreaks

Michael Smith Health Research BC is partnering with the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) to support BC-based researchers to find ways to prevent, prepare for and respond to outbreaks of avian influenza...Read more.

Nova Scotia Becomes First Province to Publicly Reimburse JEMPERLI for the Treatment of Patients with Advanced or Recurrent dMMR/MSI-H Endometrial Cancer

GSK announced that Nova Scotia has become the first province to publicly reimburse Jemperli (dostarlimab for injection) in combination with carboplatin and paclitaxel...Read more.

Getinge Opens New Experience Center in India

Getinge’s new Experience Center in Mumbai, India, showcases the medtech company’s innovative solutions, including the cutting-edge Getinge IN2 OR Modular Room System...Read more.

Calabrio Aims to Improve Patient Care, Accessibility and Equity with AI-driven Solution for Healthcare

Calabrio, the workforce performance company, building on its leadership in the healthcare contact center industry, announces a partnership with select industry leaders and DIGITAL...Read more.

GlycoNet and Partners Invest $12 million in Canadian Glycomics Research to Advance Health and Agriculture

GlycoNet, a global leader in glycomics research and innovation, announced an investment of approximately $4.5 million for 21 research projects tackling unsolved health challenges through the study of biological sugars...Read more.

adMare BioInnovations Welcomes Cohort VII of the Executive Institute, Strengthening Canada’s Life Sciences Leadership

adMare BioInnovations (adMare) is pleased to welcome 18 life sciences leaders to Cohort VII of the adMare Academy’s Executive Institute...Read more.

Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute Recognized as a Premier Hospital-based Research Institute in Canada

Research Infosource Inc., a Canadian research, consulting and publishing firm, has released its annual ranking of Canada’s top 40 research hospitals...Read more.

Novartis Canada Awards More than $680,000 to Community-based Programs Aimed at Advancing Health Equity

Novartis Pharmaceuticals Canada Inc. (Novartis) is pleased to announce the three recipients of its inaugural Health Equity Initiative…Read more.

More Online Access to Cancer Screening Letters in B.C.

Reminder and result letters for breast, colon and lung screening are now available online. In February of this year, residents were able to access cervix screening letters on Health Gateway...Read more.

Building the Future: Meet the 2024 – 2025 Lumira Venture Innovation Program (VIP) Fellows

Lumira Ventures is proud to introduce the newest cohort joining our Venture Innovation Program (VIP) for the 2024-2025 term...Read more.

Director, RNA

NanoVation Therapeutics (NTx) is looking for a collaborative and results-driven Director, RNA, to lead our RNA department and strategy. Our ideal candidate is a hands-on collaborative leader with a proven track record of contributions in the field of RNA translation and mechanisms of control...Learn more

Director, Legal

We are seeking a Director, Legal, to join our team as we expand our Legal Affairs team. The ideal candidate is an experienced leader with contracts experience and working in-house in bio/pharmaceutical industry for a public company...Learn more

Senior Director/Executive Director, Analytical Development

We are seeking a Senior Director/Executive Director, Analytical Development to join our CMC team. The incumbent will be responsible for leading a team of analytical development scientists and external FTEs and for ensuring that robust analytical methodology is developed and validated...Learn more

Principal Scientist – Discovery Protein Sciences

The Therapeutic Discovery organization is seeking to fill a position at the Principal Scientist level in our Discovery Protein Sciences group at our Amgen British Columbia site in Vancouver, Canada...Learn more

Center of Excellence Postdoctoral Fellow – Immunogenecity Mitigation and Immunopeptidomics

We are seeking a postdoctoral fellow with previous training in immunology and biochemistry to help develop the next generation of screening tools to identify and quantify the presence of immunogenic sequences, motifs, and structures in candidate therapeutic molecules...Learn more

Product Project Manager

We are looking to add an experienced Full-Time Product Project Manager to join our amazing team and further our efforts in partnering with organizations in the pharmaceutical manufacturing and life sciences segment...Learn more

Senior / Research Technician, Preclinical

Reporting to the Scientist II, Preclinical, our Senior/Research Technician, Preclinical will be responsible for designing, executing, analyzing, and making recommendations on research protocols for our internal projects...Learn more

Sr. Research Associate, Oligonucleotide Chemistry

Borealis Biosciences is seeking a skilled and team-oriented senior research associate with expertise in oligonucleotide chemistry to join the chemistry group in Vancouver, BC...Learn more

Scientist, Bioconjugation Chemistry

Borealis Biosciences is seeking a skilled and team-oriented scientist with expertise in bioconjugation chemistry to join the chemistry group in Vancouver, BC...Learn more

[Individual] Lauren Mao - Highly experienced Regulatory Affairs Professional with a proven track record in global regulatory strategies, product approvals, and market launches. Currently expanding her expertise in Canadian regulatory frameworks, she combines deep international insight with a proactive approach to support life sciences companies navigating the Canadian healthcare market. Learn more.

Exquisite Biomedical Consulting - Exquisite Biomedical Consulting (EBC) is an award-winning Medical Affairs consulting firm based in Vancouver, BC.

EBC offers custom-tailored Medical Affairs solutions to propel the trajectory of novel medical products. Our primary focus is to help clients navigate regulatory and reimbursement pathways, ensure safe and effective adoption of their product in the market, while also enhancing the viability of their ventures through Medical Affairs initiatives. Learn more.

If you haven't already, sign-up for this and our weekly events newsletter

Follow LSBC on Social Media