December 18, 2025 - 1 day left in the LSBC year! | | |
This week:
- Breaking Ground at UBC &$33M Provincial Investment
- New EU Biotech Plan
- Happy Holidays from LSBC
| | Breaking Ground at UBC & $33M from the Province for CIEBH | UBC breaks ground on the Advanced Therapeutics Manufacturing Facility (ATMF), a major step in strengthening BC’s biomanufacturing capacity. The groundbreaking coincides with the Government of British Columbia's $33-million investment to enhance research infrastructure at Canada’s Immuno-Engineering and Biomanufacturing Hub (CIEBH), part of the Look West plan to expand life sciences and biomanufacturing capabilities and economic potential. Read more. | | EU Unveils New Biotech Plan to Boost its Global Competitiveness | | The new Biotech Act, presented by the European Commission, aims to set up a framework that helps biotechnology reach the market faster, improving the bloc’s competitiveness over China, and the United States. Over the last decade, the EU biotechnology industry has grown more than twice as fast as the overall EU economy, according to the European Commission. The Biotech Act introduces a new tool, the “Health Biotech Investment Pilot,”. It aims to mobilize very large amounts of capital – including EU public money, national schemes, and public investors. The goal is to get about €40 billion per year for the next decade to support companies in the EU. Read more [Euronews]. | | Thank you to everyone who joined us last night for the Life Sciences BC Holiday Party. It was a great evening celebrating the season with colleagues from across the life sciences. We wish you and yours a joyful holiday season and look forward to connecting again in the new year. | | |
Jade Biosciences announces $45 million private placement. The Company intends to use the net proceeds from the private placement to fund research and development, general corporate expenses, and working capital needs. The offer and sale of the foregoing securities are being made in a transaction not involving a public offering. Read more.
Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute is recognized as one of Canada’s leading hospital-based research institutes. Annual research funding of $181 million places Vancouver Coastal Health and Providence Health Care among Canada’s top six research hospitals. Read more.
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Avivo Biomedical, a UBC spinout, was chosen for a NATO innovation accelerator award to convert donated blood and organs to universal type O. Participation in the program will give Avivo access to NATO defence laboratories, military medics and testing environments. DIANA runs a network of 16 accelerator sites and more than 200 test centres across 32 NATO countries. Read more.
Innovate BC, through the Province’s Integrated Marketplace (IM) program, will deliver $2.83 million in funding to four projects to continue testing digital pathology tools and expanding a provincial digital pathology cloud solution to support improved access to timely diagnostic services for British Columbians living with diseases like cancer. Read more.
| | Congratulations to the CEO, Tamer Mohamed, on being appointed as Chair of the StemCell Network Board of Directors. Read more | | Dr. Matthew Macauley, a GlycoNet investigator and professor at the University of Alberta, has received a 2025 Innovation Award for research that transforms scientific discovery into practical applications. His work advances glycomics and supports new tools with potential impact in health and biotechnology. Read more | | |
Innovate BC is now accepting applications for the Venture Spotlight, a unique opportunity for BC startups to showcase their innovation at the BC Pavilion at Web Summit. This is your chance to share your technology on a global stage. For ventures looking to raise their profile and expand the network, this opportunity offers a powerful platform to be seen and heard. Applications are open until January 18, 2026. Read more
adMare BioInnovations has launched Cohort VIII of its Executive Institute, welcoming a new group of life sciences leaders. The program supports leadership development and helps strengthen Canada’s biotech and life sciences sector. Read more
| | See our expanded list of current life sciences opportunities on our website. | | |
| IPS-Integrated Project Service, ULC, (aka IPS Canada), a Berkshire Hathaway company headquartered in the Greater Toronto Area with a local office in Vancouver, is a premier, full-service consulting, architecture, engineering, procurement, project controls, construction management, and CGMP compliance firm specializing in life science facilities, from laboratories to complex manufacturing facilities and support areas. These services are provided on a stand-alone basis, as a fully integrated project delivery, or as a combination of the two models. IPS incorporates world-class Knowledge, Skill & Passion, for delivering projects with excellence to meet client needs. Learn more | | |
Until next week!
LSBC Team
| | January 23 - The Life Sciences BC’s 7th Annual Career Connect Day brings together life-sciences employers, students, and job-seekers for a full day of career talks, company training program previews, and networking. It includes presentations about jobs and leadership in the sector plus a job fair and exhibitor hall. |
| February 25 - The 11th Annual Access to Innovation conference brings together leaders from industry, research, government and health care to discuss how BC’s life-sciences innovations move from discovery to real-world impact. This year focuses on trends shaping the sector, including the growing role of AI, and offers talks, panels and networking opportunities. | | |
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New Hypertension Publication Underscores Aprocitentan’s Potential in Managing Hypertension Patients with CKD
A new study shows aprocitentan may help people with high blood pressure and chronic kidney disease by effectively lowering blood pressure while being well tolerated... Read more
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BD Showcases Innovation in Connected Medication Management at ASHP Midyear Clinical Meeting
BD presented new connected medication tools at the ASHP Midyear meeting to help hospitals improve medication safety and efficiency... Read more
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adMare BioInnovations Launches Cohort VIII of the Executive Institute to Strengthen Leadership Driving Canadian Life Sciences Company Growth
adMare BioInnovations has launched Cohort VIII of its Executive Institute, a 10-month leadership program designed to strengthen executive talent and support the growth of Canadian life sciences companies... Read more
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argenx Provides Update on UplighTED Studies of Efgartigimod SC in Thyroid Eye Disease
argenx shared an update on its Phase 3 UplighTED studies of efgartigimod SC for thyroid eye disease, announcing the trials were discontinued after they were unlikely to meet their goals, despite showing a strong safety profile... Read more
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A Semi-Three-Dimensional Bioprinted Neurocardiac System for Tissue Engineering of a Cardiac Autonomic Nervous System Model by Hernandez et al.
Researchers created a semi-3D bioprinted heart–nerve tissue model that helps study how the nervous system controls the heart, supporting better research into heart disease and future therapies... Read more
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BD Expands BD MAX™ System Menu with New IVDR-Certified VIASURE Assays in Partnership with Certest Biotec
BD has expanded its BD MAX™ system with new IVDR-certified VIASURE tests, developed with Certest Biotec, to improve automated detection of infectious diseases in clinical labs... Read more
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Hologic’s AI-Powered Mammography Technology Flagged a Third of Breast Cancer Cases Initially Interpreted as Negative in Study of 7,500 Screening Exams
Hologic’s AI-powered mammography tool helped identify about one-third of breast cancer cases that were missed in initial screenings, highlighting its potential to improve early detection... Read more
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Jade Biosciences Announces $45 Million Private Placement
Jade Biosciences raised $45 million through a private placement to support its research, development, and ongoing operations... Read more
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Lexaria Bioscience Corp. Announces $3.5 Million Registered Direct Offering Priced At-the-Market Under Nasdaq Rules
Lexaria Bioscience raised $3.5 million through a registered direct offering to fund research, operations, and general corporate needs... Read more
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Wegovy® (semaglutide injection) Receives Conditional Marketing Authorization from Health Canada as the First and Only Treatment for Adults with Non-Cirrhotic MASH, a Serious Liver Disease
Health Canada has granted conditional approval for Wegovy to treat adults with non-cirrhotic metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), a serious form of liver disease, making it the first authorized treatment option in Canada for this condition... Read more
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Research Associate I, Protein Science
The Research Associate I, Protein Science supports drug discovery by running and analyzing lab experiments using cell-based and protein assays, maintaining cell lines, documenting results, and collaborating with the research team to generate data that advances therapeutic development... Learn more
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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 can be reposted on BioTalent Canada's The Petri Dish. Want more info? Contact membership@lifesciencesbc.ca
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