April 24, 2025 - Hello BioLinks Readers!

The much-anticipated Web Summit is 33 days away. This is an unparalleled opportunity for life sciences companies to showcase their innovations, network with top executives across industries, attract investment, gain insight into emerging trends, and be featured in the media. Learn more about BC opportunities here.

Get ready and maximize your experience with our complimentary Road to Web Summit Vancouver (R2WSV) events coming up.

Join us online on April 30 to Perfect your Pitch. Hear from Anne Woods, Managing Director, Life Science & Healthcare at RBCx, on how to polish your pitch and leave with the clarity and confidence to present your venture with impact. Learn from her expertise on the key factors that drive a compelling presentation. Get your tickets here.

In case you missed it, our Investor’s Guide to Web Summit Vancouver session on April 22 included tips for investors planning to attend Web Summit as well as the role of ecosystem players in supporting investment in the province. Thank you to the Honourable Diana Gibson for kicking off the session. You can watch the recording here.

Our annual Life Sciences BC Awards is an opportunity to connect and celebrate all the amazing work of our sector. Life sciences is not an easy sector, it takes grit, intelligence, collaboration, timing, and more. Do you know a deserving organization, company, or individual that should be recognized? Nominate them today by May 19.

Congratulations to Vancouver Prostate Centre researcher Dr. Artem Cherkasov who recently won two competitions in the international CACHE Challenges, leveraging advanced computational methods and artificial intelligence (AI) to find new potential treatment avenues for Parkinson’s disease and COVID-19. Cherkasov’s submissions topped results from dozens of other researchers from leading academic, industry and non-profit sector institutions around the world. Read more.

Member Highlights 

Health Canada Approvals

GSK announces Jemperli (dostarlimab for injection) in combination with chemotherapy is approved by Health Canada for the treatment of adult patients with primary advanced or first recurrent endometrial cancer. This approval broadens the previous indication for Jemperli. Read more.

Merck announces KEYTRUDA® (pembrolizumab), Merck’s anti-PD-1 therapy, in combination with chemotherapy, is approved by Health Canada for the first-line treatment of adult patients with unresectable advanced or metastatic malignant pleural mesothelioma. Read more.

Sanofi announces Health Canada approves Sarclisa®, the first and only approved anti-CD38 therapy in combination with 3 medications for patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma. Read more.

VoxCell BioInnovation announces a new collaboration with the University of Victoria and BC Cancer to advance cancer research through cutting-edge nanotherapy and radiation technologies. Read more.

Industry Highlights

Roche will invest $50 billion USD in pharmaceuticals and diagnostics across the United States over the next five years, resulting in 13 manufacturing sites, 15 R&D sites, and 12,000 new jobs. Read more.

Kudos

IQVIA was named a “front-runner generative AI leader” for the life sciences industry in Everest Group’s report, “AI-deas to Action: Operationalizing Generative AI in Life Sciences.” Congrats! Read more.

People on the Move

Zymeworks Appoints Dr. Sabeen Mekan as Senior Vice President, Clinical Development. Read more.

Eupraxia Pharmaceuticals Inc. welcomes David Dean as its Vice President of Business Development. Read more.

Applications Open

Applications open for BioTalent Canada’s Student Work Placement Program (SWPP), a work-integrated learning initiative designed to enhance the job-readiness of students registered in STEM, healthcare, business, and other programs at Canadian post-secondary institutions. Learn more.

Apply to be a part of Canadian Entrepreneurs in Life Science’s (CELS) Canada in the Valley Showcase cohort, a platform connecting high-potential Canadian life science startups with U.S. investors, industry leaders, and commercial partners. The early bird deadline is May 1, 2025. Learn more.

Nominations for Health Research Foundation (HRF) of Innovative Medicines Canada’s 2025 HRF Medal of Honour are open. Nominate an individual whose transformative contributions have advanced health science in Canada and around the world. The deadline is July 15, 2025. Learn more.

Applications open for Lab2Market Validate, a 16-week program where researchers can critically test and refine their ideas in a real-world entrepreneurial setting. Gain hands-on experience, build valuable connections, and receive $10,000 in funding. Learn more.

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

Member Spotlight

Simon Fraser University Faculty of Science - Simon Fraser University is ranked as the top comprehensive university in Canada. Spanning many disciplines in eight faculties, SFU offers BC’s Life Science industry expertise in toxicology, neuroscience, medical device design, wearables, materials, applied health science, physiology, and epidemiology, as well as molecular biology, genetics, and more.

SFU also provides the life science industry in BC the ability to access, through research collaborations, sponsorship, or as a standalone service, to state-of-the-art facilities such as Cedar, Canada’s most powerful academic supercomputer, the Centre for High Throughput chemical Biology and 4D Labs, Western Canada’s most advanced material research lab and our ImageTech Lab in Surrey Memorial Hospital. Learn more.

Until next week!

LSBC Team

April 30 - Join us for Preparing the Perfect Pitch

Our second R2WSV program will focus on Preparing the Perfect Pitch and is designed for startups ready to take their venture to the next level. Whether you’re seeking funding, partnerships, or simply want to sharpen how you communicate your value proposition. This expert-led session will equip you with the tools to craft a clear, compelling, and confident pitch.

May 8 - Join us for Road to Web Summit Vancouver: Investor Readiness

The final session of our R2WSV program will focus on preparing your business for investor engagement. With over 600 investors, ranging from angels to top VC firms, expected to attend Web Summit Vancouver, this is your opportunity to strategically position your business for growth. 

Labcorp Launches Molecular Residual Disease and Liquid Biopsy Solutions

Labcorp, a global leader of innovative and comprehensive laboratory services, announced the expansion of its precision oncology portfolio with two solutions...Read more.

IQVIA Named a Front-runner in Generative AI Innovation by Global Industry Research and Analysis Firm

IQVIA announced that the global independent research and analysis firm Everest Group® has named IQVIA a “front-runner generative AI leader” for the life sciences industry...Read more.

Sarclisa® Approved in Canada for Patients with Newly Diagnosed Multiple Myeloma (NDMM)

Health Canada has issued a Notice of Compliance (NOC) for Sarclisa® (isatuximab) in combination with bortezomib, lenalidomide, and dexamethasone (VRd) for adult patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma...Read more.

Rakovina Therapeutics Congratulates Scientific Advisor Dr. Artem Cherkasov on Global Recognition for Breakthrough AI Innovation in Drug Discovery

Rakovina Therapeutics Inc. is pleased to congratulate its Scientific Advisor and collaborator, Dr. Artem Cherkasov, on his recent global recognition as a leader in AI-driven therapeutic development...Read more.

Health Canada Approves KEYTRUDA® Plus Pemetrexed and Platinum Chemotherapy as First-Line Treatment for Adult Patients with Unresectable Advanced or Metastatic Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma (MPM)

Merck announced that Health Canada has approved KEYTRUDA® for the first-line treatment of adult patients with unresectable advanced or metastatic malignant pleural mesothelioma...Read more.

Augurex Announces UKCA Authorization for SPINEstat™, Expanding Access of a First-in-Class Diagnostic Blood Test for Axial Spondyloarthritis to Great Britain

Augurex Life Sciences announced that SPINEstat™ has received UK Conformity Assessed (UKCA) marking by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency...Read more.

Zymeworks Appoints Dr. Sabeen Mekan as Senior Vice President, Clinical Development

Zymeworks Inc. announced that Sabeen Mekan, M.D., has been appointed as Senior Vice President, Clinical Development...Read more.

Labcorp Acquires Select Assets of North Mississippi Health Services’ Ambulatory Outreach Laboratory Business

Labcorp and North Mississippi Health Services announced that Labcorp has completed its acquisition of North Mississippi Health Services’ ambulatory outreach laboratory business...Read more.

Health Canada Expands Jemperli (Dostarlimab for Injection) Plus Chemotherapy Approval to All Adult Patients with Primary Advanced or First Recurrent Endometrial Cancer, as the First and Only Immuno-oncology-based Treatment to Show an Overall Survival Benefit for these Patients

GSK announced that Health Canada has approved Jemperli in combination with chemotherapy for the treatment of primary advanced or first recurrent endometrial cancer who are candidates for systemic therapy...Read more.

Associate / Sr Associate – Biologics Discovery (14-Month Contract)

You will perform flow cytometry testing and analysis, including sample preparation, instrument calibration, data acquisition, and data analysis. Your expertise will contribute to the development of novel antibody-based therapeutics for serious illnesses...Learn more.

Process Development Scientist

The Process Development Scientist will be responsible for leading the development of novel viscous liquid formulations, the practical process scale up and ultimately involved in the detailed technology transfer to contract 3rd party manufacturing facilities...Learn more.

Research Scientist

This role contributez to the R&D of pipeline products and the existing lead drug candidate for treating osteoarthritis and eosinophilic esophagitis. The successful candidate will be a highly motivated, independent and creative scientist, ideally with previous academic and/or industrial experience...Learn more.

Communications Specialist, Content and Events

The Communications Specialist is a member of the Communications and Societal Engagement team. Reporting to the Senior Communications Manager you are an impeccable storyteller who is comfortable creating content for all media...Learn more.

Research Associate 2, Biology

The incumbent will provide technical in vivo support for our preclinical drug discovery projects. The successful candidate will conduct in vivo pharmacology experiments to characterize the pharmacokinetics, efficacy and safety of compounds...Learn more.

Research Associate 3/Senior Research Associate 1, Biology (In Vivo)

The incumbent will provide technical in vivo support for our preclinical drug discovery projects. The successful candidate will conduct in vivo pharmacology experiments to characterize the pharmacokinetics, efficacy and safety of compounds...Learn more.

Director, CMC

This position is responsible for managing all technical operations for the supply of existing and new sustained-release drug products, including manufacturing, manufacturing process development, formulation development, analytical and stability testing, and quality control...Learn more.

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

Follow LSBC on Social Media