Life Sciences BC News, July 11, 2024

Summer is in full swing, and so is the life sciences sector in our province – with so many organizations hard at work advancing health innovations it’s important to celebrate the incredible developments taking place.

Together with the Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, STEMCELL Technologies celebrated the opening of their new biomanufacturing facility in Burnaby! Supported through a $22.5 million investment by the Government of Canada and matched by the Government of British Columbia, the state-of-the-art facility enables STEMCELL Technologies to manufacture products at higher regulatory compliance standards, and support clinical trials for cell therapy, tissue engineering, immunotherapy, gene therapy and regenerative medicine.

Over 1,000 new jobs were created with the project’s completion, further strengthening BC’s status as a biomanufacturing and life sciences hub. It truly is an exciting time for our sector. Learn more.

Aspect Biosystems announced that it has received a $72.75 million investment from the Governments of Canada and British Columbia. Accelerating the development of truly disease-modifying treatments and functional cures for people with serious metabolic and endocrine diseases, this investment will provide additional support to a $200 million, multi-year project which is advancing Aspect’s unique clinical biomanufacturing capabilities, full-stack tissue therapeutic platform, and pipeline of bioprinted tissue therapeutics. Learn more.

Science World also shared an exciting funding announcement with the federal government making a $19 million commitment towards capital improvements to the iconic Vancouver building.

Infrastructure Canada said that $19 million in upgrades to Vancouver's Science World will increase the facility's lifespan and reduce its energy consumption by more than 40 per cent. The funding was announced by Minister Harjit Sajjan and Science World president Tracie Redies. Learn more. 



In a fantastic segment on CTV Morning Live this week, Jehannine Austin, Psychiatry and Medical Genetics Professor at the University of British Columbia, highlighted a genome testing project, funded by Genome BC, to find a potential cure for people living with depression. Watch it here.

The three main priorities agreed to at a roundtable hosted by Clinical Trials BC, which is a part of Michael Smith Health Research BC, were recently shared. These priorities will help expand clinical trials capacity by supporting infrastructure, accelerating skills training, and enabling meaningful streamlined research ethics review. Read more about the priorities.

The LSBC team attended a reception hosted by the Mitacs Board of Directors alongside leaders from the province’s tech sector including John Hepburn, CEO of Mitacs and the Honourable Brenda Bailey, BC’s Minister of Jobs, Economic Development, and Innovation, to celebrate 25 years of innovation. Mitacs' programs have been essential in supporting and developing talent in life sciences and the broader tech sector. It was a fantastic opportunity to network and collaborate, and we all left inspired to continue working towards propelling the sector forward.

Applications close soon (July 31st) for our annual Investor Readiness Program (IRP). Small or medium sized early-stage BC life sciences companies can apply for this unique and valuable program designed around individual coaching, educational sessions, goal setting, peer-to-peer feedback, and much more! Participants are paired with an entrepreneur-in-residence to support them in becoming investor ready. Past participants noted that some highlights included “the networking and learning about the investment ecosystem” among other things. Apply here.

The annual Life Sciences magazine is produced by BIV in partnership with LSBC. Each issue features editorial content about the businesses, ventures, investments, trends, and challenges and opportunities in the sector. The magazine is distributed to BIV subscribers, at LifeSciences BC’s annual Awards Gala in September, and at over 20+ LSBC events throughout the year. The 2024 award recipients will be featured in the magazine.

We encourage LSBC members and stakeholders to support the magazine through advertising opportunities. The 2024 Media Kit can be downloaded here.

Learn more about this opportunity by contacting BIV Manager of Sales & Marketing Marianne LaRochelle. The booking deadline is August 12^th – the magazine will be published in early September.

The year-inprogress report on BC's Life Sciences and Biomanufacturing Strategy is now available. Nearly $2 billion has been invested to help BC’s life sciences sector grow in the areas of improving access to talent, supporting local company growth, increasing biomanufacturing capacity, expanding clinical trials and commercializing research. Read more.

Member Highlights 

Moderna was awarded $176 million by the US government to develop a mRNA-based vaccine against the bird flu in response to the recent outbreak of H5N1 in dairy cattle across multiple states. Read more.     

Novartis Canada announced the launch of a new health equity initiative, awarding $500,000 CAD to non-profit projects focused on promoting equitable healthcare for Canadians in three pivotal areas: social/cultural inclusivity of care, health literacy and education, and the promotion of health support for immigrants to Canada. Read more.

The BC Cancer Research Institute and the Centre for Advancing Health Outcomes have partnered to improve provincial capacity and collaboratively support clinician-scientists across the province in their clinical trials research. Read more.

BC Premier David Eby announced $33.7 million in capital funding for the interim space at Simon Fraser University (SFU)'s Surrey campus for their future medical school, alongside $27 million in operational funding through Budget 2024. This is in addition to a previously announced $14 million in start-up and planning funding. Read more.

Industry Highlights

DIGITAL, Canada's Global Innovation Cluster for digital technologies, announced its largest investment in AI-powered technologies to better support healthcare providers and enhance patient outcomes. DIGITAL is investing $15.3 million in a project called Health Compass II, in collaboration with ORX, Well Health, HEALWELL AI, Tali AI, Phelix AI, and SFU to reshape the delivery of healthcare services using AI innovations.  Learn more.

Kudos

Congratulations to the recipients of the Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute (VCHRI)’s 2024 Top Doctoral Student and Rising Star Awards. These awards recognize VCHRI trainees whose exceptional efforts and significant contributions to the research community make them outstanding role models and leaders. Read more.

BCIT was named one of Canada’s Best Employers for Diversity 2024 by Forbes. BCIT is one of BC’s largest post-secondary institutions, with over 45,000 students enrolled annually. This honour is a recognition of BCIT’s efforts to promote a sense of belonging for all students, staff, and faculty. Read more.

People on the Move

Daniel Paquette was recently appointed Director of the World Trade Centre Vancouver. Daniel is an experienced business development and international trade expert, with a career spanning over 20 years. In this new role, Daniel will lead the Centre in its mission to strengthen the export performance of BC businesses, promoting local prosperity through global connections. Read more.

Congratulations to Christopher Sweeney, who was named the new Executive Director of Intellectual Property at Acuitas Therapeutics (USA). Christopher enters the role with an extensive background in organic chemistry, biochemistry, and patent law. He will oversee the IP program, working to align Acuitas’ global IP strategy with its business objectives. Read more.

Roopal Thakkar, M.D. was appointed to a new role as Executive Vice President of Research & Development and Chief Scientific Officer at Abbvie. Roopal will lead Abbvie’s global R&D organization across all phases of discovery and development. Thomas J. Hudson, M.D., who served in this role for eight years, is retiring from Abbvie. Read more.

Applications Open

The Gairdner Foundation has opened a call for nominations for the 2025 Gairdner Awards. These annual awards honour world-class biomedical and global health researchers, highlighting significant contributions to the field through novel scientific achievements and global impact. Three categories are available this year, including the International and Momentum Awards and the John Dirks Canada Gairdner Global Health Award. Learn more.

Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada is accepting feedback for the new Canadian AI Sovereign Compute Strategy and AI Compute Access Fund, to be launched as part of Budget 2024 investments. Help inform the design and implementation of the fund and strategy! Share your thoughts by September 6, 2024. Learn more.

The BioFuture summit is the leading event for innovators and investors to come together to shape the future of healthcare, with over 600 global attendees each year, innovative company presentations, and expert speakers. This year, BioFuture is introducing the TechBio showcase, featuring companies reimagining the role of technology in human health. Submit your applications now for a presentation showcase and make your mark on the future of healthcare! Learn more.

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

Member Spotlight

Filament Health is a clinical-stage natural psychedelic drug development company. We believe that safe, standardized, naturally-derived psychedelic medicines can improve the lives of many, and our mission is to see them in the hands of everyone who needs them as soon as possible. Filament’s platform of proprietary intellectual property enables the discovery, development, and delivery of natural psychedelic medicines. We are paving the way with the first-ever natural psychedelic drug candidates. Learn more.

Until next week!

LSBC Team

September 10 - Join us on September 10, 2024, as we celebrate excellence in life sciences at the 26th Annual Life Sciences BC Awards, presented by Farris.

This distinguished occasion brings together British Columbia’s vibrant life sciences community to celebrate the outstanding achievements of our peers and recognize the tireless efforts of those who have devoted their careers to advancing health innovations.

October 29 & 30 - Life Sciences BC is pleased to announce the 9th annual Invest in BC presented by Lumira Ventures conference.

This highly anticipated event serves as a premier gathering for healthcare innovators in British Columbia, connecting them with global investors. This year we’ve reimagined the conference, offering attendees a dynamic two-day program featuring 30+ company pitches from pre-seed to public.

WELL Health Announces Approval for Historic $44M Project, the Largest DIGITAL Project Ever Awarded to Advance AI-powered Tech Enablement for Care Providers

WELL Health Technologies Corp., a leading company focused on consolidating and modernizing clinical and digital assets within the healthcare sector, is thrilled to announce the approval and advancement of a groundbreaking $44M project, which will receive $15.3M in funding from DIGITAL...Read more.

United Therapeutics Corporation Announces Full Enrollment of the TETON 2 Study of Inhaled Treprostinil for the Treatment of Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis

United Therapeutics Corporation, a public benefit corporation, announced full enrollment of the TETON 2 study evaluating the use of Tyvaso® (treprostinil) inhalation solution (nebulized Tyvaso) for the treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF)...Read more.

DIGITAL Announces its Largest Investment to Advance AI-powered Technologies for the Healthcare Sector

DIGITAL, Canada’s Global Innovation Cluster for digital technologies, announced its largest investment with innovative Canadian health tech companies and researchers to advance the development and deployment of AI-powered technologies to better support healthcare providers...Read more.

AbbVie Announces Appointment of Roopal Thakkar, M.D. as Executive Vice President, Research & Development and Chief Scientific Officer

AbbVie announced that Roopal Thakkar, M.D. who currently serves as senior vice president, chief medical officer, global therapeutics has been appointed to the position of executive vice president, research & development and chief scientific officer...Read more.

Government of Canada Announces First-of-Its-Kind Biomanufacturing Facility in British Columbia

The Government of Canada is investing in a robust, dynamic and resilient life sciences ecosystem capable of responding to current and future health emergencies. Since March 2020, over $2.2 billion has been invested to strengthen our domestic biomanufacturing and life sciences…Read more.

SFU School of Medicine Moves Forward

B.C. is closer to training more family doctors faster as the future medical school at Simon Fraser University confirms foundational pieces of space, operations, a three-year curriculum model and a founding dean. BC Premier David Eby announced $33.7 million in capital funding for the interim space…Read more.

Dosing is Complete in Lexaria’s Second GLP-1 Human Pilot Study

Lexaria Bioscience Corp., a global innovator in drug delivery platforms announces that human pilot study #2, GLP-1-H24-2, has now completed all dosing. The Study is a three-arm, crossover investigation comparing three 7 mg semaglutide dose formulations...Read more.

Lexaria Receives New Patents For Antiviral Drug Delivery and for Treating Epilepsy

Lexaria Bioscience Corp., a global innovator in drug delivery platforms announces three new patent awards. In the European Union, the Company has received a new granted patent in Lexaria’s patent family #6: Transdermal and/or Dermal Delivery of Lipophilic Active Agents…Read more.

Novartis Canada Launches $500,000 Funding Initiative to Improve Health Equity in Canada

Novartis Pharmaceuticals Canada Inc. announced the launch of a new health equity initiative, aimed at addressing health disparities and promoting equitable healthcare for Canadians. In this open call for ideas, Novartis will award $500,000 CAD to non-profit projects improving health equity…Read more.

Christopher Sweeney Named Executive Director, Intellectual Property at Acuitas Therapeutics (USA), Inc

Acuitas Therapeutics, Inc.’s Chief Legal Officer & Vice President of Business Development, Miranda Lam, KC, recently announced that Christopher Sweeney had joined Acuitas Therapeutics (USA), Inc. as Executive Director of Intellectual Property…Read more.

Getinge Extends and Elevates Partnership with Universeum

Getinge announces the extension and elevation of its partnership with Universeum, Sweden’s national science center. This renewed commitment underscores Getinge’s dedication to promoting sustainable development, lifelong learning in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, and innovative research initiatives…Read more.

BC Cancer Research Institute & Advancing Health Sign MOU to Improve Provincial Clinical Trials Capacity

​The BC Cancer Research Institute and the Centre for Advancing Health Outcomes have signed a memorandum of understanding that will see the two organizations work closely and collaboratively to support clinician–scientists across BC in their clinical trials research…Read more.

Scaling mRNA production for design validation

To unlock the next generation of mRNA therapeutics, we need to be able to test mRNAs designs generated via deep learning in vivo. Your work will enable the first step toward this goal by developing methods to produce mRNA at a scale and quality sufficient for testing ML-generated designs in vivo...Learn more

Building formulation capabilities for mRNA design validation

Your work will enable us to formulate mRNA designs into LNPs with the goal of enabling us to better understand and model the performance of our mRNA designs within in vivo settings...Learn more

Associate, Polymer Chemistry

Reporting to the Senior Manager, Biomaterials, you'll contribute to polymer development, formulation, and characterization of biomaterials used to manufacture bioprinted tissues for preclinical studies and clinical applications...Learn more

Senior Accountant

Reporting to the Controller, the Senior Accountant will play a leading role in the execution of all financial operations, including full cycle accounting, reporting, budgets, forecasting, client relationships, records maintenance, and developing a comprehensive set of controls to ensure accuracy...Learn more

Associate Scientist, Predictive Biology (14 Month Contract)

In this vital role you will focus on the development of an in vitro platform composed of patient derived cell lines and organoids that will allow us to better predict efficacy and safety liabilities in our Biologic drugs. Specifically, this role will involve the development, optimization, and maintenance of patient derived organoids...Learn more

Laboratory Animal Technician – 1 Year Contract

In this vital role you will support animal-based studies, husbandry, and vivarium operations and also provide technical and lab support for in-vivo research. Come do your best work alongside other innovative, driven professionals in this meaningful role...Learn more

Corporate Relations Manager

Reporting to the Vice President, Corporate Development, this role is one of the main cross-functional points of contact for: industry and provincial government representatives, as well as Genome BC Research & Innovation Managers (in both Health and Agri-food & Natural Resources groups), to ensure effective and timely communication...Learn more

Senior Manager, Internal LNP Manufacturing

As the Sr. Manufacturing Manager, you will lead a team of manufacturing Scientists and Associates to manufacture, test and ship LNP drug products for multiple partner programs...Learn more

Manager, Events

Life Sciences BC has an immediate opening for a Manager, Events, who has a passion for special event management to provide exceptional member and client experiences. In this role, you will be an integral member of the team...Learn more

Accountant

Xenon is seeking an Accountant to support our Finance team across the different functions within the department. This is a great opportunity for an individual who enjoys working on a variety of tasks as key responsibilities for this position span across our accounts payable, finance, and general accounting...Learn more

Sr. Associate – Antibody Discovery and Screening (12-month contract)

Amgen is seeking a highly motivated, early career researcher to join Antibody Discovery and Screening Team. The incumbent will complement an innovative group with a strong track record of success in pioneering novel antibody-based therapeutics to treat grievous illnesses. The role is laboratory based...Learn more

Shipper/Receiver

The Shipper/Receiver performs a variety of shipping and receiving responsibilities. The main duties include the administrative and physical tasks involved in receiving and distributing incoming goods throughout the facility as well as shipping out various types of materials...Learn more

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