Life Sciences BC News, October 3, 2024

Team BC represented life sciences at the prestigious Bloom Burton Award Gala on September 26, 2024. Congratulations to Roberto Bellini, recipient of this year’s Bloom Burton Award. Under his leadership Bellus Health developed a treatment for patients suffering from refractory chronic cough, leading to GSK's $2B acquisition of the company. 

This week we hosted our Showcase Series in Prince George in Northern BC. We had the privilege of hearing from experts in research, industry, and academia to learn about the dynamic life sciences innovations in this region. Thank you to our speakers for their captivating presentations, our guests for joining us, our event partner, Michael Smith Health Research BC, and our event supporter, University of Northern British Columbia.

 Rare built-out wet lab space available for lease!

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Another key component to support the pace of growth of our sector is talent. We officially kicked-off a sector Talent Council this September and are working with leaders to address this need. Developing capacity within life sciences does require an understanding of the underlying science that drives innovation and discovery. In December, we are offering BioBasics 101, which will provide a foundational understanding of the science to build confidence for those without a technical background to better converse with colleagues and clients. Learn more and register today.

Member Highlights 

Cytiva opens its first Innovation Hub in Korea, located in the Songdo Bio-cluster in Incheon.

The new facility is intended to serve as a cornerstone of innovation and excellence, driving advancements in biopharmaceutical manufacturing and meeting the evolving needs of Cytiva customers in Korea and the wider APAC region. Read more.

AbbVie collaborates with Ripple Therapeutics to develop next generation therapies for glaucoma. This collaboration leverages AbbVie's expertise in eye care and Ripple's innovative drug delivery platform. Read more.

D2Type Health, one of our Investor Readiness Program graduates is featured by Canadian Women’s Network. D2Type health offers scalable, personalized diabetes care through strategic partnerships and advanced technology. The article highlights D2Type Health’s founder journey, challenges along the way, and future aspirations. Read more.

STEMCELL Technologies announces the theme of Science World’s 7th Annual Girls and STEAM Summit. This year, “Future Forward!” is the theme and the event will be held on November 2, 2024. The Girls and STEAM Summit tackles the ongoing gender gap in STEAM careers and aims to ignite a passion for innovation in the next generation of leaders. Read more.

Gene Bio Medical received the BC Manufacturing Jobs Fund. The funding will be used to complete engineering and project planning to prepare for transforming an industrial site into a state-of-the-art comprehensive biomanufacturing facility equipped with advanced manufacturing machinery. Read more.

Industry Highlights

Pangaea Ventures - a Vancouver-based VC firm with a track record of investing in local companies - has closed its fifth fund at $115 million. Read more.

Health Canada commissioned the Standards Council of Canada to coordinate the development of a series of guidelines and resources to promote better understanding, alignment, and integration among mental health and substance use health care providers throughout the country. Read more.

The Public Health Agency of Canada announced the release of the Pan-Canadian Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance Year 1 Progress Report. Read more.

The Public Health Agency of Canada also announced a framework outlining principles and best practices to guide national autism policy, programs and activities in Canada. Read more.

Provincial investment boosts SFU’s research on optimizing uptake of new immune-based technologies. The newly launched Bridge Research Consortium (BRC) received more than $422,000 of funding from the BC Knowledge Development Fund earlier this month. Read more.

Kudos

Dr. Gina Ogilvie, a Professor at UBC’s School of Population and Public Health has been awarded a Translational Grant of $800,000 from the V Foundation for Cancer Research. She is leading a project on cervical cancer, titled “Developing new methods of cervical cancer screening with improved accuracy.” Read more.

Congratulations to the law firms that were recognized in the Chambers Canada Legal Guide 2025, including LSBC members McCarthy Tétrault, Mintz, Gowling WLG, and Farris. The Chambers Canada Legal Guide ranks the legal market’s top Canadian law firms and lawyers. Read more.

Marken has received the “Best Cell & Gene Therapy Supplier Award - Supply Chain Excellence 2024” at the Asia Pacific Cell & Gene Therapy Excellence Awards 2024 during the Cell & Gene Therapy World Asia conference. Congratulations! Read more.

Kudos to Canary, who announced that its smart lumbar cartridge (canturio®lc) recently received a 2024 Best Technology in Spine Award from Orthopedics This Week. Canary was chosen for the award by a panel of practicing spine and neurosurgeons, recognizing those who chase the dream of advancing spine surgery. Read more.

Innovative Medicines Canada Board Chair, Brigitte Nolet has been nominated for the Women Leaders in Pharma's Shine Bright 2024 Lifetime Contribution Award. Her dedication to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in the industry is forging a path for the next generation of female leaders. Read more.

People on the Move

Dr. Chelsea Gabel has been appointed Scientific Director of the CIHR Institute of Indigenous Peoples’ Health (IIPH) for a term of four years. This appointment is the result of a consultative approach with national Indigenous organizations, Indigenous and non-Indigenous health experts, and an Advisory Circle grounded in Indigenous ways of knowing, being, and doing. Read more.

Beazley has announced Paul Bantick as Chief Underwriting Officer, following the decision by Bob Quane to retire. Additionally, Bethany Greenwood is to become CEO of Beazley Furlonge Limited, Beazley’s Lloyd’s managing agency and Chair of Beazley’s London Wholesale Management Committee, in addition to her current role as Group Head of Specialty Risks. Read more.

Michael Shankman, CPA has been appointed as Lexaria’s Chief Financial Officer. Michael brings a wealth of financial and regulatory knowledge to his leadership of the company’s financial operations. Read more.

The Terry Fox Research Institute has welcomed Dr. John Bell, a driving force in the development of virus-based cancer therapies and longtime TFRI Program Project Grant leader, as Chair. In addition, Sema Burney, a respected Quebec-based consultant in diversity, equity, and inclusion, brings a wealth of experience and passion to the Board as a volunteer and a professional committed to building inclusive workplaces. Read more.

Katie Fitzmaurice has been introduced as Invest Vancouver’s Executive Vice President. As an experienced executive, Katie will continue to advance the attraction of strategic investments to facilitate the creation of high-quality jobs in the Metro Vancouver region. Read more.

Applications Open

Apply now for the chance to pitch to global investors at the OBIO® Investment Summit in Toronto from February 5-7, 2025. The Summit offers one-to-one meetings and relationship building with venture capital, strategic partners, and investors in health science. Apply for the first round by November 1. Learn more.

Nominations for the Dr. Connie Eaves Memorial Lectureship for Women in Biomedical Engineering are now open! The lectureship recognizes outstanding researchers who have made significant contributions to the field of biomedical engineering. Nominations are due November 15. Learn more.

Is your life sciences or healthcare company seeking to gain traction in the United States? You are invited to apply to join the Trade Commissioner Service and MATTER, the leading life sciences/healthcare incubator in Chicago, for the 2025 edition of the Canada–Chicago Mentoring Program (C2MP). Apply by October 18! Learn more

Applications are now open for the 12th annual Synapse Life Science Pitch Competition. It is the premier life sciences pitch competition in Ontario, acting as a launchpad for innovators creating solutions in the life sciences and health tech sectors. Apply by November 10. Learn more.

ITEA has opened a call for organizations collaborating internationally on the R&D of software innovation projects. By applying and participating, your organization can access national public funding for your R&D project. Applications close on November 11. Learn more.

Submit your letter of intent for Michael Smith Health Research BC’s funding programs! The Scholar Program supports early-career health researchers who are building leading-edge health research programs. Learn more. The Health Professional-Investigator Program supports health professionals who are actively involved in patient care. Learn more. Letters of intent for both programs are due November 19. 

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

Member Spotlight

Quark Venture LP is a global venture capital company, headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, with a health investment portfolio, focused on equity financing of innovative life science companies with breakthrough discovery and innovation.

Led by outstanding scientific and business teams, our strategic goal is to identify early and mid-stage stage companies, support their growth and the development of innovative health solutions. Learn more.

Until next week!

LSBC Team

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.

December 4 & 5 - Life Sciences BC, in partnership with Biotech Primer, is pleased to present BioBasics 101: The Biology of Biotech for the Non-Scientist.

This intensive two-day ‘master course’ is designed to help non-scientists gain a foundational understanding of the science that forms the backbone of biopharma so that you can converse more effectively with colleagues, clients, regulators, and scientists.

Beazley Appoints Paul Bantick as Chief Underwriting Officer and Bethany Greenwood Appointed CEO of Beazley Furlonge Limited

Beazley, the leading specialty insurer, has announced Paul Bantick as Chief Underwriting Officer, following the decision by Bob Quane to retire...Read more.

TFRI Welcomes Sema Burney to its Board of Directors, with Dr. John Bell Taking on New Role as Chair

The Terry Fox Research Institute (TFRI) recently made updates to its Board of Directors...Read more.

Lexaria Appoints Michael Shankman as Chief Financial Officer

Lexaria Bioscience Corp. announces the appointment of Michael Shankman, CPA, as Chief Financial Officer (CFO) effective immediately. Mr. Shankman will lead the Company’s financial operations...Read more.

NervGen Pharma Provides Update on Phase 1b/2a Clinical Trial of NVG-291 in Spinal Cord Injury

NervGen Pharma Corp. announced that target enrollment of the chronic cohort in its Phase 1b/2a proof-of-concept, double-blind, randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial of NVG-291 is approaching completion...Read more.

LifeLabs Indspire Scholarship Winner: Christina Tsuil-menak

For Christina Tsuil-menak, winning the LifeLabs Indspire Scholarship is more than just a personal achievement; it’s a testament to her strength, commitment to her community, and the power of believing in yourself...Read more.

Cytiva Opens its First Innovation Hub in Korea

Cytiva, a global life sciences leader, has opened its first Innovation Hub in Korea, located in the Songdo Bio-cluster in Incheon...Read more.

InMed Pharmaceuticals Reports Full Year Fiscal 2024 Financial Results and Provides Business Update

InMed Pharmaceuticals Inc. announced financial results for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024 and provided a business update on the pharmaceutical drug development programs…Read more.

International Tax Review Recognizes McCarthy Tétrault’s Tax Expertise at Annual Awards Gala

McCarthy Tétrault was recognized with four awards at International Tax Review’s annual ITR Americas Tax Awards gala in New York City...Read more.

Lexaria Receives Independent Review Board Approval to Begin Human Pilot Study #3

Lexaria Bioscience Corp., a global innovator in drug delivery platforms is pleased to announce that approval has been received from an independent review board, for human pilot study #3 (the “Study”)...Read more.

AbbVie Submits Biologics License Application to the FDA for Telisotuzumab Vedotin (Teliso-V) in Previously Treated Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

 AbbVie (NYSE: ABBV) announced submission of a Biologics License Application (BLA) to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for accelerated approval of telisotuzumab vedotin (Teliso-V)...Read more.

Mintz Ranked in 2025 Edition of Chambers Canada

Mintz announced that it has been ranked in the 2025 edition of Chambers Canada...Read more.

Chambers Canada Recognizes McCarthy Tétrault as a Market Leader in 2025 Directory Ranking

Chambers Canada has once again recognized McCarthy Tétrault as a market leader for outstanding client service and industry-focused expertise across a wide array of categories…Read more.

McCarthy Tétrault Named Employment Law Firm of the Year by Chambers Canada

Chambers Canada has named McCarthy Tétrault the 2024 Employment Law Firm of the Year in recognition of the firm’s expertise in labour and employment law...Read more.

Regulatory Affairs Associate

We are currently seeking for a dynamic Regulatory Affairs Associate who will be responsible to register and maintain regulatory approvals in the global markets that the RAMP products are sold in to support the core purpose of saving lives globally....Learn more

Manager, Memberships & Sponsorships

The Manager, Memberships & Sponsorships, manages the planning and support of the members and sponsors. With responsibility for securing agreements and contracts, the Manager, Memberships and Sponsorships leads acquisition and retention strategies...Learn more

Technologist

Bodycomp Imaging is looking for a full-time and a part-time technologist at Bodycomp Imaging. Both technologists will be responsible for operating and maintaining DEXA scanners, performing body composition scans, and ensuring accurate and precise data collection...Learn more

Senior Manager, CMC, Quality Control

he Senior Manager, CMC, Quality Control will work flexibly across several small molecule drug development programs with an emphasis on managing outsourced testing and stability program for the cGMP API and drug product (DP) manufacturing and testing campaigns...Learn more

Senior Scientist, CMC, Drug Product

The candidate will be responsible for leading the development of suitable formulations for the in vivo assessment (including for GLP toxicology studies) of novel chemical compounds originating from our Discovery team...Learn more

HR Coordinator/Senior HR Coordinator

The Human Resources Coordinator/Sr. Human Resources Coordinator is responsible for ensuring the entering and coordination of data, documents and processes into the various HR systems in an accurate and timely manner to ensure flawless execution...Learn more

Senior Administrator, Human Resources

The Senior Administrator will be responsible for coordinating recruitment scheduling for executive level positions, scheduling Senior Hire orientations and supporting training events for department heads, supporting contracts and Statements of Work...Learn more

Scientific Liaison and Solutions Lead

We are seeking a highly motivated and scientifically minded individual with a strong background in precision medicine, spatial omics, oncology, and/or pathology to join our team...Learn more

Chief Medical Information Officer

The Chief Medical Information Officer (CMIO) is responsible for the medical leadership that advances the utilization of technology-enabled information management systems, to ultimately improve quality outcomes for patients within clinical operations across the entire region...Learn more

Chief Executive Officer

The CEO is responsible for the overall strategic direction of the organization including the development and ongoing refinement of organization strategy, business development and revenue generation, structure, product development, partner and client relations...Learn more

Research and Innovation Manager, Data Science

Reporting to the Director, Data Science you will work with the Research and Innovation leadership and the other members of the Data Science team to implement Genome British Columbia’s (Genome BC) Data Science Strategy...Learn more

Specialist, Quality Assurance

We are seeking a Quality Assurance Specialist to be responsible for implementing and maintaining Augurex’s electronic Quality Management System (eQMS) in accordance with regulatory requirements, industry standards, internal quality requirements and specifications...Learn more

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We are seeking a Sr. Manager, Regulatory Affairs to be responsible for working directly with our Global Head of Product R&D and external regulatory consultants on the FDA 510(k) submission for SPINEstat®...Learn more

Team Lead, Clinical Genotyping

Reporting to the Assistant Laboratory Director, the Team Lead, Clinical Genotyping coordinates and provides work direction to the Clinical Laboratory Drug Resistance Testing and Genotyping team...Learn more

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