April 30, 2026 - Hello BioLinks readers!

This week:

• Canada's national sovereign wealth fund
• AI-enabled drug development in BC
• CASTL survey for industry partners
• Countdown to Web Summit: just over a week to go
• LSBC Awards nomination deadline is May 8

Canada Announces National Sovereign Wealth Fund

The Canada Strong Fund is a new, independent Crown corporation that will invest in Canadian projects and companies on a commercial basis to generate returns for Canadians. Seeded with $25 billion, it will complement existing institutions by taking equity stakes alongside private investors. Designed as a sovereign wealth fund, it aims to drive long-term economic growth and allow Canadians to share in the country’s prosperity, including through future retail investment opportunities. Read more.

AI-enabled Drug Development Emerging as a Provincial Strength

BC is positioning itself as a global hub for AI-enabled drug development, supported by a fast-growing ecosystem spanning discovery, validation, delivery, and manufacturing. Read the latest Trade and Invest BC blog, which spotlights companies such as Variational AI, Redwood AI, Gandeeva Therapeutics, and Azor Biotek, working with ecosystem partners to accelerate translation from lab to clinic and strengthen the province’s global competitiveness. Read more.

CASTL Engagement Survey for Industry Partners

Is your company invested in the future of biotalent? CASTL is exploring models of industry engagement for the BC Bioscience Reskilling Program. Participation offers valuable networking opportunities, deeper insight into BC’s innovative companies and products, and access to emerging talent trained for entry-level operator roles. Take the 3-minute industry survey here.

Just Over One Week Until Web Summit Vancouver

One of the world’s largest tech conferences comes to Vancouver, May 11–14. We’ve been working with partners to deliver exciting programming throughout the week. Learn more about opportunities and how life sciences will be featured on the Innovate BC website here.

Member Highlights 

Reverb Therapeutics Co-Founder & CEO David de Graaf and antibody expert Jonathan Davis discuss the science of bispecifics and multispecifics and what the future holds for these modalities. Read more.

BeOne Medicines announced that the FDA has granted Priority Review to a supplemental Biologics License Application for TEVIMBRA^® (tislelizumab) in combination with ZIIHERA^® (zanidatamab) and chemotherapy for the first-line treatment of HER2-positive stomach or lower esophageal cancer. Read more.

Johnson & Johnson announced that FDA has approved a supplemental New Drug Application based on long-term data evaluating the safety and efficacy of CAPLYTA^® (lumateperone) for the prevention of relapse in schizophrenia. Read more.

Evonik and Higuchi, a leading Japanese trading company in the pharmaceutical sector announced the opening a joint laboratory located in Yokohama, Japan. Read more.

Ecosystem Highlights

The Government of BC has opened the Dadzi Wellness Centre near Fort St. James, improving access to primary care for nearby First Nations communities. The centre offers a mix of Western medical services and traditional Indigenous healing, providing culturally safe, community-led care closer to home. Read more.

Kudos

Congratulations to BD on being recognized by Business Group on Health for its commitment to advancing employee well-being. This recognition reflects BD’s ongoing investment in comprehensive and innovative benefits that support the health, resilience and overall experience of its workforce. Read more.

People on the Move

Congratulations to Jonathan Michel Dubé, Stefan Larson and Monty Sikka for being appointed as InBC’s Board of Directors. Their varied backgrounds from industry, finance, academia and public service will play an important role in supporting InBC’s mandate to invest in the growth of BC businesses. Read more.

Keith Vendola, MD, MBA, has been appointed as the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of NervGen Pharma, where he’ll lead the company’s financial strategy and operations, including capital markets activity, financial planning, corporate development and supporting strategic initiatives. Read more.

Mike Scott will join Aspect Biosystems as Chief Development Officer, where he will lead development efforts, including early clinical execution and regulatory strategy. Read more.

Congratulations to Ludovic Brellier for stepping into the role as Avantor’s Executive Vice President, Bioscience & Medtech Products (BMP) & Chief Transformation Officer.

Read more.

Congratulations to Allison Gaw, Michael Mee, and Bharat Srinivasa of Amplitudes on their appointments as Partners, and to Matthew Rosenberger on his appointment as Partner and Chief Financial Officer. Read more.

Roche Canada announced that Brigitte Nolet, currently President & CEO of Roche Canada Pharma, will assume a new global leadership position as Head of Access, Roche Global Pharma Strategy in Basel, Switzerland. Read more.

Applications Open

Applications are now open for Health Research BC’s new funding opportunity, supporting collaboration between researchers and communities to strengthen health research across BC for the Engage Award and access up to $5,000 to build partnerships and advance shared research priorities. Apply by May 25, 2026.  Learn more.

The Business Scale-up and Productivity (BSP) program from the Government of Canada supports high-growth businesses in BC that are developing innovative products, services, or technologies. It offers interest-free, repayable funding (typically $200K–$5M) to help companies scale operations, improve productivity, and bring new technologies to market. Applications are open until May 27, 2026.  Learn more.

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

Membership Spotlight

Primesite Research Solutions is an Integrative Site Network and a Clinical Trials Consultancy group based out of Western Canada. We are a team of research professionals offering clinical trials management services in financial oversight, study budget negotiation, human resources management and site operations. We love what we do and have dedicated our careers to research. Primesite works in person and remotely to offer integrative research services specific to the needs of the client. Learn more.

Until next week!

LSBC Team

May 11-14 - The Web Summit is one of the worlds largest and most influential technology gatherings. In collaboration with our partners, Life Sciences BC is supporting and initiating a range of activities around Web Summit Vancouver to facilitate connection, visibility, and engagement across the life sciences sector.

May 26-27 - Bioessentials: Foundational Science is an introductory course that makes biotechnology clear, relevant, and exciting for professionals without a science background. Participants will gain a practical overview of how biotech drives healthcare, sustainability, and business innovation across British Columbia and beyond.

BD and Suttons Creek Partner to Help Pharma and Biotech Companies Deliver Combination Products to Market with Confidence

BD and Suttons Creek have partnered to help pharma and biotech companies develop combination products (like drug-device treatments) more efficiently. Their combined expertise helps simplify complex processes, reduce risks, and speed up bringing these products to market… Read more.

Johnson & Johnson Enters Agreement to Acquire Atraverse Medical

Johnson & Johnson plans to acquire Atraverse Medical to expand its heart treatment technology. Atraverse’s device helps doctors safely access the heart, improving procedures for conditions like irregular heart rhythms… Read more.

Lexaria Launches New Study to Examine Next-Generation GLP-1 Drugs

Lexaria has launched a new study to evaluate its proprietary drug delivery technology with next-generation GLP-1 drugs. The study aims to assess whether it can improve drug absorption and overall performance to support future development… Read more.

Johnson & Johnson Launches Landmark Head-to-Head Pulsed Field Ablation Trial in Persistent Atrial Fibrillation

Johnson & Johnson has launched a clinical trial comparing two technologies for treating persistent atrial fibrillation. The goal is to determine which option is safer and more effective for patients… Read more.

COVID Antiviral speeds Recovery, but doesn’t Reduce Hospitalization in Vaccinated patients

A COVID-19 antiviral was shown to help vaccinated patients recover faster, but it did not reduce the risk of hospitalization or death… Read more.

FDA approves CAPLYTA® (lumateperone) sNDA with Robust new Data supporting Reduced risk of Relapse in Schizophrenia

The FDA has approved an updated use of Caplyta (lumateperone) to help prevent relapse in adults with schizophrenia, supported by new clinical data showing it reduces relapse risk and helps patients stay stable longer… Read more.

New study reveals a Better way to get the Heart back on beat

A new study shows a better way to restore normal heart rhythm in patients with irregular heartbeats. The approach may work more effectively than current methods… Read more.

BD Reimagines Central Line Insertion, Advancing Leadership in Patient Safety Through Breakthrough Vascular Access Technology

BD is improving patient safety with a new all-in-one central line system—making procedures simpler, safer, and more consistent for care teams… Read more.

U.S. FDA Grants Priority Review to BeOne Medicines’ TEVIMBRA in First-Line HER2+ GEA

BeOne Medicines has received U.S. FDA Priority Review for TEVIMBRA as a first-line treatment for HER2-positive gastroesophageal cancer, showing strong potential to improve patient outcomes… Read more.

Rockwell Automation and Cytiva launch a platform to Accelerate Digital Transformation for Biopharma companies

Rockwell Automation and Cytiva launched a platform to help biopharma teams digitize production, streamlining processes and improving efficiency… Read more.

Evonik and Higuchi strengthen Oral Drug delivery innovation in Japan with new joint laboratory

Evonik and Higuchi Inc. opened a joint lab in Japan to improve oral drug delivery, helping develop better, patient-friendly medicines faster… Read more.

Johnson & Johnson Ushers in the Next Wave of Innovation in Cancer care with more than 20 Clinical and Real-world studies at ASCO 2026

Johnson & Johnson is presenting more than 20 clinical and real-world studies at ASCO 2026, showcasing new data across multiple cancers and highlighting progress toward improved treatment options… Read more.

RINVOQ® (upadacitinib) Demonstrated Superiority Versus HUMIRA® (adalimumab) for Primary Endpoint in a Head-to-Head Study in Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients Who Have Failed First TNF inhibitor

RINVOQ outperformed HUMIRA in rheumatoid arthritis patients who failed a first TNF inhibitor, with more reaching low disease activity and remission in 12 weeks and no new safety concerns—supporting it as a strong alternative... Read more.

GSK Canada Secures Priority review for Regulatory Submission of Bepirovirsen, a Potential Functional Cure Treatment for Chronic hHpatitis B

GSK Canada has secured priority review for bepirovirsen, a potential functional cure for chronic hepatitis B. The treatment showed promising results in clinical trials, offering a possible alternative to lifelong therapies… Read more.

Pharmaceutical FDA GLP Drug Development - CEO

This position requires a CEO to lead a pharmaceutical company, raising funds, working with investors, and guiding a drug through FDA approval and clinical trials… Learn more.

R&D Scientist, Novel Ingredients

This position requires leading R&D as a scientist focused on developing novel ingredients, driving research, creating patentable innovations, and supporting the scale-up of seaweed-based solutions for food and biotech… Learn more.

Digital Marketing Specialist

This position is about building brand authority, managing social media communities, and optimizing web presence for both individual consumers (B2C) and healthcare/corporate partners (B2B)… Learn more.

Quality and Compliance Lead

This position requires ensuring company processes meet regulatory and quality standards, including managing audits and maintaining quality systems. It also involves supporting continuous improvement and working across teams to ensure compliance and operational excellence… Learn more.

Sales Representative, IVD Products

The role requires a mid-level professional who wants to build a career in the IVD raw material and diagnostic kits manufacturing space. The candidate must demonstrate initiative, accountability, and a strong a ‘get-things-done’ attitude... Learn more.

Manager, Memberships & Sponsorships

The role also oversees membership operations, including CRM management and sponsorship delivery. Ideal candidates have 5–7 years of experience, strong Salesforce skills, and a proven ability to build partnerships within a fast-paced environment... Learn more.

Business Development and Sales Associate

This role requires supporting client outreach, build partnerships, and help grow business opportunities within the life sciences sector... Learn more.

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