February 12, 2026 - Hello BioLinks readers!

This week:

• Join our discussion on Most Favoured Nation at Access to Innovation
• Wendy Hurlburt joins Vancouver's Power 50
• LSBC member Sustained Therapeutics featured on Next Great Big Ideas
• Important workforce survey and roundtable opportunity

Discuss Most Favoured Nation at Access to Innovation on February 25

At Access to Innovation, we bring some of the timeliest conversations to the stage. This year, on February 25, one of our panels will feature a discussion on Most Favoured Nation (MFN). MFN drug pricing is a policy supported by current U.S. administration that aims to reduce prescription drug prices in the U.S. by basing them on lower prices in other developed nations. Find out how the uncertainty of this policy and its broader implications will impact pricing in Canada, product launches, and more. Get your tickets today.

Congratulations to Wendy Hurlburt on Joining Vancouver’s Power 50

Last week, LSBC’s Wendy Hurlburt joined the ranks of leaders in Vancouver making an impact on the community. Congratulations goes out to everyone recognized this year, including other life sciences leaders: Aspect Biosystems' Tamer Mohamed, BC Cancer's Sarah Roth, and WELL Health's Hamed Shahbazi. Read more.

LSBC member Sustained Therapeutics featured on Next Great Big Ideas

At the OBIO Investment Summit in Toronto, NextGreatBigIdeas podcast host Jim Wilson sat down with William Annett of Sustained Therapeutics to discuss the company's proprietary platform and its unique approach to extended-release drug delivery, giving patients longer-lasting therapeutic effects from a single dose. Watch here. 

Important Workforce Survey and Roundtable opportunity

BioTalent Canada and the Immigration Employment Council of BC are seeking important workforce data from BC life sciences employers. Your insights will provide a better understanding of employer barriers, needs, and best practices for hiring, integrating, and retaining internationally trained professionals in the BC life sciences economy, and help inform practical strategies to strengthen the capacity of BC employers and to support workforce integration.

LSBC is urging employers to support this initiative by taking 8 to 10 minutes to complete this short survey with remuneration provided and participate in a round table on March 6, 2026.

Round Table Opportunity Details:

Hosted by BioTalent Canada and IECBC

Date: March 6, 2026

Location: Westin Wall Centre, Vancouver Airport (3099 Corvette Way, Richmond BC)

Register: For more information and/or to register, please contact Colleen Hayes at chayes@biotalent.ca

Note: Travel and Parking will be reimbursed and for out-of-town attendees (over 100km travel, meals and accommodations will be covered.)

Member Highlights 

Merck announces Health Canada approval of ENFLONSIA® for the prevention of RSV in newborns and infants. ENFLONSIA® is a monoclonal antibody that can help provide protection for up to five months. Read more.

Novartis announces Kisqali® received a positive draft recommendation supporting public reimbursement from Canada’s Drug Agency (CDA-AMC) for all eligible early breast cancer patients at high risk of recurrence. Read more.

Labcorp launches first FDA-cleared blood test for Alzheimer’s disease assessment in primary care. Read more.

Ecosystem Highlights 

The FDA has refused Moderna's application for its new mRNA flu vaccine, sending a 'refusal-to-file' letter citing concerns with how the company conducted its 40,000-person clinical trial. The agency stated the application lacked an 'adequate and well-controlled trial' as it did not compare the vaccine to the best available standard of care in the U.S. Read more (CBC News).

Kudos

Acuitas Therapeutics has been named one of BC’s Top Employers 2026, earning recognition for its workplace culture, benefits, and practices that make it an exceptional place to work in British Columbia’s life sciences sector. Read more

UBC Innovation has introduced its 51^st Venture Founder Cohort, a new group of founders selected to participate in its Venture program, aimed at supporting early-stage ventures with mentorship, community, and resources to help grow their startups. Read more

The UBC Faculty of Medicine celebrated its 2026 resident donors, recognizing their achievements and contributions to medical training as they progress in their clinical careers and prepare to serve communities across British Columbia and beyond. Read more

People on the Move

John H. Sampson, M.D., Ph.D., MHSc, MBA, has stepped in as a new member of LabCorp’s Board of Directors, where his expertise will help advance the company’s strategy across diagnostics and drug development while enhancing the value delivered to customers. Read more

Congratulations to Adam Rogers on being appointed as NervGen Pharma’s Chief Executive Officer, where he will continue leading the company’s growth and execution of its mission to transform the lives of individuals with spinal cord injury. Read more

Xin Huang has been appointed as the Senior Principal at CTI Life Sciences Fund. Read more

The Global Workforce Development in Stem Cell Research and Regenerative Medicine Initiative has appointed new working group members Dr. Justin Brumbaugh, Dr. Danielle Spice, Kwesi Abaka-Quansah, Sujjawal Ahmad, Dr. Nerea Cuesta-Gomez, and Dr. Sharmin Haiderim to advance international collaboration, training, and skills development in these rapidly evolving scientific fields. Read more

Applications Open

Web Summit is inviting potential speakers to apply, allowing innovators, founders and industry leaders to submit their profiles for consideration and potentially join the lineup shaping conversations at the summit. Applications close February 26, 2026. Learn more.

The CanExport SMEs Program provides funding and support to help Canadian small and medium sized enterprises expand into international markets. It offers financial assistance for activities such as market research, promotion and participation in trade shows to strengthen global business opportunities. Learn more.

Bausch Health and its GI business, Salix Pharmaceuticals, have opened applications for the 2026 Salix Gastrointestinal Health Scholars Program. The program will award up to 10 scholarships of up to $10,000 to students living with GI or liver diseases who are pursuing post-secondary education. Applications close May 6, 2026. Learn more

Hema Patel (UK Department for Business and Trade) and Bertrand Guiziou (Office for Investment) will be in Vancouver March 11–12 and are hosting a roundtable at the British Consulate on March 11 from 9:00–11:00 a.m. They are also available for 1:1 meetings with interested companies. To attend or schedule a meeting, contact hema.patel@fcdo.gov.uk.

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

Member Spotlight

The National Research Council of Canada (NRC) works with partners to deliver a national platform for innovation. They conduct research, support small and medium-sized enterprises to help them scale up and compete, and connect Canadian innovators to leading R&D capabilities. They also enable cross-sector partnership and collaboration in Canada and abroad. Learn more

Until next week!

LSBC Team

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

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.



Labcorp Announces Multi-Year Partnership with SOMOS IPA to Expand Access to High Quality, Affordable Laboratory Services for Patients Across New York State

Labcorp has announced a multi-year partnership with SOMOS IPA to expand access to high-quality, affordable laboratory services for patients across New York State, aiming to improve diagnostic support and health outcomes through enhanced service availability... Read more

Lexaria Announces Positive Final Results From Human Pilot Study #5

Lexaria has announced positive final results from its Human Pilot Study 5, showing encouraging findings that support further development of its technology and potential health applications... Read more

Merck Announces Health Canada Approval of ENFLONSIA® for the prevention of RSV in newborns and infants

Merck has received Health Canada approval for Enfǎlonsia to prevent RSV infection in newborns and infants, expanding options for protecting young children against this serious respiratory illness... Read more

Kisqali® Receives Positive Draft Recommendation From Canada’s Drug Agency For All Eligible Early Breast Cancer Patients at High Risk of Recurrence

Kisqali has received a positive draft recommendation from Canada’s drug agency for use in high-risk early breast cancer patients, supporting broader access to the therapy for eligible individuals to help reduce the risk of recurrence... Read more

Successful Delivery of a Seasonal Influenza Vaccine in Development for Aramis Biotechnologies

Aramis Biotechnologies has successfully delivered a seasonal influenza vaccine currently in development, marking an important step forward in advancing their vaccine program... Read more

Clear Route to Registration Positions Lucerastat as the Potential First Oral Therapy for All Patients with Fabry Disease

Lucerastat now has a clear route to registration as a potential first oral therapy for all patients with Fabry disease, advancing its development toward broader patient access... Read more

Using AI to Enhance Prevention of Diabetes-Related Blindness

Researchers are using AI tools to improve the prevention of diabetes-related blindness, helping detect and manage eye health risks earlier and more effectively... Read more

Labcorp Launches First FDA-Cleared Blood Test for Alzheimer’s Disease Assessment in Primary Care

Labcorp has introduced the first FDA-cleared blood test for assessing Alzheimer’s disease in primary care settings. This new diagnostic tool aims to support earlier detection and evaluation, helping clinicians identify patients who may need further testing or specialist referral and improving access to timely care... Read more

Discovery of Unique Brain Tumour Subtypes Offers Hope for Targeted Glioma Therapies

Researchers have identified unique subtypes of brain tumours, offering new insights that could lead to more targeted therapies for glioma, with the potential to improve treatment precision and outcomes for patients... Read more

Logistics Specialist (Part-Time)

SignalChem Biotech Inc. is seeking a part-time Logistics Specialist to support inventory coordination, shipments, and order fulfillment. The role requires strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and experience in logistics or supply chain operations... Learn more

Technical Support Specialist

The role provides scientific and technical support to customers, troubleshooting complex issues and offering solutions for cell and molecular biology products... Learn more

Full Stack Developer

This role involves working across frontend and backend systems, collaborating with machine learning engineers, and helping scale prototypes into production-ready applications in a fast-paced, innovative environment... Learn more

Machine Learning Engineer 

The role focuses on collaborating with cross-functional teams to turn research into scalable, production-ready solutions while optimizing model performance... Learn more

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