Life Sciences BC seeks to raise the profile of our members and supporters, highlight their achievements, and promote BC's dynamic life sciences ecosystem. If you have news or a story to share, let us know. | |
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Life Sciences BC News
This week I had the wonderful opportunity to attend Canada's Medtech Conference in Toronto, where I moderated an engaging session on overcoming barriers to adopting new medical technologies. Joined by esteemed panelists Dr. Kieran Murphy of University Health Network, Marcel Saulnier of Santis Health, Dr. David Peachey of Health Intelligence Inc., and Don Husereau of the University of Ottawa Institute of Health Economics, we explored practical solutions to drive innovation in healthcare. Thanks to the organizers and participants for a successful event!
You won’t want to miss the upcoming McCarthy Spotlight Speaking Series on May 24, featuring the esteemed Dr. Martine Rothblatt. An accomplished entrepreneur and biotech pioneer, she offers unique insights into innovation, entrepreneurship, and the future of technology.
Rothblatt's success as the founder of Sirius Satellite Radio (now SiriusXM) and United Therapeutics speaks to her exceptional entrepreneurial journey. Her expertise in biotech and healthcare provides invaluable perspectives on personalized medicine and pharmaceutical advancements. Furthermore, her exploration of futurism and transhumanism offers fascinating insights into the potential impact of emerging technologies on society.
Beyond her accomplishments, Rothblatt is a thought-provoking author, addressing topics such as transgender identity, futurism, and the ethics of emerging technologies. Her writings delve into the intricate intersections of technology, society, and human rights. With a law degree and notable contributions to bioethics, biotechnology law, and space law, Rothblatt's expertise spans multiple disciplines, enriching her perspectives. We hope to see you there! Learn more and register.
Member Highlights
Stephanie Willerth of Axolotl Biosciences will co-lead the Nanotherapeutics Cluster at the University of Victoria, where a diverse group of interdisciplinary researchers will work to translate nanoparticle-based therapeutics into clinical and commercial applications to address key medical challenges, such as cancer and antibiotic resistance.
Gordon McCauley, President & CEO at adMare BioInnovations, recently authored an Op-Ed in The Hill Times, "It's a generational moment for the life science industry, " (You must be a Hill Times subscriber to access this content.)
New Member
We are pleased to welcome the following new LSBC member:
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Eyam Vaccines and Immunotherapeutics is a private Canadian company focused on the research, development, and commercialization of platform technologies that are safe, efficacious and low dose.
Industry Highlights
Next week, May 15-19, is Canadian Innovation Week, created by the Rideau Hall Foundation to celebrate Canadian innovators whose ideas positively impact our lives and the world. Share your innovation stories next week on social using #CIW23 and inspire the next generation of innovators.
BC has released a statement on the World Health Organization's declaration of the end of COVID-19 as a global health emergency which you can read here.
BC is expanding access to in-demand programs in technology-related fields, with 3,000 new student spaces funded by a $74.7M investment, as part of the StrongerBC: Future Ready Action Plan. Learn more.
The Canadian Intellectual Property Office, in collaboration with the IP Village, is bringing together leading IP experts on May 18 for the IP Insights panel series, providing entrepreneurs and innovators in the medtech industry with valuable insights and guidance, including “unwritten rules” and tips to avoid common mistakes. Learn more.
CIHR is hosting Q&A sessions for an upcoming funding opportunity for the Operating Grants: Bringing Rare Disease Gene Therapies to Clinical Trial Readiness. This funding is a part of the National Strategy for Drugs for Rare Diseases. Learn more.
Applications are open for the Banting Postdoctoral Fellowships Program, which provides funding to exceptional postdoctoral candidates from around the world who will significantly contribute to Canada's economic, social, and research development. The deadline for applications is September 20. Learn more.
Applications Open
We invite you to explore our expanded list of current life sciences application opportunities by clicking on the following link. If you know of additional opportunities to benefit our community, please email us your suggestions. Applications Open.
Kudos
Congratulations to our members listed on C-Suite Spotlight's Vancouver's Top 25 Executive for 2023, including Jennifer Cudlipp, COO at LifeLabs and LSBC Board member, and John Lilleyman, CIO at STEMCELL Technologies. See the complete list of winners here.
Kudos to our outstanding members who took home awards at this week's 2023 YWCA Metro Vancouver Women of Distinction Awards gala presented by Scotiabank. Miranda Lam of Acuitas Therapeutics was honoured in the Business & the Professions category. Dr. Connie Eaves of The University of British Columbia and BC Cancer was recognized for Research in the Sciences & Technology. See the complete list of winners here.
Three BC companies, Tochtech Technologies, Careteam Technologies and AltumView Systems, are among the thirteen selected from across the UK and Canada to develop their healthy ageing solutions as part of the UK Canada AgeTech Innovation Exchange, an international innovation exchange programme.
People on the Move
Kevin Heyries has joined Inceptive as Chief Business Officer.
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I was honoured to attend this week's 2023 YWCA Metro Vancouver Women of Distinction Awards gala presented by Scotiabank as a nominee, joined by family, friends, board members, and colleagues. A special thank you to Board Chair Ali Ardakani of Novateur Ventures, who graciously co-sponsored our table, which included Nancy Harrison of Amplitude Ventures, Dr. Lana Janes of Abdera Therapeutics, Bev Holmes of Michael Smith Health Research BC, Anne Stevens of AbCellera, Helen Sheridan of STEMCELL Technologies, Joy Johnson of Simon Fraser University (unfortunately, not pictured), Mike Southey of RBC, and Nikta Razavi of UBC. I am continually grateful for your support. Congratulations to all the inspiring nominees and winners!
I was also honoured this week to have been recognized by BC Business Magazine as a runner-up in their 4th annual Women of the Year issue in the Leader category. It is a privilege to be among such exceptional women making a difference in their respective fields. The May/June issue features inspiring stories from all 15 winners and finalists.
Until next week,
Wendy and the LSBC team
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Aurinia Pharmaceuticals Announces Kidney Biopsies Sub-study Data from the LUPKYNIS® (voclosporin) AURORA 2 Clinical Trial Presented at Congress of Clinical Rheumatology East Conference
Aurinia Pharmaceuticals Inc. announced data from the kidney biopsy sub-study of the AURORA clinical trial program (AURORA 1 and AURORA 2 Extension Study) was presented at the Congress of Clinical Rheumatology East Conference May 4 – 7, 2023
- First study to assess histologic changes in the kidneys of patients with lupus nephritis treated with LUPKYNIS® (voclosporin)
- Treatment was not associated with chronic injury, with the average chronicity index remaining stable in both treatment arms from baseline to follow-up...READ MORE
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LifeLabs’ COO Jennifer Cudlipp Receives Top Honours as one of Vancouver’s 25 Most Influential Executives for 2023
LifeLabs is thrilled to share that Jennifer Cudlipp, Chief Operating Officer, has been named one of Vancouver’s Top 25 Executive for 2023 by C-Suite Spotlight. This prestigious award recognizes Jennifer’s outstanding leadership and her unwavering commitment to excellence. As Chief Operating Officer (COO), Jennifer oversees every aspect of our operations, assuring seamless and effective performance across the board. And in the first quarter of the year, Jennifer also took on the role of Interim Chief Financial Officer alongside her position as COO...READ MORE
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BC Researchers Receive $9.6M in Funding to Support Cutting-Edge Work on Genomics Research for Hereditary Cancers and Genetic Disease Diagnosis
A pair of late-stage Genome British Columbia (Genome BC) research and development projects tackling major public health challenges through genomics are receiving federal support through Genome Canada.
A project from the University of British Columbia (UBC) and the Provincial Health Services Authority will assess the effectiveness of a new type of genome sequencing for screening genetic diseases in critically ill newborns. Early, accurate diagnosis can profoundly influence clinical management and have lifelong positive impacts for children affected by these diseases...READ MORE
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VitaminLab Accelerates Growth of Personalized Supplementation through Series A Financing
Vitamin-One Formulas Ltd (dba VitaminLab), a leader in truly personalized supplements designed to meet individual health needs, announced that it has closed a Series A investment round co-led by Nimbus Synergies and DSM Venturing. The proceeds of the financing will be used to expand VitaminLab’s facilities and state-of-the-art automation lines as well as scale its go-to-market activities across North America...READ MORE
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Nuclear Medicine can Cure Cancer, and BC Cancer Researchers are Among the Canadian group Stepping up the Fight
While effective, traditional radiation therapies rely on intense beams of energy shot from outside the body. These beams can kill cancer cells, but their use is limited to select locations, making them less suited for difficult-to-treat metastatic cancers that have spread to multiple sites. Now, a UBC and BC Cancer-led team of Canadian researchers has received $23.7 million in federal funding to develop a new generation of radiation therapy, known as radiopharmaceutical therapy, that delivers highly targeted doses of radiation from within...READ MORE
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$3 Million Joint Investment by GSK and U of T to Launch the GSK Chair in Vaccine Education and Practice-Oriented Tools
The University of Toronto (U of T) and biopharma company GSK are investing $3 million for the creation of a new chair that will enhance and develop vaccine education programs and practice tools for pharmacists and other health professionals. GSK is providing $2 million, while U of T’s Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy is pitching in $1 million...READ MORE
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Novateur Ventures Heralds Client Daewoong Pharmaceutical’s Global License Agreement with Vitalli Bio
Novateur Ventures, a global life sciences advisory firm, is pleased to announce that our client Daewoong Pharmaceutical, a leading South Korean pharmaceutical company has signed a Global License Agreement with Vitalli Bio, a US biotechnology company, for its autoimmune disease drug candidate DWP2133388. Daewoong will receive over US$10 million in upfront commitments, and the deal is worth up to US$477 million. In addition, Vitalli Bio will be granted an option to license earlier stage dual-target inhibitors in development by Daewoong...READ MORE
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Nominations Now Open for the Health Research Foundation’s Medal of Honour
The Health Research Foundation (HRF) of Innovative Medicines Canada is pleased to announce that nominations are now open for the 2023 Medal of Honour. This award recognizes a remarkable individual whose health sciences policy or research contributions have improved the lives of Canadians and advanced health research in Canada and internationally...READ MORE
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Thrive Health Named “Best Patient Relationship Management Solution” in 7th Annual MedTech Breakthrough Awards Program
Thrive Health is thrilled to announce that we have been selected as the winner of the “Best Patient Relationship Management Solution” award in the 7th annual MedTech Breakthrough Awards program. This program is run by MedTech Breakthrough, an independent market intelligence organization that recognizes the top companies, technologies and products in the global health and medical technology market...READ MORE
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Corcym Acquires HAART Aortic Annuloplasty Devices
Corcym, the medical device company dedicated to Cardiac Surgeons, announced the acquisition of the BioStable Science & Engineering assets including the HAART Aortic Annuloplasty Devices, the world’s only internal aortic annuloplasty devices designed for use during valve repair for aortic insufficiency.
With this acquisition, Corcym reinforces its commitment to Cardiac Surgeons. Corcym’s product portfolio will be enriched with two innovative products, HAART 300 and HAART 200. The devices are currently commercially available in the US and in Europe. Corcym will work on introducing them to the rest of the world...READ MORE
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Investment Creates 3,000 Tech-learning Spaces in B.C.
More students will have access to in-demand programs as 3,000 more technology-relevant spaces become available in the public post-secondary education system. Spaces will include a range of areas, including cybersecurity, software engineering, data science, life sciences, creative tech, clean tech and agritech.
The new student spaces are possible through a provincial three-year investment of $74.7 million. The spaces and supporting investment are included in the StrongerBC: Future Ready Action Plan, which is working to accelerate talent development and skills training to address workforce challenges across all sectors and throughout B.C...READ MORE
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Statement on the World Health Organization Declaring end of COVID-19 as Global Emergency
Adrian Dix, Minister of Health, and Dr. Bonnie Henry, provincial health officer, have released the following statement on the World Health Organization declaration of the end of COVID-19 as a global health emergency:
“Today’s news from the World Health Organization marks an important milestone and reminds us of the many challenges we have weathered together these past three years.“We have been transitioning out of the emergency phase of the COVID-19 pandemic for some time now, and have been integrating COVID-19 surveillance, monitoring, processes and supports into our regular health system operations...READ MORE
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Marketing & Communications Specialist (Co-op Student)
We are seeking Co-op student to take on the role of Marketing & Communications Specialist to work full-time in a hybrid role. In this limited-term role, you'll have the chance to work alongside our Marketing & Communications Manager to analyze, organize, and execute department initiatives that drive success for our organization and its membership. This is an excellent opportunity to gain valuable, practical skills and make an impact in the life sciences and the world of marketing and communications.
LEARN MORE
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Quality Assurance Specialist
Response Biomedical are seeking a seasoned Quality Assurance Specialist who is dynamic, self-motivated and solutions-focused to join the Quality Assurance team. The Quality Assurance Specialist is responsible for ensuring that quality standards are met for the product and processes at Response. by providing ongoing customer satisfaction and ensuring that the company supports the core purpose of improving patient outcomes and saving lives globally.
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Medical Director/Senior Medical Director
Xenon Pharmaceuticals is seeking a Medical Director/Senior Medical Director to work full-time in a hybrid role. The medical director is a key contributor to clinical development of the Company’s portfolio of products and product candidates from Discovery to Phase 3 and potentially post-approval, focusing on medical input, monitoring and safety. This position reports to the Vice President, Clinical Development Operations and will be located in either the Vancouver, BC, Canada or Boston, MA, USA location.
LEARN MORE
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Fraserna is the "Contract Research Organization" arm of a medium-sized biotech company located in Richmond BC, Canada.
Fraserna provides support for research projects involving any of the following: gene cloning, immunology analysis, in-vitro and in-vivo testing, IND filing, and clinical trial research.
They are a team of more than 10 accomplished scientists who have effectively navigated various technological challenges. Moreover, their parent company houses proficient teams with expertise in diverse areas such as immunology, gene cloning, pharmacology, toxicology, IND-enabling, and oncology clinical trials.
Fraserna is committed to understanding your needs so that they may provide the best possible assistance.
Visit Website
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Thrive Health is a digital health platform company, founded in 2016 with a mission to make healthcare work better for everyone.
The company provides an interactive patient engagement platform that allows healthcare providers to build custom clinical workflows, and offers patients enhanced access to their health data. Thrive Health’s innovative technology is designed to put patients at the center of their care, and empower data-driven clinical decisions.
Thrive Heath’s platform meets or exceeds FIPAA, HIPAA, PIPEDA, and NIST requirements, is Sas 70 Type II compliant, and is ISO 27001 certified.
The company is headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia, and operates across Canada and the United States.
Visit Website
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LSBC Membership Discounts on Job Postings
As an LSBC member, your first five job postings EARN a free repost on BioTalent Canada's The Petri Dish. After your first five posts, you will also receive 25% off all job postings on The Petri Dish. Want more info? Contact talent@lifesciencesbc.ca.
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