AGM meeting is open to all BioAlberta members. Please RSVP to Christy@bioalberta.com

Immediately following the formal AGM, members of the public are invited to hear the President's Report and presentation of the 2020 BioAlberta Achievement Awards, followed by the public release of the State of the Industry 2021 Report that will include a Keynote by Jason Ding, Deloitte Corporate Finance Partner & Senior Managing Director, to provide a Snapshot of the Life Sciences Industry in Alberta.

Members of the public can register to attend this virtual event starting at 1:30 PM MDT here now.

We requested postponement of any decisions related to this initiative for several important reasons which are outlined in the full letter linked here. 

On October 4th, BioAlberta joined 12 other organizations across Canada to call on the federal government and its new cabinet to use lessons learned during COVID19 to collaborate better with life sciences and the entire health ecosystem to improve outcomes for patients.

Canadians look to the 44th Parliament to apply lessons learned from COVID-19 to protect current and future generations. This includes building healthcare systems equipped for both exceptional and everyday circumstances. To be successful, we believe the government needs to partner with the entire health ecosystem in a way that leverages multiple strengths. Life science stakeholders, in particular, can play a central role in addressing current challenges, while delivering significant economic benefits including investment and jobs. Building back better will also require a cooperative approach across cabinet to recognize these benefits and, most of all, the value of access to treatments and therapies for Canadian patients and families.

With a view to collaboratively building a vibrant life sciences sector in Canada, we call on the Prime Minister to consider specific mandates for key members of the new cabinet. Read the press release here.

Biotechgate Digital Partnering - November 29 - December 3, 2021, is designed to support the business development of Pharma, Biotech, Medtech and Digital Health companies. Join five days of virtual partnering and establish new global connections thanks to pre-arranged one-on-one Zoom meetings in their Business Forum. See: https://digitalpartnering.com/ or register here.

For more information about "Premier Partnering:, contact Erin@Bioalberta.com for promocode details.

BioAlberta is recruiting SMEs to participate in the WIL Voucher program for the STEM and life sciences sector for Winter 2022. We are working with post-secondary institutions and employers like you to match students with new learning opportunities on the job. Students are matched as placements become available.

The deadline for SMEs to apply for Winter 2022 funding is extended to November 10th. For WIL Voucher details or to apply contact Trish@bioalberta.com

Keep the WIL Voucher in mind if you are interested in a student hire for Summer 2022 too!. Mark you calendar as that application deadline is March 8, 2022.

SME internships must provide students with practical work in a field related to their studies within the Alberta life sciences eco-system. Eligible Alberta small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) who successfully recruit skilled students enrolled in under-graduate, graduate or post-graduate degree programs will be awarded $5000 in matching wage support per student placement. These Alberta SMEs are then free to match WIL Voucher support with either their own operational funds or apply to other available student funding programs (i.e. BioTalent Canada, ECO Canada, etc).

Lumiio is a Calgary-based digital health company founded in 2016 that is passionate about improving health outcomes through data. Specializing in real-world data collection services and technology, they connect stakeholders in health communities by aligning interests, removing barriers to data collection, and working towards the common goal of improving patient care and outcomes.

Leveraging decades of experience working with 40+ pharmaceutical partners and patient organizations to find new treatments and advocate for increased access, Lumiio’s team of innovators have developed collaborative digital health projects impacting over 150 rare diseases that span the globe. These projects share common goals of developing and improving access to new treatments, while providing the digital capabilities to reach a wide-ranging patient community. With some of the most robust security measures in place and expertise in data management, Lumiio’s offerings have the capacity to unite patient data across national and international borders via a federated model to exceed stringent global data security and privacy requirements (e.g. GDPR and HIPPA).

The growing team at Lumiio brings scientific, clinical, and technical expertise to drive successful real-world data collection with a vision to eliminate barriers to patient diagnosis, treatment and care. By understanding barriers to data collection, such as siloed data, misalignment of stakeholder priorities and identifying patients to participate in programs, Lumiio collaboratively navigates the pathway to success. Central to this data, however, are the people and communities behind it. At Lumiio, social science leads the data science by combining classic research methods with innovative technology and digital strategies.

Successful therapy development requires the collective effort of patients, families, patient organizations, clinicians, researchers, pharmaceutical companies, governments, and insurers, together forming a functional health community. Lumiio optimizes this health community journey by providing technology, tools and strategic consultation to generate meaningful data, enhanced collaboration, sustainable programs, and engagement.

Lumiio provides an end-to-end solution, beginning with purpose-based data collection programs conceptualization and design through deployment, operations, management, and scientific utility. The strategic importance of a patient-centered health community is at the forefront and is the main driver of data programs success and sustainability, largely becoming a guiding force for health professionals around the globe.

Learn more about Lumiio and what it has to offer: https://www.lumiio.com/

Stay up to date with Lumiio by following us: LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram

The Alberta Government's Women in STEM scholarship is now open for applications. Women who are studying in science, technology, engineering & mathematics (STEM) fields, can now apply for this Scholarship. This is the second intake for the Women in STEM scholarship, which was introduced earlier this year, and is targeted to support women in pursuing rewarding careers in these fields.

Each successful applicant will receive $2,500 to support their studies and is open to women who are currently studying in STEM fields. Application closes Dec 31. See details here.

A new $50M investment fund to invest in early-stage Canadian companies developing naturally-derived alternatives to synthetic products. Learn about this new opportunity here.

Designed to help establish the commercial feasibility of innovative natural products and technologies, and attract and de-risk subsequent investment- research institutes, start-ups and SMEs, see details here.

AGE-WELL’s funding has been renewed through the federal Networks of Centres of Excellence (NCE) program to the end of fiscal year 2022-2023. They have $21.9 million over three years from GoC to provide Canadians with technology-based solutions to improve quality of life for older adults and caregivers. If you have an idea apply for these exceptional funding opportunities now. Details can be found at: http://ow.ly/fgsL50zE3oO Y

This Regional Relief and Recovery Fund (RRRF) is being delivered by regional development agencies (RDAs) to help more businesses and organizations, that are key to the regions and local economies. A total of $304 million will be available for western Canadian businesses. To learn more or apply see here.. 

GSK announced on October 4, it has signed an agreement with the Government of Canada to supply 10,000 doses of Sotrovimab for injection, a COVID-19 monoclonal antibody therapy developed by GSK and Vir Biotechnology.

The agreement, negotiated with Public Services and Procurement Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada, will enable provincial and territorial healthcare systems to access sotrovimab starting in October 2021 to treat patients with mild to moderate COVID-19 symptoms who are at high risk for progressing to hospitalization or death. The agreement includes the option for the Government of Canada to purchase additional doses in 2022 based on emerging needs. Read the full press release here.

XORTX Therapeutics Inc. ("XORTX" or the “Company”) (CSE: XRX) (OTCQB: XRTXF), a pharmaceutical therapeutics company focused on developing innovative therapies to treat progressive kidney disease, announced on Oct. 13, the pricing of an underwritten public offering of 2,906,000 units ("Units") with each Unit consisting of one common share, no par value, and one warrant ("Warrant") to purchase one common share at a public offering price of US$4.13 per Unit, for aggregate gross proceeds of approximately US$12 million, prior to deducting underwriting discounts and other offering expenses and excluding any exercise of the underwriters' option to purchase any additional securities as described herein (the “Offering”). Read the full announcement here.

Scispot.io, a Y Combinator-backed life science informatics company, announced on Oct. 12 that Culture Biosciences, a San Francisco-based technology company enabling biotech firms to develop manufacturing processes in the cloud, selected Scispot as its exclusive platform to automate workflows.

Read the full announcement here.

Bast Fibre Technologies (BFT), a manufacturer of specialty natural fibres for the global nonwoven industry, announced on Oct.18, the acquisition of Faser

Veredlung Tönisvorst (FVT), an ISO 9001 certified textile processing facility located in Tönisvorst Germany.

This purchase enables BFT to immediately increase capacity to meet customer demand for its sustainable bast fibres and provides a firm platform for expansion and continued growth. Read the full announcement here.

Pfizer Canada and BioNTech filed a Supplemental New Drug Submission (sNDS) on Oct.18 with Health Canada for use of COMIRNATY (Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine) to prevent COVID-19 in children 5 to <12 years of age.

This submission is based on data from the Phase 2/3 trial of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine in children 5 to <12 years of age. The trial included 2,268 participants and used a two-dose regimen of 10 μg doses. These results were comparable to those recorded in a previous Pfizer-BioNTech study in people 16 to 25 years of age, who were immunized with 30 μg doses. The 10 μg dose was carefully selected as the preferred dose for safety, tolerability and immunogenicity in children 5 to <12 years of age.Read the full announcement here.