Though it’s only mid-February, it seems like we are several months into the year as the speed of innovation and information from our ecosystem surrounds us daily. Just in the last few days our LSBC members have made these announcements; InMed announced US$4.5 Million private placement, Kintara Therapeutics enrolled their final patient in phase 2 clinical trial of VAL-083, and Notch Therapeutics closed $85 Million in a Series A financing for their pipeline of renewable stem cell-derived cancer immunotherapies. The pace of innovation is impressive, but so too are the significant achievements B.C. companies are making as they advance their R&D.

This week, the Government of Canada released an important consultation document "Considering the creation of new biomanufacturing capacity for Canada" where they identify the consultation process for the planned expansion of Canada’s biomanufacturing sector. You can read the full report here.

UBC Health announced this week the recipients of inaugural HIFI Awards that were designed to enable health researchers to undertake innovative activities that have the potential to create change. The grants valued between $10,000 and $25,000 are awarded to develop, undertake, or translate innovative health-related research. You can read more information on the award winners here.  

Also, this week Praxis announced the launch of the Praxis SCI Ideation Challenge. The Praxis Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) Ideation Challenge is a roadmap to develop potential commercial ideas for those living with SCI. You can find out more about the Praxis Ideation Challenge here.

LifeSciences BC would like to congratulate Kim Kline, named this week, as the new President of the Bioscience Association of Manitoba. I personally look forward to working with you Kim in these very exciting times for the life science sector in Canada. You can read the appointment announcement here.

And not to be forgotten is our 6^th Annual Access to Innovation on February 24-25. We have an extremely full two days of innovation-focused lively discussions, panels and guest speakers attending this year. For the agenda and tickets, please click here.

Vancouver, BC – February 16^th, 2021 – InMed Pharmaceuticals Inc. (“InMed” or the “Company”) (Nasdaq:INM) (TSX:IN), a clinical-stage pharmaceutical company developing medications targeting diseases with high unmet medical need and leading the clinical development of cannabinol (“CBN”), today announced that it has closed the previously announced private placement. READ MORE

VICTORIA, British Columbia, February 17, 2021–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Aurinia Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: AUPH / TSX: AUP) (the “Company”) today announced that it will release its fourth quarter and year end 2020 financial results on Wednesday, February 24, 2021, after the markets close. Aurinia’s management team will host a conference call to discuss the Company’s financial results and to provide a general business update. READ MORE

SAN DIEGO, Feb. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Kintara Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: KTRA) (“Kintara” or the “Company”), a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of new solid tumor cancer therapies, today announced it has enrolled the final patient in the recurrent arm of its ongoing Phase 2 clinical study of VAL-083 being conducted at the MD Anderson Cancer Center (MD Anderson). READ MORE

February 17, 2021 – Do you have an idea to improve the lives of people living with spinal cord injuries (SCI)? Do you want help developing one? Do you need some seed funding to get your prototype developed? The Praxis Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) Ideation Challenge is a roadmap to helping you develop potentially commercializable ideas for those living with SCI. READ MORE

VICTORIA, British Columbia, February 18, 2021–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Aurinia Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: AUPH / TSX: AUP) (the “Company”) today announced that members of the executive management team will participate in a fireside chat at the (virtual) SVB Leerink 10^th Annual Global Healthcare Conference on Thursday, February 25, 2021 at 1:00 p.m. ET. READ MORE

Februrary 18, 2021 – Northview LifeSciences is pleased to announce the closure of our $1 million investment into Elevate Farms Inc. as part of their $6.2 million financing. Concurrent with this financing, our Managing Director Doug Janzen will be joining the Elevate board. Northview is proud to add Elevate Farms to our portfolio, making it our second ag-tech company alongside Terramera. READ MORE

February 16, 2021 | By: Wallace Immen, Globe and Mail | Just more than three years ago, commercial real estate developer HarveyCorp did its first conversion of an industrial warehouse in Montreal into a custom-built research laboratory for a life sciences client. The building’s floor space was outfitted with dozens of research stations connected to ample power for equipment and a high-efficiency ventilation system. READ MORE

From robotics, nanotechnology, and virtual reality to parenting approaches and implications of COVID-19 for social support and policy planning—UBC researchers are leading the way to better health. With the inaugural competition of its new Health Innovation Funding Investment (HIFI) Awards, UBC Health is supporting these efforts. READ MORE

A new lab set up in Coquitlam, B.C., is processing thousands of coronavirus tests in under 12 hours each day to screen film industry workers for the virus and keep productions rolling. Omega Laboratories Inc., a huge U.S.-based forensic lab, has chosen B.C. as a location for its pivot to COVID screening in addition to its main business drug testing employees. READ MORE

A Canadian company says it is on track to produce 50 million doses of its COVID-19 vaccine this year, which if approved, could give the country’s vaccine supply a much-needed boost to fight the coronavirus pandemic. READ MORE

Scientists don't know when or where the next coronavirus pandemic will emerge. They aren't sure exactly what virus it will be. But they're already working to develop a vaccine against it, aiming to have a shot ready to be pulled from a freezer to vaccinate the population before it can spread around the globe. READ MORE

What’s driving innovation in life science and healthcare? SVB is committed to serving the ecosystem by providing industry-leading reports featuring proprietary analysis and targeted outlooks to help companies and investors achieve their goals. Twice a year we publish deep-dive analyses describing fundraising, investment, M&A and IPO activity of private, venture-backed biopharma, medical device and diagnostic/tools companies. Our deep relationships with top life science and healthcare entrepreneurs and investors inform our insights and give us a vantage point unlike any other bank. To find out more about Silicon Valley Bank click here

The Student Work Placement Program is now accepting applications for healthcare placements. Canada’s healthcare industry has a growing need to produce job-ready healthcare workers. There are 1,500 open spots available in 2020-21. WEBSITE

As an LSBC member, your first five job postings EARNS a free repost on BioTalent Canada's The Petri Dish After your first five reposts, you will also receive 25% off all job postings on The Petri Dish. Want more info? CONTACT: Sue Callaghan - talent@lifesciencesbc.ca