CEO and President, LifeSciences BC |
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LifeSciences BC in the Community
As I join our community at different events around the province, one can see that we are in a time of exciting change. Our active ecosystem is pursuing solutions to challenges that will remove barriers to accessing health data, support early stage innovation, and resolve health issues for better patient outcomes while generating economic value. Earlier this week, both myself and David Helliwell from Thrive Health were guest panelists on a panel titled: The Case for and Barriers to Accessing and Sharing Health Data at the 20th Annual Healthcare Summit. Conferences such as these are moving the needle on how we advance our ecosystem and build a world class life science cluster.
LifeSciences BC Events
This week we had our first virtual showcase series of the Fall season, showcasing research excellence and life science innovation in Prince George. We had an impressive line-up of speakers: Dr. Julia Bickford, Northern Health; Dr. Heath Matheson, UNBC; Dr. Shannon Freeman, Centre for Technology Adoption for Aging in the North (CTAAN) and Anne Woods, Silicon Valley Bank. The speakers were excellent, and we were all wowed by the innovative research and work that is happening in the Region. You can access the recording by clicking on this link.
Next week on November 2-3 we will be hosting our 5th Annual LSBC Investor Summit, presented by Lumira Ventures. In addition to 33 innovative B.C. based life sciences companies presenting, the Summit is featuring keynote Peter Greenleaf, President & CEO, Aurinia Pharmaceuticals; a panel discussion on “ Accessing the US Market and Attracting US Investors” with Global Affairs International Trade Commissioners; a “ Pharma Reverse Pitch” with Takeda, J&J and Amgen; and a discussion on “ Investment in BC Life Sciences: Present & Future, Challenges & Opportunities”. If you haven’t bought your tickets you can do so here.
Life Sciences in the News
BC innovation is continuing to play a critical role in responding to COVID-19. Earlier this week, the United States Government announced a commitment to acquire a new therapeutic for the treatment and prevention of COVID-19. It is a result of the partnership between AbCellera Biologics Inc. and Eli Lilly, where Lilly is leveraging AbCellera’s technology platform to discover antibodies to respond to the virus. You can read their news in the Members News Section below.
If you didn’t catch the LifeSciences BC interview with CEO, Wendy Hurlburt and John Daly on Global News Radio 980, you can catch it here (it begins at 24.23 on the tape).
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Aurinia Announces European Investigator-Initiated Trial to Evaluate Antiviral Activity of Voclosporin in Kidney Transplant Recipients with COVID-19 |
VICTORIA, British Columbia–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Aurinia Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ:AUPH) (TSX:AUP) (“Aurinia” or the “Company”), a late-stage clinical biopharmaceutical company focused on advancing voclosporin across multiple indications, today announced the funding and initiation of an open-label exploratory trial evaluating the antiviral effects of voclosporin in kidney transplant recipients (KTRs) with COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) – the VOCOVID study. READ MORE
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U.S. government strikes US$375-million deal to buy Vancouver-developed antibody drug |
Deal with U.S. government depends on emergency-use permit from the Food and Drug Administration
October 29, 2020 | by David Carrigg, Vancouver Sun | The U.S. government has agreed to buy 300,000 vials of a COVID-19 antibody drug that was developed by Vancouver company AbCellera Biologics. On Wednesday, pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly reported the deal — worth US$375 million and conditional upon the U.S. Food and Drug Administration granting an emergency-use authorization for the drug. READ MORE
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East-West academic-industry research collaboration to identify lung cancer biomarkers |
Two Japanese institutions, a Korean biotechnology start-up, and a Canadian biotech company have entered into a research collaboration to identify biomarkers unique to lung cancer cells suitable for targeted therapeutics. READ MORE
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AbCellera and Kodiak Sciences Enter Second Antibody Discovery Collaboration for Ophthalmology Targets |
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, and PALO ALTO, California, October 29, 2020 – AbCellera and Kodiak Sciences Inc. (Nasdaq: KOD), today announced a new partnership to generate therapeutic antibody candidates in ophthalmology. READ MORE
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Covid: Antibodies 'fall rapidly after infection' |
October 27, 2020 | By James Gallagher, Health and science correspondent | BBC Health News | Levels of protective antibodies in people wane "quite rapidly" after coronavirus infection, say researchers. READ MORE
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Scientists make digital breakthrough in chemistry that could revolutionize the drug industry |
October 24, 2020 | By Charlie Wood, CNBC | In June, the U.S. government purchased the vast majority of world's supply of remdesivir—a FDA-approved antiviral treatment for Covid-19 —for July through September. Gilead, the company that makes the compound, recently announced that it would meet international demand by the end of October. Yet all along, digital instructions for whipping up a batch of the nearly 400-atom molecule at the push of a button have been sitting on Github, an online software repository, freely available to anyone with the hardware needed to execute the chemical "program." READ MORE
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The dementia that can be cured |
There are more than 200 subtypes of dementia. And researchers have found that in one, confusion and memory loss can be treated. But the trick is to spot it…READ MORE
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Medicenna is a clinical stage immunotherapy company that engineers novel, powerful and proprietary interleukins we call Superkines. Leveraging their Superkine Platform, they are able to modulate, fine-tune or amplify the immune system to tackle the most challenging diseases, including a broad range of cancers with tremendous unmet need.
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Rostrum grew from a desire to empower medical practitioners with new and useful solutions to help solve everyday challenges that medical professionals face. Since 2009, their team has strived to deliver novel solutions to problematic uncertainties in modern day practice. They are committed to providing innovative ideas to our healthcare professionals so that they have useful, forward-thinking solutions for their patients and their practice. Rostrum Medical is committed to providing tools that are ‘user friendly’ and affordable for beside clinical practice in the ICU and providing a non-invasive clinical monitoring system that helps clinicians individualize care for patients.
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PERSPECTIVES ON GLOBAL HEALTHCARE INNOVATION |
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
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Update: Student Work Placement Program now open to healthcare placements |
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
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Posting A JOB on the LSBC Website |
LSBC Membership Discounts on Job Postings
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
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Membership Benefits Program
COST SAVINGS FOR OUR MEMBERS
As a LifeSciences BC member, organizations and their employees can benefit from significant savings on a range of business and personal services, thanks to our Membership Benefits Program partnerships. You can locate the cost savings program suited to you needs here.
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