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We are excited to announce that we have launched the Annual Membership Survey 2020. This survey gives our members a voice in shaping the direction of LifeSciences BC by providing your feedback. We would appreciate it if you could take 5 minutes to answer the 12 quick questions. |
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Life Sciences in the News
As we wind down this unusual year and reflect on how B.C.’s life sciences sector advanced despite the challenges, it’s clear to see that we are part of a most remarkable community. In March, as news broke the world was amid a global pandemic, the reverberations were startling. In B.C. however, we were early out of the gates mitigating fallout from the impending vulnerabilities, by collaborating and organizing what we could navigate for our frontline workers. As labs shuttered, we gathered everything we could for use in hospital settings, providing much needed personal protective equipment for those who needed it most. For weeks volunteers picked up, organized and distributed medical materials and supplies to our frontline workers throughout the province. It was an outstanding and generous effort.
Then in the most stunning timeframe, science in this province produced and delivered on two of the world’s primary treatment platforms for Covid 19. Acuitas and AbCellera rose to international heights with their R&D. Medical device designers and manufactures built respirators, face shields, and portable ultrasound devices. Covid 19 test kits and Apps were developed, research funding was dispensed, and the light shone brightly on this vital sector, in a critical time.
Reflecting on the year would not be complete without mentioning the stunning news of Abcellera’ s IPO which closed today, December 11, 2020 at US58.90 a share. Tripling the size of their initial public offering and shattering the record for the largest debut public financing by a Canadian biotechnology company, ever. This year has been the most brilliant journey for Carl Hansen and his team at Abcellera, but as we all know, this is not an overnight success. It was years of hard work, trial and error, in the making. And finally, the Health Canada and FDA approvals of the Pfizer – BioNTech vaccine using the Acuitas Therapeutics platform. We celebrate their efforts and the victories that came with it – well done Abcellera and Acuitas!
LifeSciences in the Community
Acuitas Therapeutics was the focus of a CBC Radio Canada news story on their Covid 19 vaccine collaboration with Pfizer and BioNTech – you can watch the televised piece that aired Sunday evening on the Téléjournal national here.
LifeSciences BC Events
This week another of our extremely popular showcase series took place in Surrey. We had a stellar lineup of speakers including; Dr. Christopher Condin, Leader, Clinical Research, Fraser Health, Dr. Kanna Hayashi, St. Paul's Hospital Chair in Substance Use Research BC Centre, Anita Huberman, CEO, Surrey Board of Trade, Dr. David Llewellyn, Senior Vice President, STEMCELL Technologies and Anne Woods, Managing Director, Life Science & Healthcare, Silicon Valley Bank. You can watch the event here.
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Xenon Pharmaceuticals Provides Updates on Neurology Pipeline Programs at AES2020, the Virtual Annual Meeting of the American Epilepsy Society |
BURNABY, British Columbia, Dec. 07, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Xenon Pharmaceuticals Inc. (Nasdaq:XENE), a neurology-focused biopharmaceutical company, announced updates on its proprietary and partnered neurology programs at AES2020, the virtual Annual Meeting of the American Epilepsy Society. READ MORE
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Qu Biologics Completes $8M Financing |
Vancouver, British Columbia – December 9, 2020 – Qu Biologics Inc., a private clinical stage biopharmaceutical company developing Site Specific Immunomodulators (SSIs), a novel platform of immunotherapies designed to restore innate immune function, is pleased to announce an oversubscribed $8 million financing. READ MORE
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A Canadian biotech giant is born: AbCellera stock triples in debut, company now worth US$15-billion |
December 11, 2020 | By: Sean Silcoff, Globe & Mail| AbCellera Biologics Inc. (ABCL-Q -3.44% decrease) had one of the most explosive debuts of any initial public offering this year as stock of the Vancouver antibody developer – a key player in the fight against COVID-19 – nearly tripled in value on its first day of trading on Friday. READ MORE
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Neoleukin Therapeutics Announces Submission of Investigational New Drug Application for NL-201 De Novo Protein Immunotherapy Candidate for Cancer |
SEATTLE, Dec. 10, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Neoleukin Therapeutics, Inc., “Neoleukin” (NASDAQ:NLTX), a biopharmaceutical company utilizing sophisticated computational methods to design de novo protein therapeutics, today announced the submission of an Investigational New Drug (IND) Application with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to begin a Phase 1 clinical program of its lead immunotherapeutic candidate, NL-201. READ MORE
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adMare BioInnovations Welcomes the First Quebec Start-Ups in its Accelerate Program |
Montreal, QC – December 10, 2020 – adMare BioInnovations, Canada’s global life sciences venture, is proud to announce the start-ups selected to join its new acceleration program for Quebec emerging companies. READ MORE
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adMare is proud to be an early adopter of the Government’s 50 – 30 Challenge to accelerate diversity and inclusion in our workforce at the senior leadership level. READ MORE
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Health Canada approves Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine |
About 249,000 doses of the two-dose vaccine are expected to be on hand by year's end
December 9, 2020| By: John Paul Tasker, CBC News | The federal government has given the green light to Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine, a key step toward launching the biggest inoculation campaign in Canada's history. READ MORE
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Ottawa splits B.C. from Prairies for new economic development agency |
B.C. is getting its own dedicated economic development agency, with a plan for a boosted budget and offices.
December 8, 2020 | By Rob Shaw, Vancouver Sun | Victoria B.C. is getting its own dedicated economic development agency, with a plan for a boosted budget and offices throughout the province, according to the federal minister responsible. READ MORE
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Trench fever, rare disease that afflicted WWI soldiers, detected in homeless Winnipeggers |
If we didn't have this degree of poverty in Canada, we wouldn't have this disease,' doctor says
December 7, 2020 | By Camille Bains - The Canadian Press | An infectious diseases specialist is calling on doctors to be aware of the signs of a rare illness he recently diagnosed four times among homeless people in Winnipeg — one that commonly afflicted soldiers during the First World War. READ MORE
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As part of the Danaher family of global life science and technology innovators, SCIEX has led the field of mass spectrometry for more than 40 years. From the moment they launched the first ever commercially successful triple quad in 1981, they have continued to develop ground breaking technologies and solutions that have influenced life-changing research and clinical diagnostic outcomes.
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EMD Serono, is the Canadian biopharmaceutical business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany. EMD Serono, Canada has integrated cutting-edge science, innovative products and devices, and industry-leading patient support and access programs. EMD Serono, Canada has deep expertise in neurology, fertility and endocrinology, as well as a robust pipeline of potential therapies in neurology, oncology, immunology and immuno-oncology.
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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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