Friday | December 3rd, 2021
BC Flood and Landslide Relief: What Can We Do? 
The news from around the province has been devastating, with the relentless rain from not one but three atmospheric rivers overloading capacity in so many locations. As we watch the news unfold, the team and I send our deepest sympathies to all those impacted.

But sympathies accomplish very little, and we would like to offer action instead. We’re heartened by the inquiries coming in asking what we as the life sciences community in BC can offer so we’ve been actively engaging with BC emergency preparedness, recovery and health providers to find out what they need.  
In general terms in relation to public health leadership, some of the following life sciences areas need support:

  • Environmental Health: water testing and environmental monitoring 
  • Lab Testing: capacity 
  • Psychosocial Support: counselling—connecting directly with providers rather than directing to a crisis line 

If you and your company have these skills and capacity, or if you would like to volunteer similar resources for flood and landslide relief, please contact William Burrows (Director, Business Operations and Programs at Life Sciences BC) wburrows@lifesciencesbc.ca so we can connect you with the right agencies.

We’re finding out more about Red Cross volunteer programs (information in next week’s BioLinks), but meanwhile donate to BC Flood and Landslide Relief here:

CEO MESSAGE
With all the news this week, it’s reassuring for us to hear that the life sciences community is continuing to step up and deliver. Although a new COVID-19 variant is making headlines, Life Sciences BC members and sponsors Pfizer, J&J and AstraZeneca are already assessing omicron's effect on their COVID-19 vaccines.

“Due to more mutations observed in omicron, the effectiveness of the current vaccination regimen will likely be reduced, which underscores the need for boosters and potentially variant-specific vaccines,” analysts write. “We believe mRNA technology is the solution to lead us out of the pandemic.”
Here at home there are calls for Canada to move ahead swiftly on boosters, with the isolation of the first case of Omicron in BC just reported. BC opened up vaccination for children aged 5-11 this week. As of last Friday, 87.6% (4,060,193) of eligible BC residents 12y and older have received two shots of vaccine and with availability to the under-12 crowd, this number is certain to increase. After the last two years, it’s no surprise that Merriam-Webster announced “vaccine” as the 2021 word of the year.

There has been, and quite rightly so, a lot of interest in the global life sciences sector during the pandemic with the realization that skilled talent underpins and ensures future R&D success. A University of Ottawa team calls on the newly formed House Standing Committee on Science and Research to identify how to better include and financially support students in Canada’s future science and research landscape. “The future of science and research ultimately depend on it,” they note in an op-ed for The Hill Times -- Science and research: students will define Canada’s future. [paywall]

In the same issue, an article points out that research funding provides STEM skills that are critical for Canada. “Now that we are preparing to emerge from the ravages of the COVID-19 pandemic, we should take stock of the weaknesses and vulnerabilities of the Canadian skills ecosystem and collectively find ways to enhance and improve it.” [paywall]

In support of efforts to boost skills training and recruitment into life science careers, I took part in the JABC panel at the Career Education Society conference in Vancouver this week. The Future of Work and Emerging Careers focused on labour market trends and career opportunities within the life sciences sector. Next month, I’m looking forward to continuing this vital conversation in our annual Career Connect Day. Taking place online on January 21, 2022, Career Connect Day connects skilled talent from BC and beyond with our life sciences sector. Registration opens on Monday – subscribe to our newsletter for advance notice!

Another important piece in life sciences success is access to facilities. This call for applications – the GENERATOR 12.0 Competition is available to early-stage BC tech start-ups and includes 12 months of FREE office space in addition to professional memberships, business education allowance, one-on-one mentorship, and networking opportunities. And for those looking for facilities, check out Jerzy’s Corner in East Vancouver, which offers roughly 8,000 square feet of potential lab space on the first floor and 13,000 square feet on the third floor.

Also real estate-related – LSBC member, HDR’s stunning architectural designs were recognized by Architizer’s A+Awards. The company is also listed in Architizer’s top 12 Pathbreaking North American Architecture Firms. Congratulations also to LSBC member, Chinook Therapeutics, who announced the formation of SanReno Therapeutics, a joint venture to develop kidney disease therapies in China

Finally, the deadline to apply to LSBC platinum sponsor, Pfizer’s Breakthrough Change Accelerator Program: Smart Clinical Signal Detector is coming up next month on January 7th, 2022.

-Wendy and the LSBC team
PLATINUM SPONSORS

Are you an early-stage BC tech start-up that could use 12 months of FREE office space, professional memberships, business education allowance, one-on-one mentorship, and networking opportunities? The GENERATOR 12.0 Competition is officially open for applications! READ MORE

Chinook Therapeutics, Inc. announced the formation of SanReno Therapeutics, a joint venture with an investor syndicate led by Frazier Healthcare Partners and Pivotal bioVenture Partners China, to develop, manufacture and commercialize kidney disease therapies in the People’s Republic of China, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan and Singapore (the “Territory”). READ MORE

GSK announced that Phil Dormitzer M.D., Ph.D., will join the company as Global Head of Vaccines R&D on 3 December 2021. Phil will report to Dr. Hal Barron, Chief Scientific Officer and President R&D, and join GSK’s R&D Leadership Team, and the Vaccines Leadership Team. READ MORE

Aspect Biosystems, announces a research agreement with the University Health Network. Through this collaboration, Aspect Biosystems will combine its bioprinting technology with UHN’s protocols for differentiating stem cells into hepatocytes with the goal of developing bioprinted cell therapies for multiple genetic and acquired liver diseases. READ MORE

Medtronic Canada ULC, a subsidiary of Medtronic plc — the global leader in medical technology — announced it has received a Health Canada license for the GI Genius™ intelligent endoscopy module. GI Genius is a computer-aided detection system that uses artificial intelligence to highlight regions of the colon suspected to have visual characteristics consistent with different types of mucosal abnormalities. READ MORE

InMed Pharmaceuticals is pleased to welcome to the BayMedica team following its acquisition in October 2021. Meet Philip Barr, our VP of Discovery Research. Phil talks about his career history which includes his role at Chiron Corporation – a company involved in cloning the HIV and Hepatitis C viruses for which one of the scientific leaders received a Nobel Prize. READ MORE

Zymeworks Inc., a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing multifunctional biotherapeutics, today announced that Janssen Biotech, Inc. dosed the first patient with JNJ-78306358, a bispecific antibody developed using Zymeworks’ Azymetric™ and EFECT™ therapeutic platforms. This is the second Janssen bispecific program utilizing Zymeworks’ proprietary technology platforms to enter the clinic this year, following the announcement in August of Janssen’s dosing of the first patient with JNJ-78278343. READ MORE

Clairvoyant Therapeutics, a Canadian biotech company focused on the development of psychedelic drug therapies for the treatment of addiction, is pleased to announce the Company has closed its initial financing round worth more than $3 million CAD. The bulk of the investment comes from four institutional investors including Iter Investments, Negev Capital, and Ambria Capital. READ MORE

AbCellera announces the appointment of Neil Aubuchon as Chief Commercial Officer. Mr. Aubuchon brings over 20 years of experience in strategic planning, operations, and leadership for global biopharmaceutical companies, including tenures at Amgen and Eli Lilly and Company. READ MORE

“Corporations aren’t just impersonal machines for making money; they are also members of the communities where their employees, customers and neighbors live and work. Some, of course, take their environmental and social responsibilities as citizens of the country and of the world more seriously than others." from Newsweek. READ MORE

Eupraxia Pharmaceuticals Inc. (“Eupraxia” or the “Company”) (TSX: EPRX), a clinical-stage biotechnology company with an innovative drug delivery platform technology, today provided an update on its ongoing Phase 2 trial that is evaluating the safety and efficacy of its drug candidate EP-104IAR as a treatment for knee osteoarthritis. READ MORE

BioTalent Canada offers three wage subsidy programs; the Science and Technology Internship Program – Green Jobs, the Science Horizons Youth Internship and the Student Work Placement Program. Find out more about these programs today! READ MORE

A rare real estate opportunity for lab space at the corner of Union Street and Glen Drive. Currently in the building permit phase, Jerzy’s Corner is a six-storey, 47,000-square-foot building planned for 1101 Union Street in the heart of East Vancouver. READ MORE

Jill Earthy has been appointed the first Chief Executive Officer of InBC Investment Corp. (InBC) a newly created Crown corporation responsible for a $500-million strategic investment fund that will help B.C.-based businesses grow and diversify the economy. READ MORE

Apply to be part of this special Trade Accelerator Program (TAP) in partnership with the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business (CCAB), specifically designed for Indigenous-owned/led businesses. LSBC member discount of 90% available. READ MORE

With an expanded definition to reflect the times, Merriam-Webster has declared an omnipresent truth as its 2021 word of the year: vaccine. [...] At Merriam-Webster, lookups for “vaccine” increased 601% over 2020, when the first U.S. shot was administered in New York in December after quick development, and months of speculation and discussion over efficacy. The world’s first jab occurred earlier that month in the UK. READ MORE

Engage with global investors and life sciences executives. The people, the platform, the opportunities.

Registration now open! Tickets available for an in-person or virtual event. Book with confidence. Our flexible registration policy was created with you in mind. READ MORE
GOLD SPONSORS
Incisive Genetics Inc. (IG) is a Canadian biotech firm that is focused on developing its innovative Incisive Delivery System™ lipid nanoparticle (LNP) delivery platform for genetic therapies. They believe the proprietary Incisive Delivery System™ provides a solution to the most critical challenge to effective CRISPR-based gene therapy - the effective and safe delivery of active gene editing machinery into in vivo target tissues.

Innovatek Medical Inc. is a Canadian company selling rapid diagnostic kits in the areas of women’s health, drugs of abuse and infectious diseases. They also sell various diagnostic kits and supplies for clinical and industrial laboratories. Their company has a primary business focus on innovation for clinical laboratory technology.




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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.
In this vital role you will help plan, develop, and execute on screening assays to identify and characterize monoclonal antibodies to support early stage biologic drug discovery programs.
In this role you will work closely with a wonderful team of coordinators and nurses under the leadership of a world-renowned dermatology Investigator and Research Manager. info here
Scientific Recruiters work in partnership with STEMCELL hiring managers and the Talent Acquisition Team to source, attract and hire PhD, scientific and technical talent.
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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 Peter McLoughlin - talent@lifesciencesbc.ca