BIOTECanada Insights Fall 2023

Canada’s voice for biotechnology / Le porte-parole canadien de la biotechnologie

PM 43136012

BUILDING MOMENTUM: THE NEXT CHAPTER IN CANADIAN BIOTECH

EN PLEIN ESSOR : LE PROCHAIN VOLET DE LA BIOTECHNOLOGIE CANADIENNE

An interview with Dr. Maura Campbell, President, Ontario Bioscience Innovation Organization p. 50

Celebrating the Best in the Canadian Biotechnology Industry p. 70

Une entrevue avec Dr. Maura Campbell, Présidente, Ontario Bioscience Innovation Organization p.50

Célébrer le meilleur du secteur canadien des biotechnologies p.70

Fall / Automne biotech.ca

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Our purpose is to serve humanity through science so that people everywhere can live healthier, fuller lives.

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CONTENTS / TABLE DES MATIÈRES 46

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MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT AND CEO

by Andrew Casey, BIOTECanada

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MESSAGE DU PRÉSIDENT ET CHEF DE LA DIRECTION

par Andrew Casey, BIOTECanada

DEPARTMENTS / SECTIONS 42 BIONATION Canada Captures the World at BIO 2023 Le Canada captive le monde au congrès BIO 2023 46 KNOWLEDGE / CONNAISSANCES How Canadian FemTech is Leveraging Biotechnology to Close the Gender Healthcare Gap L’utilisation de la biotechnologie par la FemTech pour combler l’écart entre les sexes en matière de soins de santé

50 EXECUTIVE / EXÉCUTIF An interview with Dr. Maura Campbell, President, Ontario Bioscience Innovation Organization Une entrevue avec Dr. Maura Campbell, Présidente, Ontario Bioscience Innovation Organization 54 TALENT Cultivating Diversity of Black Talent in the Life Sciences Industry

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Valoriser la diversité en faisant une place à la communauté noire dans l’industrie des sciences de la vie 58 ECOSYSTEM/ÉCOSYSTÈME Science. It’s all around us. And it’s beautiful. Global Biotech Week in Saskatchewan: creativity and collaboration La science : elle est partout, et c’est magnifique Semaine mondiale des biotechnologies en Saskatchewan : créativité et collaboration by/par Jackie Robin, Ag-West Bio

biotech.ca

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DEPARTMENTS / SECTIONS

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62 ECOSYSTEM/ÉCOSYSTÈME

fall/autumn 2023

Empowering the Regenerative Medicine Revolution: Reinforcing the Bridge Between the Lab and the Market

Published for/Publié pour :

1, rue Nicholas St., Suite/bureau 600 Ottawa, ON K1N 7B7 Tel: 613-230-5585 Fax: 613-563-8850 www.biotech.ca

Une meilleure intégration de la médecine régénérative grâce au renforcement du pont menant du laboratoire au marché

EDITOR IN CHIEF/RÉDACTRICE EN CHEF : Brooke Anderson

by Cate Murray, President and CEO of the Stem Cell Network par Cate Murray, Présidente-directrice générale du Réseau de cellules souches

66 ECOSYSTEM/ÉCOSYSTÈME Investing in Canadian innovation: One-on-one with Maha Katabi, General Partner, Sofinnova Ventures

TRANSLATION/TRADUCTION : Sophie Campbell Published by/Publié par :

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251 Bank St #700, Ottawa, ON K2P 1X3 613-234-8468 www.gordongroup.com GRAPHIC DESIGNER/ GRAPHISTE : Louise Casavant

Investir pour l’innovation canadienne : Entretien avec Maha Katabi, associée principale, Sofinnova Ventures

PROJECT MANAGER/ DIRECTEUR DE PROJET : James Ward DIRECTOR OF ADVERTISING SALES/ DIRECTEUR, VENTES PUBLICITAIRES : Stephan Pigeon

70 BIONATION

© 2023 BIOTECanada insights. Any errors, omissions or opinions found in this magazine should not be attributed to the publisher. The authors, the publisher and the collaborating organizations will not assume any responsibility for commercial loss due to business decisions made based on the information contained in this magazine. No part of this publication may be reproduced, reprinted, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in part or whole, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written consent of the publisher.

Celebrating the Best in the Canadian Biotechnology Industry Célébrer le meilleur du secteur canadien des biotechnologies ON THE COVER / EN COUVERTURE Canada’s voice for biotechnology / Le porte-parole canadien de la biotechnologie

PM 43136012

BUILDING MOMENTUM: THE NEXT CHAPTER IN CANADIAN BIOTECH

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EN PLEIN ESSOR : LE PROCHAIN VOLET DE LA BIOTECHNOLOGIE CANADIENNE

An interview with Dr. Maura Campbell, President, Ontario Bioscience Innovation Organization p. 50

Celebrating the Best in the Canadian Biotechnology Industry p. 70

Une entrevue avec Dr. Maura Campbell, Présidente, Ontario Bioscience Innovation Organization p.50

Célébrer le meilleur du secteur canadien des biotechnologies p.70

Fall / Automne biotech.ca

Momentum is building in Canada’s biotech sector, fueled by accelerated investment, key policy milestones, and a new generation of emerging companies that are delivering game-changing solutions. Canada at BIO 2023 captured this unique energy, as did the recent BIONATION celebration of the best in the industry – the 2023 BIOTECanada Gold Leaf Awards winners. Strengthening connections between academia and industry, cultivating diverse talent, and scaling long-term, Canadian-based investment for early-stage companies are all part of the path to ensure that the sector is competitive and drives economic growth. This issue is filled with insights to help harness and continue the collective momentum, alongside stories of the dynamic people, organizations, and initiatives making the ecosystem so vibrant.

Fall | Automne 2023

Le secteur biotechnologique du Canada a actuellement le vent dans les voiles, propulsé par des investissements accrus, l’atteinte d’importants jalons en matière de politiques publiques, et une nouvelle génération d’entreprises émergentes qui proposent des solutions révolutionnaires. Cette énergie unique a été capturée dans le cadre d’événements récents, tels que le congrès Canada @ BIO 2023 et les prix des Feuilles d’Or 2023 de BIOTECanada, une célébration du meilleur de l’industrie présentée par BIONATION. Pour nous assurer que le secteur continue d’être compétitif et de stimuler la croissance économique, nous devons renforcer les ponts entre le milieu universitaire et l’industrie, cultiver la diversité des talents et accroître les investissements à long terme dans les entreprises canadiennes en démarrage. Ce numéro regroupe diverses propositions pour tirer le maximum de la vitalité exceptionnelle de l’industrie, et présente les professionnels, les organisations et les initiatives à la source du dynamisme sans précédent de l’écosystème des biotechnologies.sur laquelle il est possible de s’appuyer.

BIOTECanada

© 2023 BIOTECanada insights. Aucune erreur ou omission décelée dans ce magazine ou aucune opinion qui y est exprimée ne doit être imputée à l’éditeur. Les auteurs, l’éditeur et les organismes qui ont collaboré à la publication rejettent toute responsabilité à l’égard des éventuelles pertes commerciales pouvant découler de décisions d’affaires prises à la lumière des renseignements contenus dans ce magazine. Il est interdit de reproduire, de réimprimer, d’emmagasiner dans un système de recherche documentaire ou de transmettre cette publication en tout ou en partie, sous quelque forme ou par quelque moyen que ce soit (électronique, mécanique, photocopie, enregistrement ou autre), sans avoir obtenu au préalable le consentement écrit de l’éditeur.

Insights is grateful to the COVID-19 Emergency Support Fund for Cultural, Heritage and Sports administered through the Canada Periodical Fund, Special Measures for Journalism, Department of Canadian Heritage/Insights remercie le Fonds de soutien d’urgence COVID-19 pour la culture, le patrimoine et le sport, administré par le Fonds des périodiques canadiens, Mesures spéciales pour le journalisme, ministère du Patrimoine canadien.

Funded by the Government of Canada Financé par le gouvernement du Canada

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Please recycle where facilities exist/ Veuillez recycler là où ce service existe.

— SOLVING THE WORLD’S BIGGEST PROBLEMS TOGETHER The BCIT Honours in Biotechnology program perfectly pairs hands-on laboratory training with cutting-edge science theory to meet the needs of the growing biotech industry. Our graduates are ready to work in a variety of areas, with proven technical skills in cell and molecular biology, biochemistry, and genetics. Operating jointly with UBC, this five-year honours degree offers unique opportunities and learning for future biotechnology leaders.

Learn more at bcit.ca/biotech

HEALTH SCIENCES FOR A COMPLEX WORLD.

—— BCIT Biotech grad works at Stemcell Technologies in Vancouver.

BIOQuébec

BIOQuébec

BIOQuébec regroupe les entreprises et organisations clés des sciences de la vie. L’association travaille sans relâche à améliorer votre environnement d’affaires, à vous offrir des opportunités de croissance et à vous connecter avec votre écosystème.

BIOQuébec brings together key life sciences companies and organizations. The association is dedicated to improving your business environment, providing you with growth opportunities and helping you connect with your ecosystem.

Adhérer à BIOQuébec vous permet de contribuer à nos groupes de travail, de profiter d’avantages exclusifs et de participer à nos événements à tarif préférentiel.

BIOQuébec members can contribute to workgroups, take advantage of exclusive benefits and register to events at a discount.

Faites entendre votre point de vue, discutez des enjeux et partagez vos idées pour l’avenir de l’industrie. BIOQuébec vous offre l’occasion de faire la différence !

Express your views, discuss issues and share your ideas about the industry’s future. BIOQuébec offers you the opportunity to make a difference!

is the voice of industry

est la voix de l’industrie

La voix de l’industrie

Réseautage

Avantages et rabais

The voice of industry

Networking

Benefits and discounts

Rejoignez vos pairs et vos partenaires chez BIOQuébec

Join your peers and partners at BIOQuébec

www.bioquebec.com

MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT AND CEO

by Andrew Casey, BIOTECanada

THE PANDEMIC’S ECONOMIC, SOCIAL, AND HEALTH IMPACT HAS EFFECTIVELY focussed the attention of policymakers and the public on the strategic importance of building a competitive domestic life sciences industry and biomanufacturing capacity. Nearly four years after the onset of the pandemic, all governments, including those in Canada, are prudently preparing for another pandemic or some other global health emergency.

It is not possible to predict what or when the next global health challenge will be. Correspondingly, it is impossible to know what solutions will be required. When considering how to prepare for the next inevitable health crisis, the strategic approach for Canada should be to build its life sciences and biomanufacturing sector broadly to offer various potential solutions, while also acting as an innovator and economic driver during non-crisis periods. Both objectives can be easily met through focusing on creating a competitive environment generating ideas and attracting investors, partners, and talent required to turn ideas into companies, while scaling them to become globally commercial Canadian anchor companies.

Home to a vibrant ecosystem including world-class scientific research, hundreds of early-stage biotech companies, and a strong

global pharma presence, Canada is building its sector capacity from a position of strength. Canadian biotech companies have signed partnerships with global pharma companies and other investors totalling over $4 billion in investments clearly demonstrating the sector’s value as a generator of scientific discovery and the ability to create viable companies.

Canada must acknowledge it is not alone in recognizing the value of a domestic life sciences sector. Other nations around the world are equally aware of the biotech sector’s strategic value, making the global competition for ideas, companies, talent, and investment more intense than ever before. With this being said, it is imperative for Canada to act urgently, aggressively, and ambitiously to enhance its competitive position by establishing: a globally competitive tax and policy environment that drives the creation and scaling up of biotech companies; a modern and agile regulatory system for domestic innovation and the attraction of global biotech and pharma partnership and investment; and, a dedicated life sciences investment fund to grow Canada’s domestic life sciences investment pool. Our recent federal pre-budget submission outlines these themes and highlights key recommendations to foster the growth of Canada’s biotechnology

sector and drive innovation in life sciences. Read the full submission here.

A few short weeks ago, BIOTECanada held its annual BIONATION National Policy Discussion which brought together senior government leadership with entrepreneurial R&D leaders from the sector to explore next steps in developing the biomanufacturing and life sciences capacity in Canada.

BIONATION is about aiming higher, to seize the opportunity to bring the best of Canadian innovation to the world, capture the best talent at home and from abroad, to grow the ecosystem, and scale up our companies. For more information visit: biotech.ca/bionation/

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Photo property of IPS-Integrated Project Services

Is your facility healthy?

By Norman Fisher – Director, Architecture IPS-Integrated Project Services, ULC

A QUIET REVOLUTION IS UNDERWAY IN SCIENCE FACILITIES, subtly shaping how researchers and the environment coexist. With LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) and WELL (WELL Building Standard) as guides, the focus is on balance.

Amidst this transformation, practical choices speak volumes. Simple things like natural light, comfortable workstations, and peaceful corners significantly reduce stress and improved research outcomes. Lighting, ventilation, and noise control are carefully orchestrated to boost productivity.

Open spaces encourage collaboration, blurring disciplinary lines. Sustainable materials and energyefficient systems are seamlessly integrated, reflecting a

mindful approach. Innovations emerge, demonstrating a harmonious fusion of function and sustainability.

These spaces, designed with purpose, attracted both talent and funding, highlighting the mutual benefits of human and environmental well-being. Adaptability was vital, ensuring these spaces evolved with changing needs.

In this narrative of subtlety, science and sustainability can find common ground, paving the way for a future where progress harmonized with the world around us. By creating a conducive and sustainable environment, these facilities can attract top talent, secure funding, drive innovation, and deliver better outcomes in scientific research and sustainable practices.

MESSAGE DU PRÉSIDENT ET CHEF DE LA DIRECTION par Andrew Casey, BIOTECanada

IL N’EST PAS SURPRENANT QUE L’INCIDENCE ÉCONOMIQUE, SOCIALE ET SANITAIRE de la pandémie ait effectivement attiré l’attention des décideurs politiques et du public sur l’importance stratégique de la mise en place d’une industrie nationale des sciences de la vie et de moyens de biofabrication concurrentiels. Près de quatre ans après le début de la pandémie, tous les gouvernements, y compris ceux du Canada, se préparent en coulisse à faire face à une nouvelle pandémie ou à une autre urgence sanitaire mondiale.

Nul ne peut prévoir quel sera le prochain événement mondial en matière de santé, ni quand il se présentera. Il est par conséquent impossible de savoir quels seraient les besoins dans une telle situation. Dans ce contexte d’expectative quant à la prochaine crise sanitaire, inévitable, l’approche stratégique du Canada devrait consister à faire croître son secteur des sciences de la vie et de la biofabrication afin d’avoir sous la main diverses solutions potentielles, tout en jouant un rôle d’innovateur et de moteur économique en dehors des périodes de crise. Ces deux objectifs peuvent être facilement atteints si l’on met en priorité la création d’un environnement concurrentiel qui génère de nouvelles idées et attire les investisseurs, les partenaires et les talents nécessaires pour transformer le fruit de la recherche en entreprises. Il s’agit aussi de permettre à ces entreprises d’évoluer et de devenir des acteurs canadiens phares jouant un rôle économique à l’échelle mondiale.

Le Canada, pour sa part, s’efforce de stimuler les capacités de son secteur tout en étant déjà dans une position de force grâce à un écosystème dynamique comprenant une communauté scientifique de niveau mondial, des centaines d’entreprises biotechnologiques en phase de démarrage et une forte présence de multinationales pharmaceutiques. Les entreprises canadiennes de biotechnologie ont en effet établi des partenariats avec des multinationales pharmaceutiques et d’autres investisseurs, qui se sont traduits par l’arrivée d’investissements de plus de quatre milliards de dollars, preuve s’il en est de la valeur du secteur à titre de moteur d’innovations scientifiques et d’environnement propice à la création d’entreprises viables.

Le Canada doit néanmoins être conscient qu’il n’est pas le seul pays à vouloir faire croître son secteur des sciences de la vie. D’autres nations dans le monde sont également conscientes de la valeur stratégique de ce secteur, ce qui fait en sorte que la concurrence mondiale en matière d’idées, de création d’entreprises, de talents et d’investissements n’a jamais été si intense. Cela étant dit, il est impératif que le Canada agisse urgemment, avec conviction et ambition, pour améliorer sa position concurrentielle en établissant : un environnement fiscal et politique concurrentiel au niveau mondial qui favorise la création et la croissance des entreprises de biotechnologie; un système réglementaire moderne et évolutif qui permet l’innovation et l’attraction de

partenariats et d’investissements mondiaux dans les domaines de la biotechnologie et de la pharmacie; un fonds d’investissement consacré aux sciences de la vie en vue d’accroître le bassin canadien d’investissements dans les sciences de la vie. Notre récente présentation prébudgétaire auprès du gouvernement fédéral a mis en évidence ces enjeux et contenait d’importantes recommandations visant à favoriser la croissance du secteur canadien de la biotechnologie et à stimuler l’innovation dans le domaine des sciences de la vie. Vous pouvez lire la présentation ici.

Il y a quelques semaines seulement, BIOTECanada a tenu sa rencontre stratégique annuelle BIONation autour des questions réglementaires : de hauts responsables gouvernementaux et des chefs d’entreprise du secteur de la recherche-développement s’y sont réunis pour étudier les prochaines étapes en vue d’accroître les capacités en matière de biofabrication et de sciences de la vie au Canada. L’objectif de BIONation est de définir des objectifs ambitieux, de saisir l’occasion qui nous est donnée d’offrir au monde le summum de l’innovation canadienne, d’attirer les plus grands talents du pays et d’ailleurs dans le monde, ainsi que de réfléchir à l’élargissement de l’écosystème et à l’évolution des entreprises. Pour plus d’informations, visitez le: biotech.ca/bionation/

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Building a better diagnostic test DR. AHLFORS REMEMBERS A CUSTOMER COMING TO HIS COMPANY FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTS and quizzing him on how his price was $200 when one of his competitors quoted over $1,000 for the same list of tests.

Lilium Diagnostics, based in Laval and Montreal, has developed and administers blood, antibody and RT-PCR tests, to name a few. The tests often include more test parameters than Lilium’s competitors, while charging less.

For example, during COVID it built a reputation for fast RT-PCR tests that included detailed cycle threshold values.

“Our price point is dramatically lower than the competition,” says Ahlfors, founder of Lilium Diagnostics Inc. “We’re bringing the latest diagnostic technologies at wholesale prices direct to the consumer. We just had a

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customer ask us about a specific test and then asking multiple times if we were sure we understood what she was asking and not making a mistake. It was actually one of our most expensive tests at $80, but the big private labs were giving her quotes of $500. Additionally, we provided results the same day while the other lab had informed her it would take 2 weeks to have the results.”

Simply put, Lilium’s goal is to provide the best lab diagnostic tests at the best prices. In addition, 90 per cent of the company’s profits are invested back into research and development of new diagnostic tests and advances towards new ethical solutions to cure diseases. And, Lilium’s tests use up to 90 per cent less plastic waste than most other tests and use non-toxic materials in the diagnostics.

Being at the leading edge comes with its own set of challenges. There were long delays in receiving government approvals and permits, even though Lilium outperformed its peers in proficiency tests and received both national and international accreditation faster than its peers.

“Unlike in Silicon Valley, the local government was not used to game-changing companies in the medical field” Ahlfors says.

Due to robotics and high-level automation, Lilium’s test results are often ready the same day, often within hours.

“People are kind of surprised by the price and speed at which they receive their test results,” Ahlfors says.

Lilium’s tests often include more parameters or tests compared to the competition. For example, it’s standard CBC (complete blood count) and urinalysis tests consist of 25 per cent more testing parameters than the competition, providing more detailed information of the results to doctors. This can help doctors make a more informed diagnosis and take better decisions.

Some of these additional testing parameters are available from Lilium’s competitors, but they have to be requested separately and can add significantly to the bottom line the patient must pay.

For more expensive or rare tests, many labs accumulate samples over days or weeks and then run them all at the same time to lower their costs. Labs often outsource at least some of their tests to other labs, such as to the United States, to further save on costs. This means it can sometimes take many weeks to receive the results and the sample could undergo slight degradation during transport and storage. This type of race to lower costs often results in the quality and speed of diagnostic tests to suffer.

Lilium runs all its tests in its own laboratory, allowing most results to be ready the same day. Lilium has decided to take this one step further by making each standard test as comprehensive as possible, by including everything in its standard tests rather than selling them as extras, and then lowering the price as much as possible by implementing the latest technologies.

“We use all the latest technology,” Ahlfors says. “Often labs don’t update their equipment because with every new platform you have to re-validate everything, re-certify everything, and re-evaluate the data. It takes months, it’s quite expensive and you need specialized talent to do that.”

Lilium’s roots are as a spinoff of a biotech company that used to develop such technologies and assays.

Whereas other diagnostic companies buy their equipment, tests and technology from the big diagnostic

test providers, Lilium houses scientists who can develop these tests for the big providers that then sell them to the diagnostic companies. “We have that talent in house,” says Ahlfors.

Lilium also has robotics engineers on staff.

“Our robotics engineers have allowed us to automate the processes to a far greater extent than otherwise possible,” says Ahlfors. “That’s one reason we can do it faster and cheaper. We even have a robot for collecting samples that works with the nurses to automatically open and close tubes, scan, track, and pack them for transport to the lab.”

The Lilium system has automated patient identification scanning all the way from patient registration to final report generation. “We never have mix-ups of samples or any anything like that,” says Ahlfors. Being able to automate pretty well everything also saves a lot of time in terms of filling out paperwork, manually labelling the sample, manually registering and analyzing the sample in the lab, etc.

Ahlfors says when it comes to pricing, Lilium’s model is to offer near-wholesale prices to all of its customers and he wonders if other companies do a bit of price-gouging with their captive audiences.

Lilium’s leadership is made up of scientists rather than business people.

Its philosophy, according to Ahlfors, is to help the community be healthy while also giving customers the best price it can. “We could, for example, just sell our tests 20 per cent cheaper than the competition and already get a lot of business, but instead we sell them up to 80 per cent cheaper because we can,” he says.

As he looks to the future, Ahlfors sees the company coming out with more tests, which, of course, takes time.

“The people who work at this company like to develop new things,” he says. “With each new test that comes online, we’re proud of it. It’s just a different kind of drive.

We are product development scientists driven more by coming up with new solutions than by money. And we want to do our part for the health-care industry, because it’s really not in very good shape right now in Canada.”

Lilium is also moving into personalized diagnostics, but is not giving any further details as it is still in the development phase. “We are looking into how to enhance precision medicine and offer better and cheaper diagnostic tests, resulting in more accurate diagnoses — and treatments — for patients. Our goal is to improve and speed up health care while lowering costs both in Canada and other countries.”

“Our robotics engineers have allowed us to automate the processes to a far greater extent than otherwise possible”

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Breaking through together Faire des percées ensemble THE PFIZER IGNITE PROGRAM IS INSPIRED BY A COLLABORATION PFIZER AND BIONTECH CREATED to tackle the spread of COVID-19 by developing a vaccine together. Now Ignite is looking for highly innovative early science biotech companies looking to access Pfizer’s long-established expertise and services through partnerships.

When Pfizer partnered with BioNTech to develop the first approved and most widely used mRNA vaccine to help prevent COVID-19, it was a collaboration with an established partner that was borne out of a global crisis and necessity. Many of today’s widespread and disruptive global health-care challenges are too great for any one organization to tackle alone. The pandemic provided an opportunity for cutting-edge science from a smaller biotech company to benefit from the size and scale of Pfizer and its capabilities — and it sparked thinking about how to collaborate with innovative companies earlier. It was, in fact, the genesis of an entirely new program called Pfizer Ignite.

Pfizer recognizes that the biotech ecosystem is a “major engine of innovation and growth” and an increasing percentage of breakthrough therapies are coming from this sector.

“Perhaps the greatest example of innovation through collaboration was the partnership between Pfizer and BioNTech that brought forth the first

LE PROGRAMME PFIZER IGNITE EST INSPIRÉ DE LA COLLABORATION NOUÉE ENTRE PFIZER ET BIONTECH AFIN DE CONCEVOIR un vaccin contre la COVID-19 et de s’attaquer à la propagation de la maladie. Ignite est présentement à la recherche de jeunes entreprises biopharmaceutiques innovantes qui souhaitent avoir accès à la vaste expertise de Pfizer et à ses services dans le cadre de partenariats.

Lorsque Pfizer s’est associée à BioNTech pour mettre au point un vaccin à ARNm contre la COVID-19, qui s’est avéré le premier à être approuvé et le plus utilisé, elle a entamé une collaboration avec un partenaire établi en réponse à une crise mondiale et la nécessité d’y faire face. Bon nombre des défis perturbateurs actuels en matière de soins de santé qui sont répandus à l’échelle mondiale sont trop importants pour qu’une organisation s’y attaque seule. Le contexte de la pandémie a permis la convergence de la recherche scientifique de pointe d’une petite entreprise biotechnologique et de l’envergure de Pfizer et de ses compétences – cette association est à l’origine d’une réflexion sur la façon de collaborer avec des sociétés innovantes plus tôt dans le cycle de développement. Elle a été, en fait, la genèse d’un tout nouveau programme appelé Pfizer Ignite.

Pfizer reconnaît que l’écosystème des biotechnologies est un « important moteur d’innovation et de croissance

Najah Sampson, President Pfizer Canada ULC Najah Sampson, présidente de Pfizer Canada SRI

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COVID-19 vaccine,” says Najah Sampson, president of Pfizer Canada ULC and a member of the board of BIOTECanada since June 2023. “Each company brought something distinct and complementary to the table and because of that, we achieved the extraordinary.”

Indeed, based on this experience, Pfizer knew it wanted to create these partnerships again and thus Pfizer Ignite was born. This new end-to-end offering for biotech partners that leverages Pfizer’s resources, scale and expertise to accelerate innovation from pre-clinical R&D through the development lifecycle, is now globally available and open to highly innovative, early-stage biotech companies, including those located in Canada.

“The pandemic accelerated our recognition that many of today’s widespread and disruptive global healthcare challenges necessitate creating diverse partnerships whose stakeholders share a common purpose,” says Sampson.

“They require innovation — and to be a true innovator, we believe you need to be a world-class collaborator.”

“We want to meet these partners where they are, regardless of where that is in the development cycle as long as it’s the right fit for both parties. And we’re open to many different business arrangements to get the work done and ultimately improve the lives of Canadians and people around the world” says Shaan Gandhi, Head of Strategic Partnerships, Pfizer Ignite.

The strengths Pfizer brings to Ignite is a deep understanding of drug development and manufacturing — and the challenges faced by those who are working to bring innovative treatments to patients in need.

» et qu’un pourcentage croissant de traitements révolutionnaires provient de ce secteur. « Le partenariat entre Pfizer et BioNTech, qui a donné naissance au premier vaccin contre la COVID-19, est peut-être le meilleur exemple d’innovation par la collaboration », a déclaré Najah Sampson, présidente de Pfizer Canada SRI et membre du conseil de BIOTECanada depuis juin 2023. « Les deux entreprises ont apporté des contributions distinctes et complémentaires, et ont ainsi pu obtenir des résultats extraordinaires. » En effet, à la suite de cette expérience, Pfizer savait qu’elle voulait créer de tels partenariats à nouveau et c’est ainsi que Pfizer Ignite est né. Cette nouvelle solution complète pour les entreprises biotechnologiques, qui met à profit les ressources, l’envergure et l’expertise de Pfizer pour accélérer l’innovation depuis la recherche et le développement en phase préclinique jusqu’à la fin du cycle de conception, est maintenant accessible à l’échelle mondiale et ouverte aux entreprises biotechnologiques très innovantes en premier développement, y compris celles situées au Canada. « La pandémie nous a permis de constater qu’un grand nombre des défis auxquels font face aujourd’hui les systèmes de soins de santé dans le monde nécessitent la création de différents partenariats dont les parties prenantes partagent une raison d’être commune, a mentionné Mme Sampson.

Nous devons innover. Et nous pensons que pour véritablement innover, nous devons être des collaborateurs de classe mondiale. » « Nous souhaitons rejoindre des partenaires là où ils en sont dans le cycle de développement, pour autant que cela convienne aux deux parties. Et nous sommes ouverts à

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“The entire goal of this program is to build relationships with prospective biotech partners to help enhance the value of their work and accelerate bringing breakthrough therapies to patients all over the world,” Gandhi says.

The program works by offering would-be partners a suite of customized services such as strategic advice, research development and manufacturing to tailor each collaboration to the partner’s unique needs as well as to its stage in the development journey. There are several other services as well. Pre-clinical research and development includes pharmaceutical science and drug safety. Clinical development includes drafting clinical development plans in the IND-enabling phase; clinical supply and manufacturing brings in a network of more than 35 manufacturing sites across six continents. Meanwhile, cross-cutting platforms, including platforms for data management and analysis as well as drug development, help improve efficiency and apply the best practices from the industry to give therapies the highest chance of success. An expert advisory network gives partners access to people who know what it takes to get a breakthrough to market as Pfizer is a current end-to-end clinical successrate leader that can help with advice on pricing, feedback on protocol amendments, reviews of medicine development plans and open-ended and collaborative development discussions.

“We have an in-depth understanding of the process and how to navigate it,” Gandhi says. “It’s an understanding that we share with our partners to co-create a clear

Shaan Gandhi, Head of Strategic Partnerships, Pfizer Ignite Shaan Gandhi, directeur – Partenariats stratégiques, Pfizer Ignite.

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conclure divers types d’ententes commerciales afin d’accomplir la tâche et d’améliorer la vie des Canadiens et des populations aux quatre coins du monde », s’est réjoui Shaan Gandhi, directeur – Partenariats stratégiques, Pfizer Ignite.

Les forces que Pfizer apporte à Ignite résident dans sa compréhension approfondie de conception et de la fabrication des médicaments – et des défis auxquels font face ceux qui travaillent à offrir des traitements novateurs aux personnes dans le besoin. « Ce programme a pour but d’établir des relations avec d’éventuels partenaires du secteur des biotechnologies afin de les aider à accroître la valeur de leur recherche et à accélérer l’accès des patients à leurs traitements novateurs », a précisé M. Gandhi.

Le programme fonctionne en offrant à des partenaires potentiels une gamme de services personnalisés, touchant au conseil stratégique, à la recherche, au développement ou à la fabrication, pour adapter chaque collaboration à leurs besoins uniques et à l’étape du parcours de développement où ils se trouvent. Plusieurs autres services sont également offerts. La recherche et le développement précliniques englobent la science pharmaceutique et l’innocuité des médicaments. Le développement clinique comprend l’élaboration de plans de développement clinique à la phase de l’appui d’un nouveau médicament expérimental, alors que l’approvisionnement et la fabrication donnent accès à un réseau de plus de 35 usines de fabrication sur six continents. En parallèle, des plateformes transversales, y compris des plateformes de gestion et d’analyse des données ainsi que de développement des médicaments, aident à améliorer l’efficacité et à appliquer les pratiques exemplaires de l’industrie pour donner aux traitements les meilleures chances de réussite. Un réseau consultatif d’experts met les partenaires en relation avec des professionnels chevronnés dans la commercialisation de traitements novateurs chez Pfizer, chef de file en ce qui concerne le taux de réussite dans la conception complète de solutions cliniques et qui peut aider ses partenaires potentiels en leur offrant des conseils sur la tarification, en leur donnant de la rétroaction sur les modifications de protocole, en examinant les plans de développement des médicaments et en tenant des discussions ouvertes et collaboratives sur le développement. « Nous avons une compréhension approfondie du processus et savons comment nous y retrouver, a précisé M. Gandhi. Nous partageons ces connaissances avec nos partenaires pour créer conjointement une feuille de route claire et permettre ainsi à leurs produits candidats de franchir les phases cliniques plus rapidement. » « Pfizer collabore exclusivement avec des entreprises qui mettent au point des traitements susceptibles de changer des vies, dans nos domaines thérapeutiques prioritaires et qui sont prêtes à passer de la sélection des candidats à la phase II et au-delà, a-t-il ajouté. Nous nous concentrons sur les activités scientifiques novatrices et prometteuses réalisées à l’externe qui sont susceptibles de déboucher sur de véritables

roadmap to accelerate their candidates through the clinical phases.”

“Pfizer works exclusively with companies and therapies that have the potential to change lives, are aligned with our priority therapeutic areas and are ready to move from candidate selection through Phase II and beyond,” Gandhi says. “We are focused on compelling, innovative external science, which has the potential to result in real innovations for patients, and where we can add substantial value.”

Pfizer’s scientific skills and acumen are centered around therapeutic areas, with areas of interest being broadly focused on some of the most serious medical conditions of our time. Among others, the company has vast experience in oncology, inflammation and immunology, cardiovascular disease, metabolic disease, hematological disease, anti-infectives and vaccines.

The company is also interested in engaging with companies with technology platforms that have the potential to fuel multiple products, such as mRNA, PROTACs and gene editing.

PFIZER IGNITE’S GOALS Pfizer Ignite features a proven track record of accelerating development timelines as well as years of expertise across the entire development lifecycle and Pfizer’s promise of flexibility on agreement structures.

“As veteran drug developers, we’re able to offer biotechs strategic and operational support honed by decades of in-house R&D, manufacturing, clinical and commercial experience,” Sampson notes. “Pfizer is the industry leader in first-in-human to approval success rates, which reflects the rigour, efficiencies and capabilities we bring to the table in designing and executing preclinical and clinical studies.

Our track record is a key differentiating factor.”

Companies that are ready to co-create and advance their breakthroughs together with Pfizer’s team of experts and innovators are invited to visit www.pfizerignite.com.

percées pour les patients et auxquelles nous pouvons apporter une valeur ajoutée substantielle. » Les compétences scientifiques et le savoir-faire de Pfizer sont centrés sur des domaines thérapeutiques et ses domaines d’intérêt portent principalement sur les maladies graves de notre époque. La société possède notamment une vaste expérience en oncologie, en inflammation et en immunologie, en infectiologie, dans les maladies cardiovasculaires, métaboliques et hématologiques, et dans les vaccins. La société souhaite également s’engager auprès d’entreprises dont les plateformes technologiques sont susceptibles de pouvoir alimenter le développement de multiples produits, notamment les plateformes basées sur l’ARNm, les PROTAC et l’édition génique.

OBJECTIFS DE PFIZER IGNITE Pfizer Ignite se distingue par ses antécédents démontrés en matière d’accélération du développement et ses années d’expérience dans l’ensemble du cycle de développement et sa promesse de flexibilité en ce qui concerne les structures contractuelles. « Grâce à notre longue expérience dans la mise au point de médicaments, nous sommes en mesure d’offrir un soutien stratégique et opérationnel aux entreprises de biotechnologie. Notre savoir-faire s’appuie sur des décennies de travail à l’interne dans les domaines de la recherche et du développement, de la fabrication, des études cliniques et de la commercialisation, note Mme Sampson. Pfizer est le chef de file de l’industrie en ce qui concerne le taux d’homologation après la première étude menée chez l’humain, ce qui témoigne de notre rigueur, de notre efficacité et de nos compétences en matière de conception et d’exécution d’études précliniques et cliniques. Nous nous démarquons par nos excellents résultats. » Les sociétés prêtes à créer conjointement et à faire avancer leurs percées avec l’équipe d’experts et d’innovateurs de Pfizer sont invitées à consulter le site www.pfizerignite.com.

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Celebrating Alberta’s Rise as a Thriving Start-Up Hub

FOR THE PAST 25 YEARS, BIOALBERTA’S MISSION HAS BEEN TO FOSTER AND NAVIGATE A NETWORK OF RESEARCHERS, entrepreneurs, and supporters to grow Alberta’s life sciences ecosystem. Today, Alberta boasts close to 900 companies in life sciences, generating 23,900 high-value jobs and contributing $1.89 billion to the Alberta economy. We want you to join us.

Already a leader in energy, clean tech, and agriculture, Alberta has emerged as one of the most dynamic destinations in North America for biotech and health innovation startups. With a strong foundation in clinical research and a supportive ecosystem, the province is attracting entrepreneurs, investors, and researchers who see the potential of harnessing biotech for economic growth and diversification of Alberta’s economy. You, too, can be part of it!

THE NEW ALBERTA ADVANTAGE Alberta is home to Canada’s largest and only provincewide, fully integrated healthcare system, serving a diverse population of nearly 4.6 million patients with a single Electronic Health Record. This unified system allows for streamlined access to high-quality, robust patient data, which, when aligned with other provincial data sources, creates an unrivaled dataset to study social and health impacts.

ALBERTA IS ATTRACTING GLOBAL INVESTMENT Alberta’s business-friendly environment has resulted in record-high venture capital (VC) investments. Since 2013, over $2.6 billion VC dollars have been invested. Alberta is also home to the country’s second most private equity firms. Additionally, initiatives like the Alberta Enterprise Corporation, a financer of funds established by the Alberta government in 2008, and UCeed, the largest universitybased fund of its kind in Canada, connect Alberta entrepreneurs, innovators, and inventors with funding, markets, and mentors.

International investors are drawn to do business in Alberta because of its competitive tax structure. Alberta 18

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has the lowest corporate income tax rate in Canada and one of the lowest in North America at 8%, with no provincial sales tax, payroll tax, or healthcare premiums.

Investor confidence in Alberta’s biotech sector is high, and venture capital firms and angel investors recognize the region’s potential, injecting funds into promising startups.

EXCELLENCE IN CLINICAL RESEARCH Alberta’s biotech ecosystem is flourishing. The province is home to world-renowned research institutions - the University of Alberta (UofA), the University of Calgary (UofC), and the University of Lethbridge - providing a solid academic foundation for biotech startups. UofA and UfoC hold two of the top 150 life sciences programs globally and are ranked 2nd and 3rd in Canada for a number of active clinical trials. Alberta has demonstrated global AI leadership for over two decades and is recognized as one of the top three international destinations for AI machine learning and research. Alberta continues to lead the way as Amii and the University of Alberta launch an introductory AI course that aims to provide fundamental AI literacy skills to all UofA students.

Alberta’s research capacity results from strong longterm investment in research and development (R&D).

Today, Alberta Innovates, the agency that supports the commercialization of research into business opportunities, serves as a catalyst for R&D activities at the heart of the biotech revolution in Alberta. The organization fuels R&D initiatives that span from fundamental scientific research to translational projects with tangible applications by providing various funding, grants, and programs. These investments not only advance knowledge but also drive the creation of innovative technologies and solutions with the potential to transform both traditional and emerging industries.

Organizations like Alberta Clinical Research Consortium (ACRC) connect researchers and their teams with the resources necessary to conduct research effectively. ACRC helps navigate the complex clinical health

research environment from study start-up to finish with comprehensive resources and services.

NOTABLE LIFE SCIENCES SUCCESS STORIES FROM ALBERTA IN 2023 ➢ Alberta’s government provided the universities of Alberta and Calgary with $27.3 million over four years under the Major Innovation Fund. This investment intends to help Alberta continue its success in being one of the fastest growing and most innovative tech sectors in North America. ➢ Edmonton’s Applied Pharmaceutical Innovation (API) was awarded $80.5 million by the Government of Canada’s Canadian Critical Drug Initiative manufacturing facility to be built in the Edmonton Research Park. The funding will catalyze the Edmonton Research Park into Canada’s first integrated research, commercialization, and manufacturing cluster. ➢ Entos Pharmaceuticals has emerged as an industry leader in Alberta’s life science landscape through its success in developing new genetic medicines with its leading-edge Fusogenix proteolipid vehicle (PLV) technology platform. Therapies in development have the potential to eradicate genetic diseases, block cancer and reverse aging. ➢ Future Fields secured $11.2M USD to turn fruit flies into Modular Cleantech Bioreactors that fuel the biomanufacturing revolution in medical R&D, pharmaceuticals, and cultivated meat. They also announced the performance results of its first human growth factor, Recombinant Human FGF2, which marks the first human growth factor derived from a commercial fruit fly expression system. ➢ PanTHERA CryoSolutions developed ‘ice inhibitors’ to protect cells during cryopreservation, which could positively impact medical treatments to treat cancer or immune therapies.

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Pacylex Pharmaceuticals, a clinical-stage company developing PCLX-001, a first-in-class oral investigational small molecule for leukemia, lymphoma, and solid tumor cancers, announced their first patient was dosed in a Phase 2a expansion study in patients with relapsed/ refractory B-cell Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma.

Providence Therapeutics announced a multi-year partnership for Northern RNA Inc. to provide plasmid DNA, mRNA Cap Analogs, and GMP-certified manufacturing support to Providence as part of a deal valued at over $15 million, demonstrating the industry’s ability to bring novel products to the global market jointly.

Syantra announced obtaining CE marking for the Syantra DX™ Breast Cancer test. Syantra DX™ Breast Cancer is a minimally invasive blood test for the detection of an active breast cancer signature - in the earliest stages when it is easier to treat.

Alberta is proud of its history as a resource-driven economy rooted in agriculture and energy, and those traditional strengths are essential to Alberta’s future economy. Diversifying has allowed the life sciences economy to emerge as a scale-up ecosystem, showcasing the power of innovation, collaboration, and strategic support.

Additionally, the province’s rich research landscape and an ecosystem that guides startups along the commercialization path, positions Alberta as a compelling destination for entrepreneurs in the biotechnology sector.

Join us and learn how you can take advantage of Alberta’s life sciences ecosystem and scale-up with ease.

Contact BioAlberta: Robb Stoddard, President & CEO 780-425-3815 robb@bioalberta.com

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Phase-Appropriate Implementation of GMPs: Ensuring Quality in Drug Development

IN THE REALM OF PHARMACEUTICAL DEVELOPMENT, THE REGULATORY AUTHORITIES MANDATE THE GRADUAL INTEGRATION of Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) quality systems as drugs progress through development. This dynamic approach protects patient safety, ensures product quality, and proactively manages risks. The overarching goal is to craft processes and products that seamlessly transition to commercial settings, ensuring a steady supply of high-quality products.

Failing to apply phase-appropriate GMPs leads to significant consequences, apart from the heightened risks to product quality and patient safety. Such consequences include regulatory obstacles and an inability to control the material supply chain effectively, which can cause shortages, delays, and increased costs.

From the preliminary research and development stages to the culmination of Phase 3 clinical trials, GMPs underpin the process of manufacturing drug products.

These practices establish the foundation for reliability and quality, guiding drug substances towards their eventual commercialization.

IN THE INITIAL STAGES OF RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT, while strict GMP rules may not apply, essential principles are expected to be upheld. This entails meticulous documentation, calibrated lab equipment and use of standardized methods. The integrity of data and careful labeling of research materials are of paramount importance. The foundational expectations set by general laboratory practices remain a cornerstone for maintaining accuracy and credibility.

AS DRUG DEVELOPMENT PROGRESSES TO PRECLINICAL STUDIES, further implementation of GMP controls becomes expected, along with adherence to Good Laboratory Practices (GLP). During this phase, the emphasis lies on employing high-quality starting materials, adhering to good documentation practices, and implementing written methods/procedures describing test

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methodology. This collective effort ensures safety as the drug progresses toward Phase 1 clinical trials.

PHASE 1 CLINICAL TRIALS require the application of applicable GMPs to ensure consistent and high-quality manufacturing. Raw materials and study materials must be labeled, segregated, and traceable at all times.

Manufacturing processes, including sanitation measures, should be well-documented, consistently recorded, and controlled to ensure product uniformity. Critical Quality Attributes (CQAs) and Critical Process Parameters (CPPs) are documented and tracked, serving as guiding benchmarks for scaling the process. Accurate records of manufacturing and testing data must be maintained, while qualified personnel and a Quality Assurance (QA) function play essential roles. Environmental controls and equipment maintenance ensure stringent quality standards. Material consistency with preclinical studies is essential. A comprehensive testing strategy, covering raw materials, in-process elements, packaging, and final products, is enforced. Validation of analytical methods and stability testing provide essential checkpoints. At this point while a full vendor qualification is not required, the vendor selection must take into consideration the reputation and reliability of the vendor.

CONTINUING INTO PHASE 2A CLINICAL TRIALS, the focus remains on ensuring consistent manufacturing and product quality. Establishing controls for critical process parameters is crucial to maintain uniformity, while documentation integrity remains a constant priority.

PHASE 2B CLINICAL TRIALS echo the principles of Phase 2a, with a heightened emphasis on scalability and process validation. This entails the implementation of fully qualified test methods and comprehensive documentation.

Validation of manufacturing processes continues with preliminary in-process controls. Documentation practices are robust, including comprehensive batch records and validation reports.

DURING PHASE 3 CLINICAL TRIALS, the strict adherence to full GMP compliance is paramount to ensure safety, efficacy, and quality. Manufacturing consistency is key, along with process validation, quality control measures, transfer of test methods, and comprehensive documentation. Robust equipment implementation and qualification are integral to supporting commercial-scale manufacturing and testing. Material suppliers are subjected to stringent vetting and must be fully qualified.

Rigorous testing procedures span in-process, final product, and stability analysis. There should also be a clear plan for the transfer of the drug product operations to commercial.

The meticulous integration of GMPs, from the early clinical phases to the domain of commercial operations, is a collective commitment involving stakeholders at every juncture. Collaborating closely with regulatory authorities is pivotal for compliance, particularly emphasizing phaseappropriate Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs) to ensure the safe and effective evolution of drugs through each development stage.

For a comprehensive list of recommended readings tailored to your specific focus, scan the QR code. Key references that offer insights include: • PDA Technical Report 56 – Application of PhaseAppropriate Quality System and cGMP to the Development of Therapeutic Protein Drug Substance (API or Biological Active Substance)

• FDA Guidance for Industry – CGMP for Phase 1 Investigational Drugs • FDA Guidance for Industry – INDs for Phase 2 and Phase 3 Studies • HC GUI-0036 – Annex 13 to the Current Edition of the Good Manufacturing Practices Guidelines Drugs Used in Clinical Trials.

• HC GUI-0100 – Drugs for Clinical Trials Involving Human Subjects Benefit from our 30 years of GMP consulting experience encompassing all aspects of GMP. We are also the publishers of The Blue Book, a pocket-sized, cross-indexed reference for cGMP and GMP compliance.

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Helping Canadian Cancer Research & Innovation BeiGene Canada’s Pioneering Fund

CANCER IS A FORMIDABLE ADVERSARY THAT TOUCHES COUNTLESS LIVES. The disease continues to challenge the global healthcare community where cures or effective treatments are often elusive. This ongoing battle requires relentless dedication, collaboration, and innovation. It also requires enormous resources. In Canada, while we strive for excellence in medical research and are certainly capable of it thanks to the ingenuity and quality of our investigators, a clear obstacle is the ability to pursue and prove hypotheses.

BeiGene Canada, a relatively new player in the Canadian oncology space, has recently taken a significant step forward in launching the BeiGene Canada Fund for Research and Innovation – an initiative to help give life to ideas on how to improve cancer care that may be lying dormant in a lab somewhere in our expansive country.

A VISION OF PROGRESS BeiGene Canada, is the Canadian affiliate of global biotechnology company BeiGene Inc., specialized in the discovery and development of novel, affordable, and accessible oncology medications. With a diverse portfolio primarily targeting blood cancers and solid tumours, BeiGene is at the forefront of global efforts to combat cancer. Since entering Canada in 2021, BeiGene’s Brukinsa has received Health Canada authorization as a treatment for adult patients with Waldenström’s Macroglobulinemia (WM), Mantle Cell Lymphoma (MCL), relapsed or refractory Marginal Zone Lymphoma (MZL), and most recently for Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL).

From left to right: BeiGene Canada GM, Peter Brenders, N.B. Health Minister Bruce Fitch, Atlantic Cancer Research Institute, Acting CEO, Brigitte Sonier-Ferguson, Research NB, CEO, Damon Goodwin

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Canada Fund for Research and Innovation illustrates our deep commitment to the Canadian oncology community in overcoming this challenge and highlights the power of partnerships,” he said.

Speaking at the Moncton, N.B. news conference to announce the fund, Peter Brenders noted that, “a cancer diagnosis is a life-altering event that affects countless individuals and their loved ones. Researchers across Canada work tirelessly every day to advance cancer care, and initiatives like the BeiGene Canada Fund offer hope for groundbreaking discoveries that can transform the way we approach cancer treatment.”

Peter Brenders, General Manager, BeiGene Canada

The announcement of BeiGene Canada’s inaugural partnership fund, aimed at catalyzing non-clinical cancer research and innovation across Canada, was made in August 2023 by Peter Brenders, General Manager of BeiGene Canada in collaboration with N.B. Health Minister Bruce Fitch, ResearchNB and the Atlantic Cancer Research Institute. This was the first step in the national outreach to ensure that Canadian researchers are aware of the program and to encourage them to apply. The initial half-million-dollar fund signifies a resounding commitment to enhancing cancer care across Canada.

EMPOWERING RESEARCHERS BeiGene Canada’s GM, Peter Brenders, is candid in explaining that the BeiGene Canada Fund for Research and Innovation goes beyond being a straightforward financial commitment; it is about fostering a vision of collaboration that seeks to empower researchers and institutions across Canada. This initiative is thoughtfully designed to leverage contributions from various sources, including public funding agencies, health charities, and other private sector granting entities. This approach amplifies the dollars and engages a broader group of stakeholders who share a common purpose. The expression that it “takes a village” accurately sums it up.

He also emphasizes that central to the company’s mission to discover, develop, and deliver treatments that are better, safer, less expensive and, ultimately, more accessible is the company’s founding principle that, Cancer has no borders, and neither do we. “The BeiGene

SUPPORTING CANCER RESEARCH The fund will support projects related to human health research, specifically cancer care, excluding clinical trials.

Proposals can fall under the umbrella of any of four themes: biomedical research, clinical research, health systems and services including health policy, and population health. Eligible applicants must be affiliated with a university, college, medical training program, regional health authority, or healthcare or research institution in Canada. The grants will be awarded to the participating institution and not an individual.

The BeiGene Canada Fund is designed to support innovative research projects for up to two years and provide a maximum of $50,000 per project ($25,000 per year for 2 years). The fund is not intended to be the sole source of funding for research projects and here is where the partnership concept is realized. The leverage ratio for each research project necessitates matching funding of at least 1 to 4 in each year (25% of the BeiGene funding). For example, if the Fund provides $40,000 other funding source(s) must provide $10,000. Applications for funding will be accepted on a rolling basis, with no set deadlines, so that researchers and institutions have the flexibility to align their projects with the evolving landscape of their cancer research.

The BeiGene Canada Fund for Research and Innovation is a testament to the power of partnership and commitment in the field of cancer research. With so many in our country impacted by cancer in one form or another, patients, caregivers, clinicians, and investigators are the ones who will stand to benefit from the advancements driven by this initiative, offering new hope for the future of cancer care in Canada.

For additional information on the BeiGene Canada Fund for Research and Innovation and to apply, please visit www.beigene.ca/en-ca/fund/.

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Nature makes the best medicines – and AI is helping to accelerate their discovery Kapoose Creek Bio is revolutionizing the drug discovery process, using AI and untapped natural ecosystems to find the next generation of world changing medicines.

It’s often said that nature makes the best medicines. Hundreds of millions of years of interspecies evolution have created optimal chemistry and mechanisms to enable the development of generations of game-changing drugs – from penicillin to blockbuster cholesterollowering statins, to the remarkable immunosuppressive agent cyclosporine.

To this day, about half of all drugs introduced into the clinic are derived from nature.

Yet significantly, most of these drugs are modeled after bioactive chemistry discovered decades ago. Modern pharmaceutical drug discovery efforts have largely abandoned searches for natural chemistry, despite the historical successes. The reasons for this are complex, but mostly reflect the fact that conventional methods of drug discovery from nature are laborious, slow and expensive.

Accelerating early-stage drug discovery by five-fold Now there is new light on the horizon.

Thanks to the power of artificial intelligence – and one company’s efforts to advance the science – drug discovery from nature is not only being re-booted, but revolutionized. And, with only about five per cent of the world’s natural chemistry charted to date, the potential to address some of the biggest medical challenges of our time has never been greater.

Kapoose Creek Bio is a Vancouver-based drug discovery company harnessing 24

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the power of AI and untapped natural ecosystems to find the next generation of world-changing medicines. Its first research station, located on a remote coast of Canada’s Vancouver Island, sits on the site of a rare corridor untouched during the last ice age. The land yields a rich and un-tapped variety of wild fungi, one of the most prolific and least studied of microbes, known to be an exceptional source of novel and diverse chemistry for new drug discovery.

discovery and development activities.

The next step is generative design, where the natural chemistry of prioritized metabolites is optimized with the power of generative AI, to identify novel chemistry tuned for new human therapies. The final piece is synthetic biology, where proprietary strains of microbes are designed to produce natural chemistry quickly and at scale, reducing cost and enabling downstream drug development.

The company’s proprietary AI platform – unEarth Rx – has been purpose-built to address the historic limitations of finding hits and leads from nature, and aims to accelerate the discovery of promising drug leads by five-fold, adding huge value to the long and expensive process of bringing a drug to market.

Unlocking the potential to treat humanity’s greatest health challenges

“Our unEarth Rx platform uses leading AI technology to enable us to access never before seen chemical matter, screen for activity and mechanisms in many diseases in parallel, apply generative design to optimize leads, and rapidly scale for downstream R&D,” says Dr. Eric Brown, CEO, Kapoose Creek Bio. De-risking downstream development with powerful insights into therapeutic potential The unEarth Rx platform starts by analyzing the unique chemical matter derived from the fungi harvested from Kapoose’s research station. The platform then applies AI-powered therapeutic profiling to analyse the phenotypic activity of the metabolites, in vitro and in vivo, ultimately yielding hundreds of features defining compound action – and in turn, substantially de-risking downstream BIOTECanada

Brown notes that Kapoose Creek Bio’s AI-powered platform and map of therapeutic potential has remarkable capacity to accelerate the identification of natural chemistry for new therapeutic development; and indeed has already provided foci for downstream development programs in neurology, cancer and infectious diseases.

“We are building a diversified portfolio of stakes in the next generation of medicines where the market opportunity exceeds $50 billion, and proceeding with ambitious plans for validating the unEarth Rx platform through the creation of assets for clinical development and collaborations with pharma partners,” he says. “There’s never been a better time to be a drug discoverer and the prospects have never been brighter for the future of medicines from nature.”

www.kapoosecreek.com

Eight Ontario biotech companies you need to know about WHAT’S REVOLUTIONARY IN HEALTH, FOOD AND AGRICULTURE AND CLEAN TECH? ONTARIO GENOMICS HAS THE RUNDOWN Eight exciting and promising start-ups have been tapped as the first-round recipients for Ontario Genomics’ BioCreate program. This brand-new, $11.6-million initiative is funded by the Government of Canada, through the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario), and is providing financial and business support to help move the province’s biotechnology scene forward in a major way.

Who are these must-know biotech innovators?

AIMA LABORATORIES has a game-changing solution to a painful health problem affecting millions. According to the World Health Organization, 190 million girls and women suffer from endometriosis, but AIMA is speeding up the often years-long detection of this debilitating illness by creating a highly accurate home test for faster diagnoses and treatment.

INDEX BIOSYSTEMS is working on ways to make our food safer. Its BioTag technology uses microscopic barcodes made from baker’s yeast to enhance food safety and cut down on food recalls. Combined with tracking software, it provides a more reliable way to record product quality and source-of-origin.

KRAKEN SENSE is leading the way in wastewater testing advancements. We learned from the COVID-19 pandemic how invaluable this kind of monitoring is to maintain public health.

Kraken Sense has developed new technologies to sense bacterial contamination in real-time, speeding up the detection of new and existing variants of viruses and bacteria.

CERAGEN is flipping the agricultural script by proving probiotics aren’t just for humans anymore! They’re showing farmers the benefits of microbiome engineering by harnessing good microorganisms to make hydroponic plants healthier and more resilient, which increases crop yields.

BIOFECT INNOVATIONS is working on cracking that elusive secret to satisfying the world’s sweet tooth in a healthier way. Through precision fermentation, they’re mass producing brazzein, a protein in the West African oubli plant. It’s sweeter than sugar and is meant to be a healthier substitute, especially for people with diabetes.

GENECIS is proving that the circular economy is alive and kicking in Ontario. It has engineered a bacteria that breaks down food waste to make a key ingredient for cheaper bioplastics, including textiles and medical tools.

LIVEN PROTEINS is looking to become the new best friend of millions of vegans around the world. It’s tapping into the $20-billion vegan food market by using engineered microorganisms to produce animal-free protein ingredients for the food and beverage industry.

PERFORMANCE PLANTS knows climate change is here and hitting the agriculture sector hard. But the company is coming to the rescue with validated ‘game-changing’ genetic engineering to produce climate change-resistant crops and keep the world’s food supply resilient.

This impressive list is just the beginning! Ontario Genomics is changing the start-up game with the BioCreate program that will supply up to 32 highly vetted, innovative companies with $150,000 in non-repayable funding, 18 months of business mentorship and access to critical infrastructure. They’ll also get the opportunity to pitch to investors for further funding. Learn more at BioCreate.ca.

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SGS: Innovating for biotech partners AS THE GLOBAL LEADER IN THE TESTING, INSPECTION AND CERTIFICATION INDUSTRY, SGS helps pharmaceutical and biotech companies navigate the regulatory landscape, providing comprehensive testing solutions that help clients get their products approved and released to market faster.

In the middle of the pandemic — a time when biotech companies were already struggling to meet turnaround times and supply chains were either strained or completely decimated —companies turned to SGS for help.

Of note, a gene therapy company needed to quickly validate assays for its flagship mRNA drug candidate to meet the filing deadlines for its first investigational new drug application (IND).

SGS, which prides itself on its ability to respond quickly and effectively to client requests, completed the development and validation of nine assays, including the critical potency and purity assays, in time for the IND filing deadlines and received thanks from the client’s principals, who said the achievement of this milestone would not have been possible without SGS. For this job, SGS had the right equipment, expertise and project management team to set goals and timelines and was able to complete the work at its labs in Mississauga.

The company’s leadership highlighted that open and honest communication was key to the success of the project because it allowed for a true partnership.

The client described SGS as “easy to work with, receptive to feedback and very effective.” A tangible vote of confidence came when that client returned to SGS for its stability studies, assay development and qualification for follow-on products.

SAFE AND EFFECTIVE TREATMENTS As the above example shows, in the journey to bring safe and effective treatments to market, pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical companies face many challenges, ranging from shorter product lifecycles, competitive

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pricing, technological advancements that drive changes across the industry and intricate and rigorous quality standards. Then there is the complex regulatory landscape that companies must navigate to ensure proper testing is completed each step of the way.

Few companies can complete the full scope of drug development in-house and must turn to contract laboratories to support them. SGS has met and conquered some of the most complex formulation, analytical and manufacturing challenges faced by clients in the industry today.

“To meet those challenges, SGS is always investing in building innovative platforms and a strong multidisciplinary team that offers expertise in everything from physicochemical and biological chemistry to molecular biology, cellular biology and microbiology,” says Dr. Niveen Mulholland, vice president of health science and drug development for SGS North America. “Our clients need their testing services done fast, with exceptional quality assurance and we are here to support them.”

With vast experience and comprehensive testing solutions, SGS is single-solution partner for companies that need help jumping through regulatory hurdles to realize important medical discoveries — whether vaccines, gene therapies or pharmaceuticals — and get them one step closer to market and into the hands of patients. In the end, saving lives and improving quality of life are the goals of all of SGS’s partnerships.

“Clients entrust us to provide support for their lifesaving products,” Dr. Mulholland says. “They rely on our specialized testing expertise to ensure the highest level of quality and safety for patients. With more than four decades of unparalleled experience, we have mastered the art of adaptation and pivoting to meet industry needs.”

CANADIAN OPERATIONS In addition to three laboratory locations in the U.S., SGS has two additional GMP-certified facilities in Markham and Mississauga, CA. Their core capabilities are in

microbiology, chemistry, and biologics testing, and the facilities operate in two shifts, allowing SGS to provide enhanced testing capacity.

“We ensure harmonized services between these locations,” says Dr. Ida Dossou, general manager of SGS’s Mississauga facility, “and we deliver consistent, highquality testing with seamless support to meet strict deadlines and ever-increasing throughput demands.”

SGS makes quality and safety priorities as clients rely on the company to support them from the early stages of molecule development to successfully reaching the market.

“This is not just our goal; it’s our purpose,” Dr. Dossou adds.

Given the rise of RNA-based therapeutics, SGS is now actively working to bridge gaps when it comes to client’s bioanalytical and genomic needs.

As a step towards this goal, SGS is expanding its sequencing capabilities in North America. Sanger sequencing, for example, is a valuable tool in RNA-based gene therapies. Though initially developed for DNA sequencing, its application has been extended to the analysis of RNA molecules, including messenger RNA (mRNA) used in gene therapies. This type of sequencing enables companies to validate the accuracy and integrity of the modified mRNA sequences, ensuring the desired genetic changes have been successfully incorporated. By confirming the correct sequence, SGS can verify the safety and efficacy of RNA-based gene therapies, contributing to the development of more precise and targeted treatments for many genetic disorders and diseases. Additionally, SGS is in the process of adding rapid-sterility testing to support growing demand for this service.

standard curve or reference material. ddPCR can also detect rare mutations or variants and measure gene expression levels or copy number variations. It’s an invaluable tool in several areas, including gene expression analysis and quality control of modified cells, among others.

The company is also adopting new technologies in cancer research, infectious disease diagnosis, gene therapy and synthetic biology. Meanwhile, a primary area of focus for SGS is analytical development and validation, to provide product characterization analytics and GMP release and stability testing for cell and gene therapies.

ATMPs require complex methods to ensure their safety, identity, purity, strength and potency and SGS offers a comprehensive range of methods built on innovative platforms to support raw material testing, cell culture media analysis, oligonucleotide analysis, process-related impurities, product characterization, product-release and stability analysis and container closure testing.

“The implementation of Sanger Sequencing and ddPCR platforms are two exciting additions to our powerful arsenal supporting highdemand cell and gene therapies,” Dr. Mulholland says.

“SGS is committed to being future-ready and has a string of investments in the pipeline.”

As a leading contract service organization supporting all phases of drug development, SGS continues to focus its service offering on the needs of the industry. Whether it’s investing in new technologies, expanding capacity for highdemand services or using state-of-the-art instrumentation in new ways, SGS continues to invest in enhancements to support its clients in providing better, safer treatments to patients.

“Whether you need a partner to support you through every stage of the drug development cycle or just need an extra hand when your in-house capabilities are restricted, SGS is flexible to meet the industry’s testing needs, “mentions Dr. Mulholland. “We are here, and we are ready to support your goals of improving quality of life and saving lives.”

“To meet those challenges, SGS is always investing in building innovative platforms and a strong multidisciplinary team that offers expertise in everything from physicochemical and biological chemistry to molecular biology, cellular biology and microbiology”

BUILDING TOMORROW’S INFRASTRUCTURE TODAY SGS’s Mississauga facility is mobilizing new technologies for DNA and RNA analysis. DNA and RNA are the building blocks of life and their analysis is essential for understanding the molecular mechanisms of various biological processes and diseases.

To that end, SGS is working to build new RNA sequencing platforms, especially for single-cell RNA sequencing and spatial transcriptome sequencing.

Expected to be ready next year, that initiative will include ddPCR, a technique that can quantify the absolute amount of DNA or RNA molecules in a sample without needing a

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Building capacity for One Health

Strengthening the bonds between human, animal and environmental health in PEI’s Bioscience Cluster

AS OUR PLANET FACES THE ONGOING CHALLENGES OF CLIMATE CHANGE, SUSTAINABLE FOOD PRODUCTION, and emerging zoonotic diseases, the animal health industry finds itself at the forefront of efforts to safeguard both human and animal health.

In an increasingly interconnected world, the importance of One Health and recognizing the interdependence of human, animal and environmental health is a critical step in addressing some of the most pressing and complex global challenges of our time.

Beyond human health, biotechnology plays a critical role in developing and manufacturing products that improve and sustain animal health. Worldwide, there is a growing demand for animal health products, supporting rising animal protein needs, growing pet populations, and bridging the gaps in care where many animals fall sick to preventable disease each year. In 2021, the value of the global animal health sector increased to $38.3 billion (HealthforAnimals).

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Animal health and nutrition is a key pillar of the bioscience sector in Prince Edward Island, one of few locations in North America with this focus. PEI is a center of expertise in animal and fish health product commercialization and has a robust capacity for clinical trials. The ongoing partnership between industry, academia and governments, through the Prince Edward Island BioAlliance, allows for productive relationships to bring products to market and is a key attractor for companies to do business in the region.

Elanco manufactures some of the most important and most valuable vaccines for the global aquaculture industry, the fastest growing sustainable source of animal protein in the world.

“The PEI Bioscience Cluster is the location of choice for Elanco’s global fish health business,” said Charmaine Noonan, Senior Director and Site Head, Elanco PEI. “Biomanufacturing expertise, specialized infrastructure, and clinical trial capabilities provide us the ecosystem to grow our business.”

THE INTERNATIONAL ANIMAL HEALTH AND NUTRITION CONFERENCE Hosted every two years by the Prince Edward Island BioAlliance, VetHealth Global is the premier international animal health and nutrition business conference, recognized for its stellar list of presenters, innovative emerging company sessions, professional business partnering programming and top-rated networking events. Most recently, more than 200 senior international animal health and nutrition business executives, investors, and innovators from 21 countries gathered for VetHealth Global 2023 in Charlottetown. VetHealth Global 2025 will be held from June 24-26, 2025.

The types of products in the animal health industry range from veterinary natural health products to pharmaceuticals, feed additives, and biologics, regulated in Canada by the Veterinary Drugs Directorate of Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA).

In addition to the regulatory bodies, the Canadian Animal Health Institute (CAHI) takes a leadership role in Canada as the trade association representing the developers, manufacturers, and distributors of animal health products. Working in parallel and critical to the success of the industry are organizations such as the Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization (VIDO) operating out of the University of Saskatchewan – a world leader in infectious disease research and vaccine development for both humans and animals, and veterinary colleges including the Atlantic Veterinary College at the University of Prince Edward Island.

“It’s a team sport, and it is critical to have all of these organizations working closely together across the country to provide the support and resources needed to bring products from research and development through to commercialization and into the hands of consumers,” said Rory Francis, CEO, PEI BioAlliance and Chair, VetHealth Global Conference.

A ONE HEALTH INNOVATION ECOSYSTEM BioAlliance partners in Prince Edward Island have invested in a remarkable assembly of assets that support animal health product development and commercialization.

Emergence, Atlantic Canada’s Bioscience Business Incubator, is accelerating the growth of animal health start ups and early-stage companies from ideation through to commercialization. Emergence provides critical mentorship, business strategy and advisory services as well as access to key networks and capital.

CASTL, the Canadian Alliance for Skills and Training in Life Sciences, opened its lead training facility in Charlottetown last fall. It is adding additional facilities in Montreal and British Columbia to create a national pipeline of biopharma talent to support Canada’s Bioscience Manufacturing and Life Science Strategy across One Health.

A new $50 million BioAccelerator, set to be completed in 2025, will be unique multi-function facility in PEI with 75,000 sq. ft. of wet lab, pilot plant, and biomanufacturing space, as well as the National Research Council of Canada’s Atypical Fermentation facility. It will provide facilities and services to researchers, entrepreneurs, and bioscience-based companies operating along the full One Health continuum.

“The One Health philosophy offers an innovative solution to bridge the gap between veterinary medicine, public health, and environmental science to confront the complex health challenges around the world,” said Francis.

“We are committed to building capacity in this area in PEI, strengthening the bonds in our sector, and creating a healthier future for all.

PEI ANIMAL HEALTH COMPANIES • ADDiCAN • Center for • Nautilus - Croda • Amar Seafood Aquaculture • North Atlantic • AquaBounty Technologies Organics • Bactana • Elanco • Pegasus Biotech • BioTraceIT • Evah Corp • RPS Biologiques • BIOVECTRA • Microsintesis • Sekisui Diagnostics • Natures Crops • Timeless Veterinary International Systems

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Novavax: Strengthening Canada’s COVID Vaccine Capacity Renforcer la capacité du Canada en matière de vaccins contre la COVID-19

By Bruce Seet, PhD, MBA, Head of Medical Affairs (Canada), at Novavax, Inc. Par Bruce Seet, Ph. D., MBA, Directeur, Affaires Médicales, Canada, chez Novavax, Inc. Sponsored by Novavax, Inc | Commandité par Novavax, Inc.

NOVAVAX IS A BIOTECHNOLOGY COMPANY THAT PROMOTES IMPROVED HEALTH GLOBALLY. Novavax is a biotechnology company that promotes improved health globally through the discovery, development, and commercialization of innovative vaccines to prevent serious infectious diseases. Our mission is to protect the health of people everywhere.

The company is built on an established, protein-based platform that uses the same technology used for years in familiar vaccines such as those for influenza, hepatitis B, and shingles. For years, our scientists have been developing and refining our approach, gaining valuable experience in research on diseases like severe acute respiratory syndrome, Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, Ebola disease, and respiratory syncytial virus. Our platform includes a unique component, the Matrix-M™ adjuvant, which is intended to help produce a stronger immune response. Matrix-M is also a key element of a malaria vaccine, developed by the University of Oxford and manufactured by the Serum Institute of India, that recently received marketing authorization in Ghana,1 Nigeria, and Burkina Faso and is being used as part of preclinical research by the Bill & Melinda Gates Medical Research Institute.2 When the World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID a global pandemic in March 2020,3 Novavax and other leading vaccine manufacturers embarked on an historic race to develop safe and effective vaccines to control the outbreak. Of the more than 183 different COVID vaccines in clinical development at the outset of the pandemic,4 only three remain authorized for use as booster doses for the Canadian population moving into the fall 2023 season.* Novavax is proud to supply the only proteinbased non-mRNA COVID vaccine in Canada.5 The Novavax COVID vaccine is authorized for use in more than 40 countries around the world, including Canada. The vaccine was authorized by Health Canada in February 2022.5,6

NOVAVAX EST UNE SOCIÉTÉ DE BIOTECHNOLOGIE QUI PROMEUT L’AMÉLIORATION DE LA SANTÉ À L’ÉCHELLE MONDIALE grâce à la découverte, à la mise au point et à la commercialisation de vaccins innovants visant à prévenir les maladies infectieuses graves. Notre mission consiste à protéger la santé des gens partout dans le monde.

L’entreprise s’appuie sur une plateforme établie à base de protéines qui utilise la même technologie que celle employée depuis des années dans plusieurs vaccins traditionnels, tels que ceux contre la grippe, l’hépatite B et le zona. Depuis des années, notre équipe scientifique développe et affine notre approche, ce qui leur permet d’acquérir une expérience précieuse dans la recherche sur diverses maladies, telles que le syndrome respiratoire aigu sévère, le syndrome respiratoire du Moyen-Orient, la maladie à virus Ebola et le virus respiratoire syncytial. Notre plateforme comprend un composant unique, l’adjuvant Matrix-MMC, qui est destiné à produire une meilleure réponse immunitaire. L’adjuvant Matrix-M est également un constituant clé d’un vaccin contre la malaria, qui a été développé par l’Université d’Oxford et manufacturé par le Serum Institute of India. Il a récemment reçu une autorisation de mise sur le marché au Ghana,1 au Nigeria et au Burkina Faso, et est utilisé dans le cadre de recherches précliniques menées par l’Institut de recherche médicale Bill & Melinda Gates.2 Lorsque l’Organisation mondiale de la Santé (OMS) a déclaré la pandémie mondiale de COVID-19 en mars 2020,3 Novavax et d’autres grands fabricants de vaccins se sont lancés dans une course historique pour développer des vaccins sécuritaires et efficaces pour la lutte contre les poussées épidémiques. Parmi les plus de 183 vaccins différents contre la COVID en cours de développement clinique au début de la pandémie,4 seulement trois sont encore autorisés comme doses de rappel pour la population canadienne à l’approche de la saison automnale 2023.* Novavax est fière de fournir le seul vaccin à base de protéines non ARNm contre la COVID-19 au Canada5.

* Data as of March 30, 2023. Source: Government of Canada. COVID-19 vaccination: Doses administered. Available at: https://health-infobase.canada.ca/covid-19/vaccine-administration/. Accessed August 17, 2023.

* Données du 30 mars 2023. Source : Gouvernement du Canada. Vaccination COVID-19 : Doses distribuées. Accessible à l’adresse : https://sante-infobase.canada.ca/covid-19/vaccins-administres/. Consulté le 17 août 2023.

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Pending regulatory approval, Novavax plans to supply an updated formulation for fall 2023 in line with guidance from the Public Health Agency of Canada’s National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) recommending COVID boosters that target more recent, immune-evasive variants of the virus.7 This guidance reflects global recommendations from the WHO,8 the European Medicines Agency,9 and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration10 to target the XBB strain this fall. As of August 2023, XBB strains of the COVID virus account for the majority of COVID cases in Canada and are distant enough from previous strains that an updated vaccine is recommended for optimal protection against the disease.11,12Novavax has filed for Canadian approval of the vaccine for the updated fall strain and is working closely with Health Canada to make doses available in time for the fall, pending authorization.

Novavax is proud of our scientists who showed enormous innovation and collaboration in developing our protein-based vaccine technology. We continue to maintain a strong global operations and manufacturing footprint and specialized sites that enable commercial-scale production of antigen and our proprietary Matrix-M adjuvant for the vaccine.

CANADA: A NEW FRONTIER FOR NOVAVAX Canada has a rich history of achievement in health and life sciences innovation, and continues to build toward the future.13 The Government of Canada recently committed $2.2 billion over seven years to boost the life sciences sector and ensure readiness for future pandemics or other health emergencies.14 The funding supports added capacity for biomanufacturing facilities for domestic COVID vaccine production, with the potential for creating a wealth of new research and manufacturing jobs for Canadians.15

Le vaccin contre la COVID-19 de Novavax est autorisé dans plus de 40 pays à travers le monde, y compris le Canada. Le vaccin a été autorisé par Santé Canada en février 2022. , 5,6 En attendant l’approbation réglementaire, Novavax prévoit de fournir une nouvelle formulation pour l’automne 2023, conformément aux directives du Comité consultatif national de l’immunisation (CCNI) de l’Agence de la santé publique du Canada qui recommande une dose du vaccin contre la COVID-19 contenant du XBB.1.5 aux groupes d’âge admissibles pour faire face aux souches courantes en circulation.7 Ces directives reflètent les recommandations mondiales de l’OMS,8 de l’Agence européenne des médicaments,9 et de la Food and Drug Administration des États-Unis10 visant à cibler la souche XBB cet automne. Depuis le mois d’août 2023, les souches XBB du virus de la COVID-19 représentent la majorité des cas de COVID-19 au Canada, et sont suffisamment distinctes des souches précédentes pour qu’une mise à jour du vaccin soit recommandée afin d’assurer une protection optimale contre la maladie.11,12Novavax a déposé un dossier pour l’approbation canadienne du vaccin pour la nouvelle souche automnale et travaille en étroite collaboration avec Santé Canada pour rendre les doses disponibles à temps pour l’automne, en attendant l’autorisation nécessaire.

Novavax est fière de de son équipe scientifique qui ont grandement fait preuve d’innovation et d’esprit de collaboration dans le développement de notre technologie de vaccin à base de protéines. Nous continuons de maintenir nos implantations mondiales de fabrication et d’exploitation, ainsi que des sites spécialisés qui permettent la production commerciale d’antigènes et de notre adjuvant Matrix-M exclusif permettant pour le vaccin.

LE CANADA : UNE NOUVELLE FRONTIÈRE POUR NOVAVAX Le Canada possède une riche histoire riche d’accomplissements dans les domaines de la santé et des sciences de la vie, et continue de bâtir vers l’avenir.13Le gouvernement du Canada s’est récemment engagé à investir 2,2 milliards de dollars sur sept ans pour stimuler le secteur des sciences de la vie et assurer la préparation à de futures pandémies ou d’autres urgences sanitaires.14Ce financement permet d’accroître la capacité des installations de biofabrication pour la production nationale de vaccins contre la COVID-19, avec un potentiel de créer une myriade de nouveaux emplois en recherche et en fabrication pour les Canadiens15 .

Dans le cadre de l’investissement du gouvernement en sciences de la vie, le Conseil national de recherches Canada (CNRC) a autorisé le développement du Centre de production

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As part of the government’s life sciences investment, the National Research Council of Canada (NRC) commissioned the development of the Biologics Manufacturing Centre (BMC) in Montréal, Québec, which was completed in June 2021. Novavax and the Canadian government signed a memorandum of understanding to pursue options to produce the Novavax vaccine at BMC. With approximately 5,400 square meters (58,000 square feet) of space, the BMC is expected to have an overall vaccine production capacity of approximately 24 million doses per year, once it is fully licensed and operational.16 Novavax has completed engineering runs at the BMC and will move to producing process performance qualification batches at BMC. Novavax expects full-scale production of bulk antigen at the BMC to begin in 2024.17

de produits biologiques (CPPB) à Montréal, au Québec, qui a été complété en juin 2021. Novavax a signé un protocole d’entente avec le Gouvernement du Canada dans le but de permettre la production du vaccin de Novavax au CPPB. Le CPPB, qui dispose d’un espace d’environ 5 400 mètres carrés (58 000 pieds carrés), devrait avoir une capacité totale de production de vaccins d’environ 24 millions de doses par année, une fois que la production sera entièrement autorisée et opérationnelle.16 Novavax a terminé des essais techniques au CPPB et passera à la production de lots ayant réussi le processus de qualification de performance au CPPB. Novavax s’attend à ce que la production à grande échelle d’antigènes en vrac commence au CPPB en 2024.17

SUPPORTING ACCESS TO COVID VACCINES FOR ALL CANADIANS Health authorities in Canada recognize that COVID vaccines will likely remain an important part of annual seasonal immunization to account for evolving variants and potential surges. Offering COVID vaccine options will allow healthcare professionals to ensure there is a diverse vaccine portfolio to meet individual and health system needs, which is integral to public health preparedness in 2024 and beyond.

Novavax is working with BIOTECanada’s Vaccine Industry Committee (VIC) to support public health policy related to vaccine access and diversity in Canada. We, along with other VIC members, are aligned on and working to support the security of vaccine supply and to advocate for equitable access to vaccine options so that individuals may ask for the vaccine most suited to their needs and situation. Further, we are contributing to our shared goals to expand Canadian vaccine innovation and manufacturing capacity and to strengthen Canada’s position as a global leader in the life sciences and biomanufacturing sectors.

Les autorités sanitaires du Canada reconnaissent que les vaccins contre la COVID-19 occuperont probablement une place importante dans les campagnes de vaccination saisonnières annuelles afin de tenir compte de l’évolution des variants et des poussées potentielles. Offrir de nouvelles de plateforme de vaccins contre la COVID-19 permettra aux professionnels de la santé de s’assurer qu’il existe une gamme de vaccins diversifiée pouvant répondre aux besoins de la population et du système de santé. Il s’agit d’un domaine qui fait partie intégrante de la préparation de la santé publique en 2024 et au cours des années à venir.

Novavax collabore avec le Comité de l’industrie des vaccins (CIV) de BIOTECanada pour soutenir la politique de santé publique liée à l’accès aux vaccins et à leur diversité au Canada.

Nous, ainsi que d’autres membres du CIV, militons les mêmes objectifs et travaillons dans le but de sécuriser l’approvisionnement en vaccins et de plaider en faveur d’un accès équitable aux options de vaccination afin que la population puisse demander le vaccin le plus adapté à leurs besoins et à leur situation. De plus, nous contribuons à nos objectifs communs visant à accroître la capacité canadienne en matière d’innovation et de fabrication de vaccins, ainsi qu’à renforcer la position du Canada en tant que chef de file mondial dans les domaines des sciences de la vie et de la biofabrication.

BUILDING FOR CANADA’S SUCCESS AFTER THE PANDEMIC We are excited about the potential to bring vaccination manufacturing of our COVID vaccine in Canada – a pillar of the government’s strategy to protect communities against emerging COVID virus variants and possible future pandemics. Looking forward, as COVID evolves from pandemic to endemic and with the possible launch of additional Novavax vaccine candidates, we will continue our mission to protect the health of people everywhere as we expand our footprint in Canada and around the world.

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FAVORISER L’ACCÈS AUX VACCINS CONTRE LA COVID-19 POUR TOUS LES CANADIENS

BÂTIR LE SUCCÈS DU CANADA APRÈS LA PANDÉMIE Nous sommes ravis d’avoir la possibilité d’amener la fabrication de notre vaccin contre la COVID-19 au Canada. Il s’agit d’un pilier de la stratégie du gouvernement visant à protéger les communautés contre les variants émergents du virus de la COVID-19 et contre de possibles futures pandémies. À l’avenir, alors que la COVID évoluera d’une pandémie à une endémie et grâce au lancement éventuel de candidatsvaccins de Novavax, nous poursuivrons notre mission qui consiste à protéger la santé des gens partout dans le monde tout en élargissant notre présence au Canada et dans le monde entier.

END NOTES: NOVAVAX

NOTES DE FIN D’ARTICLE : NOVAVAX

1.University of Oxford. R21/Matrix-M™ malaria vaccine developed by University of Oxford receives regulatory clearance for use in Ghana. Available at: https://www.ox.ac. uk/news/2023-04-13-r21matrix-m-malaria-vaccine-developed-university-oxford-receives-regulatory-0. Accessed August 18, 2023.

1.Université d’Oxford. R21/Matrix-M™ malaria vaccine developed by University of Oxford receives regulatory clearance for use in Ghana. Accessible à l’adresse : https:// www.ox.ac.uk/news/2023-04-13-r21matrix-m-malaria-vaccine-developed-university-oxford-receives-regulatory-0. Consulté le 18 août 2023.

2.Novavax. R21/Matrix-M™ Malaria Vaccine Leveraging Novavax’s Adjuvant Technology Gains Additional Authorization. Available at: https://ir.novavax.com/press-releases/ R21-Matrix-M-TM-Malaria-Vaccine-Leveraging-Novavaxs-Adjuvant-Technology-Gains-Additional-Authorization.

2.Novavax. R21/Matrix-M™ Malaria Vaccine Leveraging Novavax’s Adjuvant Technology Gains Additional Authorization. Accessible à l’adresse : https://ir.novavax. com/press-releases/R21-Matrix-M-TM-Malaria-Vaccine-Leveraging-Novavaxs-Adjuvant-Technology-Gains-Additional-Authorization.

3.Cucinotta D, Vanelli M. Acta Biomed. WHO Declares COVID-19 a Pandemic. 2020 Mar 19;91(1):157-160. doi: 10.23750/abm.v91i1.9397. PMID: 32191675; PMCID: PMC7569573.

3.Cucinotta D, Vanelli M. Acta Biomed. WHO Declares COVID-19 a Pandemic. 2020 Mar 19;91(1):157-160. doi: 10.23750/abm.v91i1.9397. PMID: 32191675; PMCID: PMC7569573.

4.World Health Organization. COVID-19 vaccine tracker and landscape. Available at: https:// www.who.int/publications/m/item/draft-landscape-of-covid-19-candidate-vaccines. Accessed August 17, 2023.

4. Organisation mondiale de la Santé. COVID-19 vaccine tracker and landscape.

Accessible à l’adresse : https://www.who.int/publications/m/item/draft-landscapeof-covid-19-candidate-vaccines. Consulté le 17 août 2023.

5.Government of Canada. Summary Of National Advisory Committee On Immunization (NACI) Statement Of February 17, 2022. Available at: https://www.canada.ca/content/ dam/phac-aspc/documents/services/immunization/national-advisory-committee-on-immunization-naci/summary-february-17-2022-recommendations-use-novavax-nuvaxovid-covid-19-vaccine.pdf. Accessed August 17, 2023.

5. Gouvernement du Canada. Résumé de la déclaration du comité consultatif national de l’immunisation (CCNI) du 17 février 2022. Accessible à l’adresse : https:// www.canada.ca/content/dam/phac-aspc/documents/services/immunization/ national-advisory-committee-on-immunization-naci/resume-17-fevrier-2022-recommandations-utilisation-vaccin-nuvaxovid-novavax-covid-19.pdf. Consulté le 17 août 2023.

6.Government of Canada. Novavax Nuvaxovid COVID-19 vaccine. Available at: https://www. canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/drugs-health-products/covid19-industry/drugs-vaccines-treatments/vaccines/novavax.html. Accessed August 18, 2023.

7.Government of Canada. An Advisory Committee Statement (ACS) National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI). Available at: https://www.canada.ca/content/dam/ phac-aspc/documents/services/publications/vaccines-immunization/national-advisory-committee-immunization-guidance-use-covid-19-vaccines-fall-2023/statement.pdf.

Accessed August 18, 2023.

8.World Health Organization. XBB.1.5 updated risk assessment. Available at: https://www. who.int/docs/default-source/coronaviruse/20230620xbb.1.5.pdf?sfvrsn=fff6f686_3. Accessed August 18, 2023.

9.European Medicines Agency. EMA and ECDC statement on updating COVID-19 vaccines to target new SARS-CoV-2 virus variants. Available at: https://www.ema. europa.eu/en/news/ema-ecdc-statement-updating-covid-19-vaccines-target-newsars-cov-2-virus-variants. Accessed August 18, 2023.

10. US Food and Drug Administration. Updated COVID-19 vaccines for use in the United States beginning in fall 2023. Available at: https://www.fda.gov/ vaccines-blood-biologics/updated-covid-19-vaccines-use-united-states-beginningfall-2023. Accessed August 18, 2023.

11. Government of Canada. COVID-19 epidemiology update: Summary. Available at: https://health-infobase.canada.ca/covid-19/. Accessed September 8, 2023.

12. Rubin R. This Fall’s COVID-19 Vaccines Will Target Omicron XBB Subvariants, but Who Needs Them Remains to Be Seen. JAMA. 2023;330(4):299–301. doi:10.1001/ jama.2023.10053.

13. Invest in Canada. Industries Life Sciences. Available at: https://www.investcanada.ca/industries/life-sciences. Accessed August 10, 2023.

14. Government of Canada. The Government of Canada announces biomanufacturing and life sciences strategy. Available at: https://www.canada.ca/en/innovation-science-economic-development/news/2021/07/the-government-of-canada-announces-biomanufacturing-and-life-sciences-strategy.html. Accessed August 17, 2023.

15. Novavax. Novavax Statement on Completion of the National Research Council of Canada Biologics Manufacturing Centre. Available at: https://ir.novavax.com/ press-releases/2021-06-22-Novavax-Statement-on-Completion-of-the-National-Research-Council-of-Canada-Biologics-Manufacturing-Centre. Accessed August 18, 2023.

16. Cision Newswire. Minister Champagne marks the completion of construction of the Biologics Manufacturing Centre in Montréal. Available at: https://www. newswire.ca/news-releases/minister-champagne-marks-the-completion-of-construction-of-the-biologics-manufacturing-centre-in-montreal-802516284.html. Accessed August 18, 2023.

17. United States Securities and Exchange Commission. Form 8-K. Available at: https://app.quotemedia.com/data/downloadFiling?webmasterId=101533&ref=317610845&type=HTML&symbol=NVAX&cdn=27c8d025fcbeb5deda8b514074211ff6&companyName=Novavax+Inc.&formType=8-K&dateFiled=2023-07-07. Accessed September 5, 2023

6. Gouvernement du Canada. Vaccin Nuvaxovid de Novavax contre la COVID-19.

Accessible à l’adresse : https://www.canada.ca/fr/sante-canada/services/medicaments-produits-sante/covid19-industrie/medicaments-vaccins-traitements/vaccins/ novavax.html. Consulté le 18 août 2023.

7. Gouvernement du Canada. Une déclaration du comité consultatif (DCC) Comité consultatif national de l’immunisation (CCNI). Accessible à l’adresse : https://www. canada.ca/content/dam/phac-aspc/documents/services/publications/vaccines-immunization/national-advisory-committee-immunization-guidance-use-covid-19-vaccines-fall-2023/declaration.pdf. Consulté le 18 août 2023 8. Organisation mondiale de la Santé. XBB.1.5 updated risk assessment. Accessible à l’adresse : https://www.who.int/docs/default-source/coronaviruse/20230620xbb.1.5.pdf?sfvrsn=fff6f686_3. Consulté le 18 août 2023.

9. Agence européenne des médicaments. EMA and ECDC statement on updating COVID-19 vaccines to target new SARS-CoV-2 virus variants. Accessible à l’adresse : https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/news/ema-ecdc-statement-updating-covid-19-vaccines-target-new-sars-cov-2-virus-variants. Consulté le 18 août 2023.

10. US Food and Drug Administration. Updated COVID-19 vaccines for use in the United States beginning in fall 2023. Accessible à l’adresse : https://www.fda.gov/ vaccines-blood-biologics/updated-covid-19-vaccines-use-united-states-beginningfall-2023. Consulté le 18 août 2023.

11. Gouvernement du Canada. Mise à jour sur l’épidémiologie de la COVID-19 : Résumé. Accessible à l’adresse : https://sante-infobase.canada.ca/covid-19/. Consulté le 8 septembre 2023.

12. Rubin R. This Fall’s COVID-19 Vaccines Will Target Omicron XBB Subvariants, but Who Needs Them Remains to Be Seen. JAMA. 2023;330(4):299–301. doi:10.1001/jama.2023.10053.

13. Investir au Canada. Industries; Sciences de la vie. Accessible à l’adresse : https://www. investircanada.ca/industries/sciences-vie. Consulté le 10 août 2023.

14. Gouvernement du Canada. Le Gouvernement du Canada présente la Stratégie en matière de biofabrication et de sciences de la vie. Accessible à l’adresse : https://www. canada.ca/fr/innovation-sciences-developpement-economique/nouvelles/2021/07/le-gouvernement-du-canada-presente-la-strategie-en-matiere-de-biofabrication-et-de-sciences-dela-vie.html. Consulté le 17 août 2023.

15. Novavax. Novavax Statement on Completion of the National Research Council of Canada Biologics Manufacturing Centre. Accessible à l’adresse : https://ir.novavax.com/press-releases/2021-06-22-Novavax-Statement-on-Completion-of-the-National-Research-Council-of-Canada-Biologics-Manufacturing-Centre. Consulté le 18 août 2023.

16. Cision Newswire. Minister Champagne marks the completion of construction of the Biologics Manufacturing Centre in Montréal. Accessible à l’adresse : https://www.newswire. ca/news-releases/minister-champagne-marks-the-completion-of-construction-of-the-biologics-manufacturing-centre-in-montreal-802516284.html. Consulté le 18 août 2023.

17. United States Securities and Exchange Commission. Form 8-K. Accessible à l’adresse : https://app.quotemedia.com/data/downloadFiling?webmasterId=101533&ref=317610845&type=HTML&symbol=NVAX&cdn=27c8d025fcbeb5deda8b514074211ff6&companyName=Novavax+Inc.&formType=8-K&dateFiled=2023-07-07. Consulté le 5 septembre 2023.

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Strong life sciences sector can help drive transformative change in health care WITHIN WEEKS OF HIS APPOINTMENT AS THE NEW FEDERAL HEALTH MINISTER, MARK HOLLAND told participants at the Canadian Medical Association Health Summit in Ottawa in August that sweeping changes are necessary for Canadians to see better results from their health-care system.

“We need to engage in transformative change on a scale that’s never happened before,” Holland said. Nationwide improvements in health care, as Holland seemed to suggest, will require collaboration by all levels of government, health stakeholders, and the private sector.

The life sciences sector can be a key partner to help achieve this transformative change. A strong life sciences sector can help reduce strain on health systems, bring more research and development to Canada, and attract more clinical trials to offer new hope for patients. While federal and provincial life sciences strategies are a good first step, more needs to be done to ensure these strategies have the desired impact.

First and foremost, governments need to ensure timely access to new and innovative therapeutics and treatments for all Canadians. Too often, made in Canada innovations are not readily accessible by Canadian patients. For example, it takes two years, on average, for approved new drugs to be listed on Canada’s public drug plans. This is twice as long as the time it takes in most peer countries.

This delay not only impacts health outcomes for Canadians, but it makes Canada a less attractive destination for life sciences investments and innovation.

Secondly, life sciences strategies require effective governance and a whole-of-Canada approach towards implementation. There should be a designated point person or organization accountable for the execution of the

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strategies and with a mandate to ensure necessary investments, policy approaches, and coordination across the sector. This person or organization should be supported by a governance council which includes representation from Ministries of Economic Development, Ministries of Health, academia, health system leadership, industry, patients, families and caregivers, and other relevant sector stakeholders.

Lastly, Canada needs to do a better job of combining the strengths of health systems and the life sciences sector by integrating the discovery, testing, and adoption of life science innovations into Canadian health systems. For example, health systems and life science leaders could identify and prioritize areas for improvement and change.

In addition, efforts to increase clinical trial capacity both inside and outside of academic centres could lead to more Canadians having early access to innovative treatments which could improve, extend, or even save lives. Health systems that participate in trials are more likely to adopt approved clinical innovations and have better health outcomes for patients. Regulatory and procurement policies which allow for the adoption of innovations in a timely manner also help make health systems a leading driver of innovation in life sciences in Canada.

Minister Holland is correct that transformative change in our approach to and delivery of health care services is imperative to meet the ongoing challenges in the health sector. For this to happen, there needs to be ongoing dialogue and collaboration between governments, industry, patients, academia, and other health stakeholders.

Canada’s innovative pharmaceutical industry already plays a key role in ensuring the health of all Canadians and is ready to partner with government to achieve that transformative change.

Transformative change to our health system is needed.

Let’s build on the strengths of the life sciences sector to help drive this change.

Learn more at innovativemedicines.ca/access

Why Canada needs more Phase 1 clinical trials to reach its full potential in biotech

By Anne Stevens and Jessica Patterson, AbCellera

IT IS A POINT OF PRIDE FOR ANYONE WORKING IN CANADA’S BIOTECH ECOSYSTEM that our country hosts more than its share of later stage clinical trials. Now, by ramping up our Phase 1 capability, Canada can realize its full potential as a world leader in medical innovation and research.

Phase 1 clinical trials are an essential step in the overall continuum of drug development. Following early discovery and development, Phase 1 trials are the first time a medicine is tested in human patients and are used to determine safety, appropriate dose levels, and preliminary efficacy. They are followed by more extensive trials that ultimately lead to the regulatory approvals needed before a medicine can be made broadly available to patients.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Canada was home to 1,875 clinical trials spanning all phases in 2022. On a per capita basis, that outpaces all other G7 nations. Canada’s strong performance stems mainly from our world-leading higher education and public health care systems, both of which entice many domestic and foreign pharmaceutical companies to conduct later-stage trials here.

Canada’s Phase 1 performance tails off dramatically, however, with a mere 85 trials conducted in 2022. The world-leading United States, meanwhile, was home to 1,334 Phase 1 trials last year. Canada’s Phase 1 deficit is a 36

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problem for several reasons. For one thing, early stage trials often guide decisions on where to conduct later trials, and when these decisions bypass Canada there is an associated loss of revenue, partnerships, training, and other business opportunities. For another, when innovative medicines discovered and developed in Canada are clinically tested elsewhere, we also miss out on the opportunity to integrate them into our healthcare system early, and Canadian patients fail to benefit from the innovation happening on home soil.

A prime example of these pitfalls emerged during the COVID-19 pandemic. In March of 2020, at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, AbCellera prioritized speed in getting therapies out to patients. This resulted in the discovery of bamlanivimab, the first COVID-19 antibody treatment to reach patients in Phase 1 clinical trials. It was also the first to be authorized by Health Canada and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Bamlanivimab was discovered by AbCellera, and our partner Lilly, who responded to the urgency of COVID-19 in heroic fashion, was responsible for developing it and advancing it into the clinic. This process of going from screening an initial blood sample to launching a Phase 1 trial usually takes years; together with Lilly, we did it in 90 days. And in 2021, AbCellera and Lilly discovered and

At the same time, AbCellera is building an internal team of manufacturing and operations specialists, scientists, and engineers responsible for developing the processes to manufacture antibody medicines in Canada. When combined with our world-leading antibody discovery capabilities and anchor-company resources, this will enable us to move rapidly and seamlessly from discovery to Phase 1 trials.

Building a strong early-stage clinical trials ecosystem would strengthen Canada’s position as a leader in medical innovation and research. Having the required infrastructure, proven capabilities, and an efficient regulatory environment will attract international pharmaceutical and biotech companies to conduct their early-stage trials within our borders. This will foster collaboration between researchers, Structure of AbCellera-discovered COVID-19 antibody, bamlanivimab

brought a second COVID-19 antibody treatment, bebtelovimab, to patients in response to the emergence of new variants. While both antibody treatments were discovered in Canada, the Phase 1 trials were conducted in the United States. Logically, the subsequent later phase trials were also conducted in the United States, which likely streamlined the adoption of the antibody medicines into the U.S. healthcare system. As a result, 2.5 million doses of AbCellera’s COVID-19 antibody treatments were delivered to patients, potentially saving tens of thousands of lives.

So the question is: Why does Canada host so few Phase 1 trials? A rationale for this can be linked to the competition with other countries. Favourable regulatory conditions, larger population bases, and more mature clinical infrastructures in other countries act as driving forces, diverting Phase 1 clinical trial activities away from Canada. To level the playing field, Canada must nurture its distinctive strengths in research centres, hospitals, and academic institutions with the requisite resources and expertise for these early clinical trials that set the stage for Canadian patients to receive highly innovative therapies.

That’s where AbCellera’s $701-million co-investment with the B.C. and federal governments comes in. As a step towards the creation of a biotech hub like those established in Boston and San Francisco, AbCellera’s state-of-the-art biotech campus at the heart of this historic partnership will include extensive wet lab facilities, build on capabilities needed to reach the clinic, and leverage existing early clinical trials networks across the country. This all will foster collaboration among clinical researchers across Canada, allowing them to design and conduct Phase 1 trials that deliver promising new medicines to patients for a broad range of diseases, with an initial focus on cancer and immune diseases.

AbCellera’s GMP Manufacturing facility. Rendering by Chernoff Thompson Architects

clinicians, and industry experts as novel medicines advance towards the benefit of global health.

There are also significant economic benefits in building a strong clinical trials environment. The life sciences and pharmaceutical sectors are major contributors to the global economy. By becoming a leading destination for clinical trials that span the entire drug development continuum, Canada can attract research investments, partnerships, and collaborations from domestic and international pharmaceutical companies. This influx of funding and expertise will drive economic growth, create a wealth of new highly skilled jobs, reduce our reliance on foreign nations when the next global health crisis strikes, and fuel collaborative innovation in life sciences that will benefit Canadians, and the world, for generations to come.

In order to unlock Canada’s remarkable biotech potential to its fullest, strengthening the continuum of capabilities towards Phase 1 clinical trials stands out as the most strategic starting point.

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The Manitoba Life Sciences Strategy: Powering our Bioscience Future MANITOBA, HAS EMERGED AS A NATIONAL AND GLOBAL LEADER IN THE BIOSCIENCE SECTOR, fostering innovation, research, and economic growth. Over the past five years, Manitoba’s bioscience industry has seen total capital raised increase by 40%, research & development investment increase by 46% and exports are up an impressive 170%. In 2021, revenues exceeded $9.9 billion, and the sector directly contributed $5.2 billion to the Province’s GDP (Gross Domestic Product), making it Manitoba’s fourth largest industry. Pharmaceutical and medicine manufacturing, also known as medicaments, is Manitoba’s largest exporting industry ($2.7 billion in 2022).

With a strategic focus on harnessing the power of biosciences, the Manitoba government, in collaboration with Bioscience Association Manitoba have developed a first of its kind, a Manitoba Life Sciences Strategy. The strategy will propel the province forward in this evolving industry. The strategy delves into 5 key pillars, highlighting Manitoba’s commitment to building a stronger and more prosperous economy by identifying key measures that focus on what is most important: good jobs, economic growth, investment in research & development, international awareness, and transformational partnerships.

Manitoba is committed to monitoring these key pillars to track success and inform future changes to the strategy including new actions and investments to improve Manitoba’s competitiveness, advance economic development opportunities, and create high paying jobs for Manitobans.

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PILLAR 1- STRONG PUBLIC- PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS Manitoba has a tightly integrated ecosystem of partners that work in collaboration with government to help companies access services, capital, and support they need to reach new stages of growth. We are an innovation hub that brings innovators, entrepreneurs, researchers, and industry and workforce partners together in ways that maximize our global reach and create new opportunities for success.

We need to build on this momentum to ensure newly emerging and future Manitoba biotech companies have a trusted government partner that supports their growth and helps deliver high-paying and sustainable jobs for Manitobans.

Manitoba has established a Business Navigation Service that meets businesses and works with government departments, and industry to connect businesses with relevant programs, pursuing investment leads, and promote Manitoba’s competitive advantages to global investors.

PILLAR 2- A FUTURE-READY SKILLS AND TALENT INFRASTRUCTURE A highly skilled workforce requires world-class educational institutions, workintegrated learning opportunities, and collaborative educational partnerships that respond to the talent needs of industry. The Manitoba government is prioritizing attracting, training, and retaining skilled workers.

The Manitoba’s Sector Council Program delivers specialized workforce development training to employees and business leaders in 11 key sectors of the provincial economy—including bioscience, among others. In response to global labour shortages, the government is prioritizing local workforce development. This includes investing an historic $40.4 million over four years from 2023 to 2027 – a 40 per cent increase in funding – to expand and

enhance the Sector Council Program and support innovative strategies and partnerships targeting current and emerging labour market needs and drive sector-wide economic growth.

PILLAR 3- DATA AND ANALYTICS EXCELLENCE The bioscience sector has become a leader in the use of data, analytics, machine learning, and artificial intelligence to optimize research and accelerate innovation.

Vast amounts of data gathered through patient care, research studies, and clinical trials can be leveraged to identify new opportunities.

With one of the most robust data resources in Canada, Manitoba is pioneering new initiatives that will fundamentally change how government uses data to inspire biotech innovations in close partnership with industry and researchers.

The Manitoba Population Research Data Repository is one of the most comprehensive provincial collections of administrative, registry, survey, and other data in all of Canada. It identifies patterns of health care and profiles of health and illness, facilitating interdisciplinary research opportunities. Manitoba is establishing a policy framework and governance principles to allow third parties access to outputs derived from data held by the province. This modern, efficient, and secure framework facilitates access

to Manitoba’s vast data resources in ways that contribute to improved health outcomes, deliver social and economic benefits, and improve Manitoba communities.

PILLAR 4- WORLD-CLASS RESEARCH & INNOVATION Manitoba is a research and innovation powerhouse with 38 bioscience R&D centres, advanced manufacturing facilities, and a network of post-secondary institutions that fuel innovation and prepare the next generation of workers for biotech careers.

Manitoba’s research community is developing innovative technologies and discoveries that have helped advance global science and health care. This work is saving lives and is generating the kind of economic growth that restarts the innovation life cycle over again.

PILLAR 5- INCREASING ACCESS TO CAPITAL Biotech companies face unique challenges when it comes to raising capital due to high costs, regulatory environment, lengthy timelines, and other risks associated with developing new drugs, medical devices, and therapies.

This is especially challenging to start-ups and emerging companies that have difficulty attracting investors with the necessary background to understand their innovations.

Without access to capital, Manitoba companies may look elsewhere to grow and expand. That is why the Manitoba government is committed to developing a range of options to address financing needs in current capital markets and ensure businesses can develop, invest, and stay in Manitoba.

The Manitoba government recently invested $100 million in seed capital into the Manitoba First Fund, a new fund-of-funds that will be instrumental in helping Manitoba-focused businesses grow and thrive. The fund is partnering with independently managed downstream funds to leverage private investment to expand the scope of financing options available. Over $100 million in private sector interest was generated within the first year of announcement.

Manitoba government has developed incentives to support biotech businesses including the Industry Expansion Program, Small Business Venture Capital Tax Credit, Manitoba Works Capital Incentive, Manitoba Manufacturing Investment Tax Credit, Canada-Manitoba Job Grant, and Workforce Development Program.

Through this strategy, Manitoba aims to build on its existing strengths in areas such as health biotech, ag biotech and clean biotech while also fostering collaboration between industry, government, and academic institutions to create a thriving bioeconomy. It is a key step to ensure that the province continues to have the necessary resources and expertise to support the growth of this diverse sector. Overall, it has the potential to be transformative for the province’s economy and position Manitoba as a leader in this vital and growing industry. biotech.ca

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Building up Biomanufacturing: Investing in Canada for the Future

by Martin Arès, CEO, Pharmascience Inc. IT’S BEEN THREE YEARS SINCE THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC BEGAN AND A LOT HAS CHANGED – both in the biotech and life sciences spaces and more generally.

The realities of global supply chains and Canada’s reliance on imports of critical medicines have come to a point where industry, regulators and patients alike are wondering what the path forward is to ensure that Canadians have access to the latest medical innovations at home.

To add to this, the number and the frequency of drug shortages we’re experiencing in Canada is increasing, rising from 1209 drugs in shortage earlier this year to 1885 now, showing the fragility of the supply chain in finished pharmaceutical products. In fact, driven by price erosion, higher inflation and inability for generic companies to increase price accordingly, domestic consumption of pharmaceutical products manufactured in Canada now sits at 12%, down from 34% before the pandemic. This sharp decline should be ringing alarm bells for everyone.

Fortunately, stakeholders in this sector are waking up to the fragility in this sector and are taking steps to make Canada a number one location for biomanufacturing.

We’ve seen great steps forward with life sciences strategies tabled by Ontario, Québec and other provinces looking to expand their footprint in the ecosystem. The federal Biomanufacturing and Life Sciences Strategy also recognizes the need to build strength in this sector.

From manufacturing solid dosage forms, injectable products, biological therapies and vaccines, Canada should be able to rely on a number of players that can meet the medical needs of Canadians,

by Canadians and for Canadians.

This is the time to focus on our strengths here at home in Canada.

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We have the recipe for success: high manufacturing standards, amazing researchers and scientists, and the reputation for producing quality products. Morris Goodman and Ted Wise, the founders of Pharmascience, felt the same way in 1983 when they created the company as they do today. That’s why we’re continuing on the work that they started to support Canada’s life sciences sector.

40 years later, the types of treatments may look a bit different, but our ultimate goal is the same at the end of the day, to improve the lives of patients here at home in Canada, and to make quality Canadian-made products available internationally to improve global health.

Building up capacity to manufacture finished dosage forms in Canada also has a positive effect on the startup space and smaller biotechs. While it’s been traditionally very difficult to expand into manufacturing, when extra capacity is created in the traditional pharmaceutical manufacturing space, there are more opportunities for contract development and manufacturing in Canada.

This is a win-win scenario for the sector, for science and for Canada. We believe so strongly in these winning conditions, that we are expanding our manufacturing capabilities in the injectable space to triple our future output of vial, pre-filled syringes and lyophilized products manufactured at our Candiac site, which will allow us to increase our offerings in contract development and manufacturing for the next generation of therapies.

Thinking of the future of the life sciences sector and how to strengthen our own domestic resiliency, our investment will mean that we will be able to meet the manufacturing needs of the next generation of treatments as well as the ability to partner with the biotech sector to help translate their discoveries to finished products. I can’t think of a better way forward.

Martin Arès is the CEO of Pharmascience, the largest privately-owned Canadian pharmaceutical company. For more information about Pharmascience’s offerings and for partnerships, please visit www.pharmascience.com.

The adMare Institute: data-driven analysis highlights the power

of collaboration to help build a strong Canadian Life science sector.

L’Institut adMare : une analyse fondée sur des données met

en évidence le pouvoir de la collaboration pour aider à développer un secteur canadien des sciences de la vie solide.

TO SUCCEED IN DEVELOPING STRONG BIOTECH COMPANIES, thriving life sciences ecosystems and highly qualified talent, a fact-based research proven road map needs to be established. On June 6, during our participation in the BIO International Conference in Boston, adMare BioInnovations launched the adMare Institute, which aims at objectively addressing the challenges of the Canadians Life Sciences.

Committed to unbiased, balanced, high-quality, and data-driven analysis, the adMare Institute seeks to present a comprehensive overview of the sector and its challenges. The inaugural report from the Institute was published recently.

“Canada has an extraordinary opportunity to become a world leader in the life sciences. To seize this generational moment, we need to be clear about the data and facts behind it and have a frank dialogue on public policy issues.

Our first report examines the literature and data on component parts of innovation ecosystems and clusters, and the definition of research-based anchor companies. It shows rather clearly the extensive benefits of building anchor companies, the one part of leading life science clusters that is absent in Canada,” said Gordon McCauley, President & CEO of adMare BioInnovations.

Innovation clusters are observed within various industries, and they provide important competitive advantages to resident companies and institutions. The report focused on the impact of anchor companies on the emergence and maturation of innovation clusters. Our findings show that anchor companies offer many important competitive advantages. Even so, it is critical to focus on all parts of an innovation ecosystem while building anchor companies.

One important factor behind the success of ecosystems and clusters is the collaboration between the actors of the industry across the country. Every initiative where organizations join their forces and expertises are key to strengthen the industry and aligns with our mission to enhance the Canadian life sciences landscape.

POUR RÉUSSIR À DÉVELOPPER DES ENTREPRISES DE BIOTECHNOLOGIE SOLIDES, des écosystèmes de sciences de la vie prospères et des talents hautement qualifiés, un plan d’action fondé sur des recherches factuelles et éprouvées doit être établi. Le 6 juin, lors de notre participation à la conférence internationale BIO à Boston, adMare BioInnovations a lancé l’Institut adMare, qui vise à aborder objectivement les défis des sciences de la vie canadiennes.

Engagé à mener une analyse impartiale, équilibrée, de haute qualité et fondée sur les données, l’Institut adMare vise à présenter une vue d’ensemble du secteur et de ses défis. Le premier rapport de l’Institut a été publié récemment. « Le Canada a une occasion extraordinaire de devenir un leader mondial dans le domaine des sciences de la vie. Pour saisir ce moment générationnel, nous devons être clairs sur les données et les faits qui le sous-tendent et avoir un dialogue franc sur les questions de politique publique. Notre premier rapport examine la littérature et les données sur les composantes des écosystèmes et des grappes d’innovation, ainsi que la définition des entreprises d’ancrage basées sur la recherche. Il montre plutôt clairement les avantages considérables de la création d’entreprises d’ancrage, l’élément des grappes de premier plan en sciences de la vie qui est absent au Canada », a déclaré Gordon McCauley, président et chef de la direction d’adMare BioInnovations.

Les grappes d’innovation sont observées dans diverses industries et offrent des avantages concurrentiels importants aux entreprises et aux institutions qui y résident. Le rapport s’est concentré sur l’impact des entreprises d’ancrage sur l’émergence et la maturation des grappes d’innovation. Nos conclusions montrent que les entreprises d’ancrage offrent de nombreux avantages compétitifs importants. Néanmoins, il est essentiel de se concentrer sur toutes les parties d’un écosystème d’innovation tout en créant des entreprises d’ancrage.

La collaboration entre les acteurs de l’industrie à travers le pays est un facteur important de la réussite des écosystèmes et des grappes d’innovation. Chaque initiative où les organisations unissent leurs forces et leurs expertises est essentielle pour renforcer l’industrie et s’aligne sur notre mission d’améliorer le paysage canadien des sciences de la vie.

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Canada Captures the World at BIO 2023 Le Canada captive le monde au congrès BIO 2023

LEAD-IN TK. Body copy TK.

LEAD-IN TK.

THE CANADIAN PAVILION AT BIO 2023 WAS A HIVE OF ACTIVITY THROUGHOUT THE 4 DAYS OF BIO EARLIER IN JUNE. More than 800 Canadian biotechnology ecosystem leaders arrived in Boston to take to the floor to showcase the dynamic and world leading innovations driving new solutions for the global marketplace. Partner organizations came aboard create a Canadian pavilion featuring 3000 sq feet of digital displays, bustling meeting space and stage events throughout the entire four days in Boston.

The 2023 BIO convention served to highlight the generational moment the Canadian biotech sector is experiencing as the world looks for innovative biotechnology solutions to address both current and future health challenges. As the world emerges from the pandemic, we saw governments and regions around the world at BIO preparing for potential future challenges by

LE PAVILLON DU CANADA AU CONGRÈS BIO 2023 A BOURDONNÉ D’ACTIVITÉ TOUT AU LONG DES QUATRE JOURS QU’IL A DURÉ AU DÉBUT DE JUIN. En effet, plus

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de 800 dirigeants de l’écosystème canadien des biotechnologies se sont rendus à Boston, où ils ont pris la parole pour présenter tout le dynamisme des innovations de pointe qui produisent de nouvelles solutions pour le marché mondial. Des organisations partenaires étaient aussi de la partie et ont créé un pavillon de 280 mètres carrés (3 000 pieds carrés) composé d’affichages numériques, d’espaces d’affaires animés et de scènes événementielles.

Le congrès BIO 2023 a permis de mettre en évidence l’élan générationnel que vit aujourd’hui le secteur canadien de la biotechnologie, à l’heure où le monde recherche des solutions biotechnologiques innovantes pour relever les défis actuels et futurs en matière de santé. Alors que le monde laisse

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investing in and building domestic life sciences and biomanufacturing capacity. With Canadian federal and provincial government life science and biomanufacturing strategies in place, Canada had a great story to tell.

The Canadian delegation was led by political leaders from all levels of government from throughout Canada, the largest political delegation ever at BIO. Each of them led a featured event on the Canada Stage showcasing the expertise of leading researchers and entrepreneurs from their province or region, and highlighted their vital government commitments towards ensuring Canada remains one of the leading biotechnology economies in the world.

The team from the Canadian Consulate in Boston rounded out a dynamic week for Canada. A welcome reception helped set the stage for the week. Additionally, an investor-focused networking evening brought together Canadian entrepreneurs with life science investors and partners that generated great attention for the entire

tranquillement derrière lui la pandémie, on a pu voir à BIO que les gouvernements et les différentes régions du monde se préparent aux défis futurs grâce à des investissements dans les sciences de la vie et dans leurs capacités de biofabrication nationales. Des stratégies fédérales et provinciales en sciences de la vie et en biofabrication étant en place au Canada, le pays avait lui aussi un passionnant récit à mettre de l’avant.

La délégation canadienne, la plus grande à avoir foulé le sol du congrès BIO jusqu’ici, était menée par des politiciens de tous les ordres de gouvernement et de partout au Canada.

Chacun d’eux dirigeait une présentation qui avait lieu sur la Scène du Canada et qui mettait en valeur l’expertise de chercheurs et d’entrepreneurs de sa province ou région; ils ont tous souligné les engagements essentiels de leur gouvernement envers le maintien du Canada dans le peloton de tête des économies de la biotechnologie dans le monde.

L’équipe du consulat général du Canada à Boston a organisé toute une semaine pour le Canada! Une réception

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delegation in Boston. These events, combined with networking breakfasts and receptions hosted by partners from throughout Canada kept BIO delegates from around the world busy all week meeting the best of the Canadian biotechnology ecosystem.

A sincere thanks to all the partners who helped make BIO 2023 an outstanding success for Canadian delegates.

BIOTECanada would expressly like to thank Invest in Canada, Global Affairs Canada, Canadian Consulate in Boston, and the federal department of Industry, Science, and Economic Development (ISED) for their work in helping make this event one of the most successful ever for all the Canadians involved.

To meet all the partners and Canadians who attended BIO 2023 in Boston, please visit Canadian Delegation Directory BIO 2023 BIOTECanada (biotech.ca) BIOTECanada looks forward to working with partners again as we set the stage for another dynamic program of events and business development opportunities in San Diego at BIO 2024.

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de bienvenue a mis la table pour la semaine. De plus, une soirée de réseautage destinée aux investisseurs a rassemblé des entrepreneurs canadiens et des investisseurs en sciences de la vie et leurs partenaires, ce qui a attiré beaucoup d’attention sur l’ensemble de la délégation présente à Boston. Ces événements, combinés à des déjeuners de réseautage et à des réceptions organisées par des partenaires des quatre coins du Canada ont tenu occupés toute la semaine les délégués du monde entier présents à BIO, qui ont pu découvrir le meilleur de l’écosystème canadien des biotechnologies.

Nous tenons à remercier chaleureusement tous les partenaires qui ont contribué à faire de BIO 2023 une réussite exceptionnelle pour les délégués canadiens. BIOTECanada souhaite remercier tout particulièrement l’organisme Investir au Canada, Affaires mondiales Canada, le consulat général du Canada à Boston et le ministère fédéral de l’Industrie, des Sciences et du Développement économique (ISDE), qui ont contribué à faire de cet événement l’un des plus importants jamais organisés pour tous les Canadiens qui y ont participé.

Pour connaître tous les partenaires et les Canadiens qui ont participé à BIO 2023 à Boston, veuillez consulter le Répertoire de la délégation canadienne à BIO 2023 — BIOTECanada (biotech.ca) (en anglais).

BIOTECanada prépare déjà avec ses partenaires l’organisation d’un autre programme de rencontres intéressantes et de possibilités de développement commercial en vue de BIO 2024 à San Diego.

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How Canadian FemTech is Leveraging Biotechnology to Close the Gender Healthcare Gap L’utilisation de la biotechnologie par la FemTech pour combler l’écart entre les sexes en matière de soins de santé 46

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ACROSS THE GLOBE, WOMEN OFTEN LIVE LONGER THAN MEN. Despite this longevity, women’s health outcomes are consistently worse than their male counterparts with women more likely to suffer from chronic, co-occurring, and disabling health conditions.1 This gender health gap exists for a multitude of reasons including traditional approaches to healthcare ignoring or excluding women and sex and gender differences from research. This androcentric approach to innovation has positioned the male body and cells with XY chromosomes as the standard. Clinical trials for example, a critical component in advancements in biotechnology, did not include women participants until 1993. Many pharmaceutical drugs currently on the market have only ever been tested on men, and despite the fact that more women die of heart disease each year than men, only about 38% of patients in clinical studies for cardiovascular health have been women.2 Part of the global response to this gender health gap has been the emergence of the FemTech industry. FemTech refers to technology including products, services, diagnostics, and software addressing health and wellness concerns that solely, disproportionately or differently affect women, girls, non-binary folks, trans people, and those assigned female at birth.

Since its inception in 2016, the global FemTech industry continues to expand, with the women’s health market size to reach an estimated $1.19 trillion by 2027.3 In response to the rapidly growing FemTech industry in Canada, Rachel Bartholomew founded FemTech Canada, an organization bringing together the community of FemTech entrepreneurs, many of them utilizing biotechnology to advance the care of women in Canada.

A FemTech entrepreneur herself, Bartholomew is CEO of Hyivy Health, which is currently developing a pelvic health rehabilitation system including medical device and software to treat gynecological diseases which produce pelvic health complications like muscle tightness, scarring, dense tissue, and adhesions. Based in Waterloo, ON, Hyivy is working to serve the 1-in-3 women who will have pelvic health issues in their lifetime. Through working with researchers and experts across Canada, Hyivy is the first of its kind to collect subjective and objective data on the pelvic floor.

“We’re seeing the convergence of biotechnology and FemTech across a wide range of applications for women’s health in Canada. It’s an exciting time to see how these

1. Women’s College Hospital. The Health Gap. Available at: https://thehealthgap.ca/.

Accessed July 2023.

2. Circulation Vol. 141, No. 7. Women’s Participation in Cardiovascular Clinical Trials From 2010 to 2017. Available at: https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.119.043594. Accessed July 2023.

3. Crunchbase. Femtech, Officially Not Niche By $1T. Available at: https://about. crunchbase.com/blog/femtech-officially-not-niche-by-1t/. Accessed July 2023.

PARTOUT DANS LE MONDE, LES FEMMES VIVENT PLUS LONGTEMPS QUE LES HOMMES. Malgré leur longévité, les femmes ont invariablement un état de santé pire que celui des hommes et elles sont plus susceptibles de souffrir de maladies chroniques, de cooccurrences symptomatiques et d’affections handicapantes1.

L’écart entre les sexes en matière de santé existe pour une multitude de raisons, dont les approches classiques des soins, qui excluent du champ des recherches les particularités féminines et sexuelles. Une telle approche androcentrique de l’innovation a fait du corps masculin et des cellules à chromosomes XY la norme. Les essais cliniques, par exemple, qui constituent un élément essentiel des progrès en biotechnologie, n’ont commencé à inclure des sujets féminins qu’en 1993. De nombreux médicaments actuellement commercialisés ont uniquement été mis à l’essai sur des hommes; de plus, en dépit du fait que plus de femmes que d’hommes meurent chaque année de maladies du cœur, seuls 38 % des patients inclus dans les essais cliniques sur la santé cardiovasculaire jusqu’ici étaient des femmes2.

La naissance de la FemTech constitue une partie de la réponse mondiale à l’écart entre les sexes en matière de santé. Le terme « FemTech » désigne les technologies, les produits, les services, les diagnostics et les logiciels du domaine de la santé et du bien-être qui visent les problèmes touchant uniquement ou de façon disproportionnée les femmes, les filles, les personnes non binaires, les personnes trans et les personnes à qui le sexe féminin a été assigné à la naissance.

Depuis sa naissance en 2016, le secteur mondial de la FemTech grandit sans cesse, le marché de la santé des femmes devant atteindre une valeur de 1,19 billion $ en 20273.

En réaction à la croissance rapide de la FemTech au Canada, Rachel Bartholomew a fondé FemTech Canada, une organisation qui rassemble la communauté des entrepreneurs de la FemTech, bon nombre desquels utilisent la biotechnologie pour faire progresser les soins aux femmes au pays.

Rachel Bartholomew, elle-même une entrepreneure de la FemTech, est PDG de Hyivy Health, une société de Waterloo (Ontario) qui met actuellement au point un système de rééducation de la santé pelvienne; celui-ci comprend un dispositif médical et un logiciel pour traiter les maladies gynécologiques qui entraînent des complications pelviennes, comme des tensions musculaires, des fibromes, des tissus denses et des adhérences. Hyivy s’efforce de répondre aux besoins des femmes en matière de santé pelvienne, car une femme sur trois aura des soucis de santé à cet égard au cours 1. Women’s College Hospital. The Health Gap. Site consultable à l’adresse : https:// thehealthgap.ca/. Consulté en juillet 2023.

2. Circulation Vol. 141, No. 7. Women’s Participation in Cardiovascular Clinical Trials From 2010 to 2017. Article consultable à l’adresse : https://www.ahajournals.org/ doi/10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.119.043594. Consulté en juillet 2023.

3. Crunchbase. Femtech, Officially Not Niche By $1T. Article consultable à l’adresse : https://about.crunchbase.com/blog/femtech-officially-not-niche-by-1t/. Consulté en juillet 2023.

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industries collide and collaborate to create better health outcomes for 51% of our population,” said Bartholomew.

Although we know hormonal health has a profound effect on our health, there’s still very little we understand about its basic functions. Based in Calgary, AB, My Normative’s mission is to disrupt the gender data gap in hormonal health. “My Normative collaborates with different biotechnology companies to create a greater understanding of how those technologies may have a different impact or use case across different sexes and genders. By working with biotech companies to create better and more representative results we’re able to help derisk product development and open up traditionally under-accessed

de sa vie. Hyivy est la première société du genre à recueillir des données subjectives et objectives sur le plancher pelvien, et ce grâce à sa collaboration avec des experts à travers le Canada. « On assiste à la convergence de la biotechnologie et de la FemTech dans une grande diversité d’applications destinées à la santé des femmes au Canada. Nous traversons une période passionnante, car nous découvrons ce en quoi la rencontre de ces deux secteurs et leur collaboration permettront d’offrir de meilleurs résultats en matière de santé à 51 % de la population », s’enthousiasme Mme Bartholomew.

Bien que l’on connaisse les vastes effets de la santé hormonale sur la santé globale, ses fonctions fondamentales demeurent en bonne partie mystérieuses. Ayant son siège à Calgary, en Alberta, My Normative s’est donné pour mission de combler l’écart entre les sexes en matière de données sur la santé hormonale. « La plateforme My Normative collabore avec différentes entreprises de biotechnologie en vue de favoriser une meilleure compréhension des conséquences et des usages des technologies selon les différents sexes et genres. La collaboration avec les sociétés de biotechnologie en vue de créer de meilleurs résultats, plus représentatifs, nous permet de faire de la mise au point de produits une entreprise moins risquée et, ainsi, d’ouvrir des marchés que les approches classiques négligeaient », indique la directrice générale de My Normative, Danika Kelly.

Cofondatrice de Eli Health, une entreprise de Montréal, au Québec, Marina Pavlovic Rivas a aussi eu la volonté d’innover en santé des femmes, en raison de l’insuffisance des données sur la santé hormonale, et a opté pour l’approfondissement des connaissances sur les effets des hormones sur nos sentiments et sensations au quotidien. Eli Health travaille donc à mettre au point un test salivaire à réaliser à domicile pour le suivi des taux hormonaux au fil du temps. Environ 1,12 milliard de femmes vivent leur ménopause en 2023, et la demande des consommatrices qui souhaitent mieux comprendre leur santé est croissante. Afin de répondre à

4. Forbes. Eli Health Raises $3.6 Million To Improve Women’s Health With Saliva-Based Continuous Hormone-Monitoring Technology. Available at: https://www. forbes.com/sites/marijabutkovic/2023/04/04/eli-health-raises-36-million-to-improve-womens-health-with-saliva-based-continuous-hormone-monitoring-technology/?sh=232cd11a36f0. Accessed July 2023.

4. Forbes. Eli Health Raises $3.6 Million To Improve Women’s Health With Saliva-Based Continuous Hormone-Monitoring Technology. Communiqué consultable à l’adresse : https://www.forbes.com/sites/marijabutkovic/2023/04/04/ eli-health-raises-36-million-to-improve-womens-health-with-saliva-based-continuous-hormone-monitoring-technology/?sh=232cd11a36f0. Consulté en juillet 2023.

Rachel Bartholomew, founder/fondatrice, FemTech Canada,

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and/or underserved markets,” says My Normative CEO Danika Kelly.

Co-founder of Eli Health, based in Montreal, QC Marina Pavlovic Rivas was also driven to innovate on women’s health due to the lack of hormonal health data and develop a deeper understanding of how hormones affect how we feel day-to-day. Eli Health is developing an at-home saliva test for hormone tracking over time. With an estimated 1.12 billion women experiencing menopause by 2023 and a growing demand from consumers looking for technologies to better understand their health, biotechnology used for tracking and diagnosing conditions are being implemented to meet this need.4 Endometriosis is a chronic condition that affects 1-in-10 women worldwide where tissue similar to endometrial tissue grows outside of the uterus which can cause scarring, chronic pain, and infertility. The current standard for diagnosing the condition is invasive surgery and the average time for a diagnosis is ten years. Hamilton, ON based AIMA Laboratories is currently leveraging four decades worth of research and expertise in molecular biology to create a less invasive diagnostic test which measures biomarkers that are differentially expressed in women with endometriosis.

The wide availability of hormonal birth control was a watershed moment for preventing unwanted pregnancies, however many find the adverse side effects like changes in mood, nausea, changes in weight, low libido and potential complications like risk of heart disease, stroke, and certain cancers untenable. Elle MD, Biotechnologies based in New Minas, NS is currently developing non-hormonal contraception and as Director Jennifer Johnston states, “We are leveraging biotechnology to transform the contraceptive landscape so women, girls and people with diverse gender and sexual identities have access to nonhormonal contraception and emergency contraception that’s user friendly, highly effective and extremely safe.”

On the conception side, 1-in-6 people will be affected by infertility with a growing market for in vitro fertilization (IVF). Juniper Genomics based in Toronto, ON is currently developing a proprietary approach combining whole genome sequencing, bioinformatics, and data to “ensure that everyone has the best possible chance at a term pregnancy while requiring the fewest possible cycles of IVF,” says CEO and co-founder Jeremy Grushcow.

With a burgeoning FemTech industry, employing biotechnologies to address the gaps in women’s health hormonal health, chronic conditions like endometriosis, and contraception and fertility are just the beginning, says Bartholomew. “From heart health, autoimmune conditions, and beyond we’re seeing how FemTech and biotech have the potential to improve the lives of women and help close the gender health gap which ultimately means a healthier, happier society as a whole.”

To learn more, visit https://femtech.ca/.

cette demande, on a donc décidé de mettre les biotechnologies à contribution pour le suivi hormonal et le diagnostic de diverses affections .

L’endométriose est une maladie chronique qui touche une femme sur dix dans le monde; des tissus muqueux semblables à ceux de l’endomètre croissent hors de l’utérus, ce qui peut provoquer des fibromes, de la douleur chronique, voire l’infertilité. La norme actuelle pour le diagnostic de cette affection est une chirurgie effractive, et le délai de diagnostic moyen est de dix ans. La société AIMA Laboratories, située à Hamilton, en Ontario, utilise aujourd’hui les fruits de quatre décennies de recherche et d’expertise en biologie moléculaire pour créer des tests de diagnostic moins effractifs, qui mesurent des biomarqueurs, exprimés de façon particulière par les femmes atteintes d’endométriose.

La grande vague des produits de contraception hormonaux a été un moment très riche pour la prévention des naissances non souhaitées; toutefois, nombreuses sont les femmes qui jugent insoutenables les effets secondaires telles que les sautes d’humeur, les nausées, les changements de poids, la faible libido et les éventuelles complications comme les maladies du cœur, les AVC et certains cancers.

Elle, MD Biotechnologies, dont le siège se trouve à New Minas, en Nouvelle-Écosse, œuvre actuellement à mettre au point un contraceptif non hormonal; comme l’indique la directrice, Jennifer Johnston : « Nous utilisons la biotechnologie pour transformer le paysage de la contraception, afin que les femmes, les filles et les personnes issues de la diversité de genre et d’identité sexuelle aient accès à une contraception non hormonale et à une contraception d’urgence qui soit simple à utiliser, hautement efficace et extrêmement sûre. » À l’autre bout du spectre, il y a la conception, et une personne sur six sera touchée par l’infertilité : le marché de la fécondation in vitro (FIV) est donc en croissance. Juniper Genomics, située à Toronto, en Ontario, travaille actuellement à mettre au point une approche brevetée qui allie le séquençage pangénomique, la bio-informatique et les données, « afin que chacune ait le maximum de chances de mener à terme une grossesse, avec le plus petit nombre de cycles de FIV possible », explique le directeur général et cofondateur, Jeremy Grushcow.

Le secteur de la FemTech est déjà florissant, et l’utilisation des biotechnologies pour combler les lacunes en ce qui concerne la santé des femmes, la santé hormonale, les affections comme l’endométriose, la contraception et la fertilité n’est que le commencement, selon Mme Barhtolomew. « Qu’il s’agisse de la santé cardiaque, des maladies auto-immunes ou autres, on constate le potentiel qu’ont la FemTech et la biotech d’améliorer la vie des femmes et de combler l’écart en matière de santé entre les sexes, ce qui, en fin de compte, se traduira par une société plus saine et plus heureuse dans son ensemble. » Pour en savoir plus, veuillez vous rendre à l’adresse https:// femtech.ca/.

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An interview with Dr. Maura Campbell, President, Ontario Bioscience Innovation Organization

Une entrevue avec Dr. Maura Campbell, Présidente, Ontario Bioscience Innovation Organization

HOW HAVE YOUR PAST EXPERIENCES (30+ YEARS IN ALL KEY SECTORS OF BIOTECH, INCLUDING PRIVATE AND PUBLIC COMPANIES, UNIVERSITIES AND RESEARCH INSTITUTES, AND GOVERNMENT-FUNDED PUBLIC SECTOR RESEARCH ORGANIZATIONS) SHAPED YOUR CAREER JOURNEY? I grew up in a Canadian military household and education was highly valued in my family. My parents did not have the same educational opportunities that my siblings and I enjoyed, and my parents supported all of our educational pursuits. In my academic journey, I had many positive influences that played an important role in solidifying my interest in biotechnology and the life sciences. I did my B.Sc. and M.Sc. in Biochemistry at

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COMMENT VOS DIVERSES EXPÉRIENCES (PLUS DE 30 ANS DANS TOUS LES SECTEURS CLÉS DE LA BIOTECHNOLOGIE, NOTAMMENT AU SEIN D’ENTREPRISES FERMÉES ET OUVERTES, D’UNIVERSITÉS ET D’INSTITUTS DE RECHERCHE, AINSI QUE D’ORGANISMES DE RECHERCHE DU SECTEUR PUBLIC FINANCÉS PAR L’ÉTAT) ONT-ELLES INFLUENCÉ VOTRE PARCOURS PROFESSIONNEL? .

J’ai grandi dans une famille de militaires canadiens, qui accordait une grande importance à l’éducation. Mes parents n’ont pas eu les mêmes possibilités d’éducation que mes frères et sœurs et moi-même, alors ils ont tenu à nous accompagner et à nous aider tout au long de nos études. Mon parcours universitaire est jalonné d’expériences positives qui ont joué un rôle important dans mon intérêt sans cesse renouvelé pour la biotechnologie et les sciences de la vie. J’ai obtenu mon baccalauréat et ma maîtrise en biochimie à l’université Queen’s de Kingston et j’ai effectué mon doctorat en biochimie à l’université d’Ottawa. Après l’obtention de mon diplôme, j’ai été recrutée presque immédiatement.

Les différents rôles que j’ai occupés dans de jeunes pousses canadiennes ont orienté mon parcours, car toutes m’ont offert des possibilités d’apprentissage incroyables.

Entre mes débuts, où je rédigeais des demandes de subvention auprès des programmes du secteur, et ma participation récente à des financements, à des accords de licence et à des déclarations S1, j’ai découverts les nuances de la gestion de projet, de la stratégie de propriété intellectuelle, de la conception d’essais cliniques, de la finance et de la négociation de contrats, ce qui m’a permis d’apprendre tout ce qu’il faut savoir pour qu’une jeune entreprise mène à bien sa stratégie d’évolution. J’adore la phase de démarrage, quand une entreprise n’est encore qu’une simple idée et qu’on réfléchit au parcours qui pourrait la conduire jusqu’à une introduction en Bourse. Il n’y a rien de tel que cette montée d’adrénaline qui survient lorsqu’on regarde en arrière et qu’on voit de quoi on est parti.

Au cours de ma carrière, j’ai occupé différentes fonctions au sein de nombreuses entreprises. J’ai connu à la fois des satisfactions et des déceptions, car j’ai vu des entreprises émerger, évoluer et connaître le succès, mais d’autres,

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Queen’s University in Kingston and completed my Ph.D. in Biochemistry at the University of Ottawa. After graduating, I started working with companies almost right away.

My career trajectory has mostly been shaped by the various roles I have had in Canadian start-up companies, all of which have offered me immense learning opportunities. From the early days of writing industry program grants to more recently being part of financings, license deals and S1 filings, I have taught myself the nuances of project management, intellectual property strategy, clinical trials design, finance, and negotiating contracts – all of which has exposed me to everything it takes to bring a start-up to a successful exit. I absolutely love the start-up phase, bringing a company from an idea to an IPO, there is really nothing like that adrenaline rush of looking back and seeing what you started from.

As I moved through different roles in my career and worked with many companies over the years, I have had both the excitement and disappointment of seeing companies rise up, and grow, be successful and fail too. I was part of the initial core team that built Turnstone Biologics which recently went public; we designed the first Phase 1 clinical trial, qualified a GMP manufacturing facility to make drug product, filed the seminal IP, incorporated the company, and got it well financed through investments and licenses and saw it grow. I was also part of a company called PainCeptor that became a casualty of the 2008 market meltdown, despite doing everything right.

Succeeding and failing is all part of the biotech/life science experience. I always learned more from my failures than from my successes. Over the years, I have found that failures often push you in a better direction than you would have gone originally, akin to “a blessing in disguise”.

I believe serendipity played a huge role throughout my career. Most of my jobs were the result of meeting the right person at the right time. Even my current position as President and CEO of OBIO® is not something I would have thought of doing initially. I was recommended to sit on OBIO’s board by a former colleague at VBI Vaccines who had been part of the original board for OBIO®. I became

échouer. J’ai fait partie de l’équipe fondatrice de Turnstone Biologics, qui est récemment entrée en Bourse. Nous avons d’abord conçu le premier essai clinique de phase 1, créé une installation qui respecte les BPF pour produire des médicaments, effectué la demande du brevet de base, constitué juridiquement l’entreprise et veillé à son financement par des investissements et des licences. Nous avons ainsi accompagné son évolution depuis le tout début.

J’ai également collaboré avec une entreprise appelée PainCeptor qui a été victime de l’effondrement du marché en 2008, alors que tout semblait pourtant sur la bonne voie. Le fait de connaître le succès et l’échec est inhérent au secteur de la biotechnologie et des sciences de la vie. Les échecs m’ont toujours appris davantage que les succès. Au fil des ans, j’ai pu constater que les échecs permettent souvent de choisir une meilleure direction que celle que l’on aurait prise, donc : « à quelque chose malheur est bon ».

Je pense que les heureux hasards ont joué un rôle important tout au long de ma carrière. J’ai obtenu la plupart de mes postes du fait de rencontrer la bonne personne au bon moment. Même mon poste actuel de présidentedirectrice générale d’OBIO®, je ne l’avais pas envisagé au départ. C’est un ancien collègue de VBI Vaccines, qui avait fait partie du premier conseil d’OBIO®, qui a proposé ma candidature au conseil d’administration. Je suis d’abord devenue membre du conseil d’administration d’OBIO®, puis présidente du conseil d’administration avant d’en devenir la présidente-directrice générale. J’aime par-dessous tout chez OBIO® pouvoir faire profiter de nombreuses jeunes entreprises de mon expérience en matière de transfert de technologie, de gestion et de commercialisation de la propriété intellectuelle et contribuer à la mission de l’organisation, qui est de créer une industrie florissante des sciences de la vie en Ontario et au Canada.

En tant qu’organisation à la pointe de la connaissance, OBIO® désire stimuler l’industrie des sciences de la santé par le biais d’un programme ambitieux en trois volets : l’accès aux capitaux, le développement de la main-d’œuvre et la mise en œuvre de technologies. Les membres d’OBIO peuvent accéder à des ressources en matière de connaissances, qui s’avèrent fort utiles pour les entreprises de sciences de la vie biotech.ca

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associated with OBIO® as a board member first and then as Chairman of the Board before becoming the President and CEO. What I like about my current role at OBIO® is that it has enabled me to apply my experience in technology transfer and the management and commercialization of intellectual property to many start-up companies and to help further OBIO’s vision of creating a thriving life sciences industry in Ontario and Canada.

As a thought leading organization, OBIO® works towards strengthening the health science industry through robust programming that stands on three pillars – capital access, workforce development, and technology adoption.

Membership provides access to knowledge resources that are meaningful for early-stage life science companies. It is my privilege to be a part of OBIO’s efforts to support innovations and technologies that can enhance healthcare.

WHAT WAS THE BEST ADVICE YOU EVER RECEIVED? WHAT IS THE ONE PIECE OF ADVICE YOU SHARE MOST WITH ASPIRING LEADERS IN BIOTECH? The best advice I have received was probably from my parents who always said in times of stress “this too shall pass” and no phrase could apply more to the Life Sciences start-up journey than this phrase. That FTO issue you lost sleep over in your first financing is a non-issue when you start diligence for your next round. That toxicity issue that came out of pre-clinical studies gets designed around and is no longer a concern as you plan for your clinical trial.

After experiencing this many times in different stages in different companies you become quite stoical. I just do not get upset anymore when issues arise as I know better times are ahead.

I think this experience is why I have become a pessimistic optimist. I believe in preparing for the worst but planning for the best outcome. If I had to give one piece of advice to aspiring leaders in biotech, it would be to keep an open mind, be positive even in the face of daunting challenges and embrace them as opportunities to take a different approach, and absolutely don’t sweat the small stuff – the biotech journey is too short and fickle to do anything but focus on the big picture.

WHAT IS YOUR VISION FOR THE HEALTH SCIENCE SECTOR IN ONTARIO (AND BEYOND) IN THE NEXT DECADE? The pandemic demonstrated the need for and significance of the life sciences in the eyes of the public.

There is immense potential in Ontario’s life sciences sector and the Ontario government is leveraging this opportunity to support Ontario-made innovation. In its efforts to promote the growth of Ontario’s life sciences industry, the government announced the Life Sciences Strategy in early 2022 and recently established the Life Sciences Council.

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en phase de démarrage. Je me sens privilégiée de contribuer à la mission d’OBIO concernant la promotion des innovations et des technologies susceptibles d’améliorer les soins de santé.

QUEL EST LE MEILLEUR CONSEIL QUE VOUS AYEZ JAMAIS REÇU? ET QUEL EST LE MEILLEUR CONSEIL QUE VOUS PUISSIEZ DONNER AUX FUTURS LEADERS DE LA BIOTECHNOLOGIE? Le meilleur conseil que j’ai reçu est probablement celui de mes parents, qui disaient toujours en période de stress « ça aussi, ça passera ». Je ne crois pas qu’on puisse trouver meilleur conseil en ce qui a trait à l’aventure qu’est la création d’une entreprise dans les sciences de la vie. Cette situation liée à la FTO qui vous a empêché de dormir lorsque vous avez commencé la recherche de financement n’est plus un problème dès lors que vous en êtes à l’étape des contrôles préalables du cycle de financement suivant. Le problème de toxicité qui avait surgi lors des essais précliniques est résolu et vous êtes déjà passé à autre chose lorsque vous planifiez votre essai clinique. Après avoir vécu cette situation à plusieurs reprises, à différents stades et dans différentes entreprises, on devient assez résilient. Je ne m’en fais plus lorsque des problèmes surgissent, car je sais que des perspectives plus favorables s’offriront éventuellement à nous.

Je pense que cette expérience explique pourquoi je suis devenue une « optimiste pessimiste ». Je crois qu’il faut se préparer au pire et prévoir le meilleur. Si je devais donner un conseil aux futurs leaders de la biotechnologie, ce serait de garder l’esprit ouvert, de rester positif même face à des difficultés de taille et de les considérer comme des occasions d’adopter une approche différente, et de ne surtout pas trop s’attarder sur les détails. Le temps change rapidement sur la route des biotechs, et il importe donc de s’accrocher à sa vision plus qu’à toute autre chose.

QUELLES SONT VOS PERSPECTIVES POUR LE SECTEUR DES SCIENCES DE LA SANTÉ EN ONTARIO (ET AILLEURS) POUR LA PROCHAINE DÉCENNIE? La pandémie a révélé aux yeux de tous à quel point les sciences de la vie étaient essentielles et utiles. Le secteur des sciences de la vie de l’Ontario représente un immense potentiel et le gouvernement de l’Ontario sait en tirer parti pour favoriser l’innovation dans la province. Dans le but de stimuler la croissance de l’industrie des sciences de la vie en Ontario, le gouvernement a annoncé la stratégie « Faire passer les sciences de la vie au niveau supérieur » au début de 2022 et a récemment mis en place le Conseil des sciences de la vie.

J’ai l’honneur de faire partie du Conseil avec d’autres chefs de file de l’industrie et du monde universitaire. Notre expertise collective permet de repenser les stratégies visant à favoriser l’innovation et l’investissement dans l’industrie des sciences de la vie de la province. Je suis persuadée que nous avons la capacité de faire de l’Ontario un centre de pointe pour la biofabrication et les sciences de la vie dans le domaine du

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I am honoured to be part of the Council along with other leaders from industry and academia where we bring our collective expertise to rethink strategies to foster innovation and investment in the province’s life sciences industry. I believe that together we can establish Ontario as a preeminent biomanufacturing and life sciences hub in the development, commercialization and early adoption of innovative healthcare products and services.

HOW DO WE CREATE AN ECOSYSTEM THAT ENCOURAGES COMPANIES TO STAY AND GROW HERE IN CANADA? There is breakthrough research happening across Canada every day, but many of these innovations never see the light of day or benefit a single Canadian patient. The reason for this is a complicated issue with several underlying causes. Fundamentally, we don’t provide all the right conditions needed for commercial success in Canada.

In the recent opinion piece that I co-wrote with Cate Murray, CEO of Stem Cell Network, I believe there is a need to create a sticky environment that will empower our academic labs and biotech companies to compete and succeed on the world stage. Having come out of academia, I believe that stable and predictable government funding for basic research is fundamental and without this there are no innovations to commercialize. Further to this we need incentives to support domestic patent development, an agile regulatory system, a skilled workforce, and a healthcare system that is eager to test and procure Canadian-made innovative technologies and therapies.

This will require a collective commitment by federal and provincial governments, universities and research institutions, life science companies, and investors to work together with the common goal of making Canada a leading global center for the commercialization of life sciences and healthcare innovations.

WHEN YOU’RE NOT WORKING, HOW DO YOU ENJOY SPENDING YOUR TIME? I have been an avid runner since my early university days. In Kingston where I lived for seven years while doing my B.Sc. and M.Sc., I was well known for running to get around town plus I did marathons, half marathons and the infamous Kingston triathlon which we nicknamed the Tin Man as it was half the distances of the renowned Iron Man. I am an early morning runner so running helps me collect my thoughts and plan my day. Running has brought a routine of commitment and discipline that I apply to all aspects of my life.

développement, de la commercialisation et de la mise en œuvre rapide de produits et de services de santé novateurs.

COMMENT CRÉER UN ÉCOSYSTÈME QUI INCITE LES ENTREPRISES À RESTER AU CANADA ET À Y FAIRE CROÎTRE LEUR ACTIVITÉ?

Des percées technologiques sont réalisées chaque jour au Canada, mais nombre de ces innovations soit ne sont jamais commercialisées, soit ne profitent jamais à un seul patient canadien. Cela dit, il s’agit d’un problème complexe dont les causes sous-jacentes sont multiples. En fait, le Canada n’offre pas toutes les conditions nécessaires à une réelle croissance économique. Dans un récent article d’opinion que j’ai coécrit avec Cate Murray, PDG du Réseau de cellules souches, j’avance qu’il est nécessaire de créer un environnement cohésif qui permettra à nos laboratoires universitaires et à nos entreprises de biotechnologie d’être concurrentiels et de connaître le succès sur la scène internationale. Étant issue du monde universitaire, je pense qu’un financement public stable et prévisible de la recherche fondamentale est essentiel et que, sans lui, il est impossible d’envisager que nos innovations trouvent la voie du marché. En parallèle, il faut des incitatifs qui favorisent le dépôt de demandes de brevet au pays, tout comme un système réglementaire souple, une main-d’œuvre qualifiée et un système de santé désireux de tester et d’acquérir les technologies et les traitements innovants conçus ici même. Pour ce faire, les gouvernements fédéral et provinciaux, les universités et les établissements de recherche, les entreprises du secteur des sciences de la vie et les investisseurs devront avoir la volonté de travailler ensemble dans le but de faire du Canada un centre mondial de premier plan pour la commercialisation des innovations dans le domaine des sciences de la vie et des soins de santé.

EN DEHORS DU TRAVAIL, QUELS SONT VOS CENTRES D’INTÉRÊT? Je suis une grande adepte de la course à pied depuis l’université. À l’époque de mon baccalauréat et de ma maîtrise, je vivais à Kingston, et tout le monde savait que je me déplaçais en joggant à travers la ville. J’ai également participé à des marathons, à des semi-marathons et au fameux triathlon de Kingston, que nous avons surnommé « Tin Man » (homme de tôle), car il représentait la moitié de la distance du célèbre Iron Man (homme de fer). Je suis une joggeuse matinale, et le fait de courir m’aide à rassembler mes idées et à planifier ma journée. La course à pied est devenue un rituel fait de détermination et de discipline, qui influence tous les aspects de ma vie..

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Cultivating Diversity of Black Talent in the Life Sciences Industry Valoriser la diversité en faisant une place à la communauté noire dans l’industrie des sciences de la vie AS THE CANADIAN LIFE SCIENCES INDUSTRY CONTINUES TO GROW AND EVOLVE, it is crucial to ensure that it becomes a beacon of inclusivity and diversity. This is necessary to build a fertile environment for innovation, collaboration, and growth. Canada the world over has been recognized for its ethnic diversity. “As I grew up here, I was taught through my formative school years that Canada is a cultural mosaic and we celebrated this,” reflects Corinne Buchanan-Russell, President and co-founder of Advancing Black Talent in Pharma (ABTiP).

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À MESURE QUE L’INDUSTRIE CANADIENNE DES SCIENCES DE LA VIE CONTINUE DE CROÎTRE ET D’ÉVOLUER. il est essentiel de veiller à ce qu’elle devienne un modèle d’inclusivité et de diversité. Cela est indispensable pour créer un environnement propice à l’innovation, à la collaboration et à la croissance. Le Canada est reconnu dans le monde entier pour sa diversité culturelle. « J’ai grandi ici, et l’on m’a enseigné, tout au long de ma formation, que le Canada avait la chance d’être constitué d’une mosaïque de cultures, raconte Corinne Buchanan-Russell, présidente et

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“However, throughout my progressive career in industry, I was consistently ‘the only’ in the room.”

How much has changed? Looking across our respective organizations, how well are Black and marginalized people represented and to what extent do they occupy leadership roles? Statistics Canada in their 2016 consensus reported that the Black population doubled over the 20-year period leading up 2016 to 1,198,540 persons. With this increase in numbers, how has this richness of culture permeated the corporate biotechnology and pharmaceutical sector?

Rising to the challenge of addressing this question are the founders of Advancing Black Talent in Pharma (ABTiP), a registered not-for-profit professional organization founded in 2021 that is committed to elevating and achieving a sustainable representation of Black communities in the biotech, pharmaceutical and life sciences sector. Since its inception, our engagement and membership has grown, spanning across the life sciences sector, amongst existing and emerging Black talent with the unwavering commitment of supporters and Allies.

Despite significant progress in the life sciences industries, racial disparities persist. Black professionals, especially those who are early in their career or seeking to advance their career, face unique obstacles in their pursuit of success. They encounter implicit biases, limited networking opportunities, lack of tailored mentorship, and underrepresentation in leadership positions. These barriers hinder the full realization of their potential and limits the industry’s ability to access potentially transformative ideas.

People are actively looking to work for organizations that really believe in diversity – and have the programs to prove it.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DE&I) might be at the forefront of executive conversations; however, emerging from the pandemic, the urgency to change, (spurred by the murder of George Floyd on May 25, 2020 and motivated by DE&I and anti-Black racism principles), has been waning under pressure from the dominant culture to be relegated to a ‘checkbox’ action. In fact, a recently published study across 483 global life sciences companies and individuals, cited that 34% of respondents see lack of minority leadership representation as the life sciences’ biggest problem with diversity and inclusion (Informa Connect Life Sciences: Diversity Life Sciences Report-2021.pdf). “This {DE&I} is not a zero-sum game where improving the

cofondatrice de l’organisme Advancing Black Talent in Pharma (ABTiP). Cependant, tout au long de ma carrière dans l’industrie, j’ai toujours été “la seule” de ma communauté autour de la table. » Les choses ont-elles changé? Dans nos organisations respectives, dans quelle mesure les Noirs et les minorités sont-ils représentés et dans quelle mesure occupent-ils des postes de direction? Dans son recensement de 2016, Statistique Canada indique que la population noire a doublé sur une période de vingt ans pour atteindre 1 198 540 personnes en 2016. Cette augmentation du nombre de personnes noires s’est-elle traduite par une augmentation proportionnelle dans les secteurs de la biotechnologie et de l’industrie pharmaceutique?

Remédier aux lacunes en la matière est la mission que se sont donnés les fondateurs d’Advancing Black Talent in Pharma (ABTiP), une organisation professionnelle à but non lucratif fondée en 2021 dont l’objectif est de promouvoir et d’assurer une représentation durable des communautés noires dans les secteurs de la biotechnologie, de l’industrie pharmaceutique et des sciences de la vie. Depuis la création de l’organisme, nous réaffirmons sans cesse notre engagement, et nos membres se multiplient, provenant maintenant de l’ensemble du secteur des sciences de la vie.

Ce sont à la fois des professionnels de la communauté noire déjà établis, ou de nouveaux talents qui nous rejoignent, et ce grâce à l’engagement inébranlable de nos soutiens et alliés.

Malgré des progrès significatifs dans les secteurs des sciences de la vie, les disparités raciales persistent. Les professionnels noirs, en particulier ceux qui sont en début de carrière ou qui cherchent à évoluer d’une façon ou d’une autre, sont confrontés à des obstacles particuliers durant leur parcours professionnel. Ils se heurtent à des préjugés implicites, à des possibilités de réseautage limitées, à un manque de mentorat adapté, et ils sont sous-représentés dans les postes de direction. Ces obstacles empêchent la pleine réalisation de leur potentiel et privent l’industrie d’idées potentiellement transformatrices.

Si le cadre organisationnel axé sur l’équité, la diversité et l’inclusion (EDI) est sur toutes les lèvres dans les sphères de direction, au sortir de la pandémie, l’urgence du changement (à la suite du meurtre de George Floyd le 25 mai 2020 et motivée par les principes d’EDI et de lutte contre le racisme envers les Noirs) s’est estompée sous la pression de la culture dominante pour être reléguée au rang de prises de position de pure forme. Par ailleurs, une étude récente, portant sur 483 entreprises et personnes du secteur des sciences de la vie, indique que 34 % des personnes interrogées considèrent le manque de représentation des minorités dans les postes de direction comme étant le plus gros écueil du secteur des sciences de la vie en matière de diversité et d’inclusion (Informa Connect Life Sciences : Diversity Life Sciences Report-2021.pdf). « Cela {l’EDI} ne constitue pas une situation

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opportunities for advancement and leadership of Black talent and underrepresented groups is at the expense of the dominant culture,” says Corinne. “The DE&I construct is a win-win for all.” Aptly put in a November 30, 2021 article by The Ohio State University: “Diversity is not a burden or a way to ‘punish’ one group to reward another.

Instead, diversity must be perceived as a way to help everyone succeed.”

The next chapter in Canadian biotech must be built on the principles of inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility, and ABTiP serves as a catalyst for this transformation.

ABTiP seeks to address these challenges and drive the advancement of Black professionals within Canada’s life sciences ecosystem. By raising awareness, fostering connections, and facilitating mentorships, ABTiP empowers emerging talent and positions them for future success. The fundamental aim is to ensure that Black professionals have equal access to opportunities, recognition, and career progression within the Canadian biotechnology and pharmaceutical landscape. In doing so, we all benefit.

To truly advance Black talent in pharma, collaboration is key. ABTiP recognizes the importance of building strong partnerships with industry leaders and DE&I stakeholders.

By working together across stakeholders, ABTiP aims to develop and implement comprehensive strategies that address the unique challenges faced by Black professionals in our industry.

Advancing Black Talent in Pharma (ABTiP) represents a critical step towards creating a more inclusive and equitable industry. By raising awareness about systemic biases, addressing barriers, and creating opportunities for growth, ABTiP can drive significant change in the representation and advancement of Black professionals.

The next chapter in Canadian biotech must be built on the principles of inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility, and ABTiP serves as a catalyst for this transformation.

Emerging from the pandemic, according to Glassdoor, 67% of jobseekers look for workplace diversity when considering a job offer. People are actively looking to work for organizations that really believe in diversity – and have the programs to prove it. The Manpower Group has stated that Canadian needs are changing faster than ever, that talent is at a premium, and that employers are reassessing

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gagnant-perdant où l’amélioration des possibilités d’avancement et de leadership des talents noirs et des groupes sous-représentés se ferait au détriment de la culture dominante, selon Mme Buchanan-Russell. Le cadre proposé par l’EDI est une solution gagnante pour tous. » C’est ce qui ressort d’un article publié le 30 novembre 2021 par l’Université d’État de l’Ohio : « Le sens de la diversité ne consiste pas à “punir” un groupe pour en récompenser un autre. Au contraire, la diversité doit être perçue comme un moyen d’aider tout le monde à progresser. » ABTiP cherche donc à remédier à la situation et à favoriser la progression des professionnels issus de la communauté noire dans l’écosystème des sciences de la vie au Canada.

Grâce à la sensibilisation générale, à un réseautage accru et à un mentorat plus accessible, ABTiP permet aux jeunes talents de s’épanouir et de se placer sur la voie du succès. Notre

« Le sens de la diversité ne consiste pas à “punir” un groupe pour en récompenser un autre. Au contraire, la diversité doit être perçue comme un moyen d’aider tout le monde à progresser. » principal objectif est de veiller à ce que les professionnels noirs puissent : compter sur le même accès en matière d’emploi, être reconnus et prétendre à une progression de carrière au sein du paysage biotechnologique et pharmaceutique canadien. Cela sera profitable à tous.

Pour véritablement faire progresser les professionnels noirs dans l’industrie pharmaceutique, des partenariats sont essentiels. Au sein d’ABTiP, on est conscient de l’importance d’établir des relations de partenariat solides avec les chefs de file de l’industrie et les intervenants en matière d’EDI. Cet esprit d’ouverture permet à ABTiP d’envisager et de mettre en œuvre des stratégies globales grâce auxquelles on éliminera les obstacles qui se dressent devant les professionnels noirs dans notre secteur.

Les actions d’Advancing Black Talent in Pharma (ABTiP) marquent une étape cruciale en vue de la création d’un secteur plus inclusif et plus équitable. En s’attaquant aux préjugés systémiques et aux obstacles et en offrant des perspectives de croissance, ABTiP peut entraîner des changements significatifs dans la représentation des professionnels noirs et vis-à-vis de leurs possibilités d’évolution. La prochaine étape pour la biotechnologie canadienne sera de s’approprier les principes d’équité, de

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ABTiP Board and Panelists at the Changemaker Forum. Left to right: Patrick Douglas (ABTiP), Mesrak Lissanu (ABTiP), Kike Ojo-Thompson (KOJO Institute), Anthony K. Adeleye (J&J), Marie-Flore Nabor (Abbott), Corinne Buchanan-Russell (ABTiP), Leandra Well (GSK), Angelina Brathwaite (ABTiP), Charlaine Thompson-Simmonds (ABTiP).

Le conseil d’administration d’ABTiP et les intervenants au forum Changemaker. De gauche à droite : Patrick Douglas (ABTiP), Mesrak Lissanu (ABTiP), Kike Ojo-Thompson (KOJO Institute), Anthony K. Adeleye (J&J), Marie-Flore Nabor (Abbott), Corinne Buchanan-Russell (ABTiP), Leandra Well (GSK), Angelina Brathwaite (ABTiP), Charlaine Thompson-Simmonds (ABTiP).

their workforce needs and how to meet them. At ABTiP, we embrace the African Proverb that: “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” By connecting Black talent, allies and industry leaders across the breadth of the Canadian life sciences ecosystem, we can build momentum and create an industry that truly reflects the diverse tapestry of our nation.

To learn more about ABTiP, visit www.ABTiP.org.

diversité, d’inclusion et d’accessibilité, et ABTiP agira en ce sens comme un catalyseur en vue de la transformation.

Selon Glassdoor, 67 % des candidats privilégient les postes qui valorisent la diversité de l’environnement de travail lorsqu’ils consultent les offres d’emploi. Les gens souhaitent faire partie d’organisations qui accordent vraiment de l’importance à la diversité, et dont les programmes sont là pour le prouver. Selon Manpower, les besoins de la population canadienne évoluent plus rapidement que jamais en matière de main-d’œuvre, les talents se font plus rares et les employeurs réévaluent leurs besoins en main-d’œuvre et leur mode de recrutement. ABTiP a fait de ce proverbe africain sa devise : « Tout seul, on va vite. Ensemble, on va loin. » En mettant en relation les talents noirs, les alliés et les chefs de file de l’industrie de l’ensemble de l’écosystème canadien des sciences de la vie, nous pouvons créer un élan, ainsi qu’une industrie qui soit véritablement le reflet de la diversité de notre pays. Pour découvrir ABTiP, consultez le site www.ABTiP.org (en anglais).

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Science. It’s all around us. And it’s beautiful.

Global Biotech Week in Saskatchewan: creativity and collaboration

La science : elle est partout, et c’est magnifique Semaine mondiale des biotechnologies en Saskatchewan : créativité et collaboration by/par Jackie Robin, Ag-West Bio

THERE ARE SIMILARITIES BETWEEN ARTISTS AND SCIENTISTS. There are similarities between artists and scientists. They are curious and creative. They hone their skills with years of practice. And they want to make a difference in the world.

In Saskatchewan, an exciting collaboration between Nuit Blanche and Global Biotech Week brings the two worlds together.

Nuit Blanche is an art festival in downtown Saskatoon held at the end of September each year. After sunset, in the streets and tucked away in indoor venues, a wide variety of artwork is on display – from paintings to performance – for the thousands of attendees to experience. The streets are aglow, and the energy is high.

At a downtown hotel, a lab-coat clad ‘scientist’ carrying a glowing beaker leads a small group up a set of stairs into

IL EXISTE DES SIMILITUDES ENTRE LES ARTISTES ET LES SCIENTIFIQUES. Ce sont des personnes habitées par la curiosité et la créativité. Elles affinent leurs compétences grâce à des années de pratique, et elles veulent transformer le monde.

Le festival Nuit blanche et la Semaine mondiale des biotechnologies ont uni leurs forces en Saskatchewan pour proposer un événement prometteur.

Nuit Blanche est un festival d’art qui se tient chaque année à la fin du mois de septembre dans le centre-ville de Saskatoon. La nuit venue, dans les rues et dans les salles, des milliers de participants peuvent découvrir une vaste sélection d’œuvres d’art allant de la peinture à la performance. Les rues s’illuminent et il y a beaucoup de fébrilité dans l’air.

Dans un hôtel du centre-ville, un « scientifique » vêtu d’un sarrau guide un petit groupe dans un grand espace en haut d’un escalier avec en main un bécher incandescent. Les lumières sont tamisées et des images colorées défilent sur des écrans géants tout autour de la salle.

Telle est la beauté de la science. Les images qui sont projetées sont issues de la recherche scientifique, et elles sont si incroyables qu’elles méritent d’être exposées. Les contributeurs proviennent de différentes entreprises et de différents établissements de la province, dont le Centre canadien de rayonnement synchrotron, l’Université de la Saskatchewan et Saskatchewan Polytechnic. Les types d’images présentés vont Collaborations: Global Biotech Week has been partnering with Café Scientifique for a decade. The GBW edition is held in a pub de la microscopie de in downtown Saskatoon each fall. Host Julia Boughner’s goal is to make science more accessible. (Credit: Ag-West Bio) fluorescence à la Collaborations : La Semaine mondiale des biotechnologies (GBW) est partenaire du Café scientifique depuis une dizaine d’années. L’événement de la GBW se tient chaque automne dans un pub du centre-ville de Saskatoon. L’animatrice Julia photographie. L’exposition Boughner se donne pour objectif de rendre la science plus accessible. (Source : Ag-West Bio)

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Wheat: X-ray image of a wheat spike. The different colours indicate differences in density. This information helps scientists understand plant biology to develop improved and climate-resilient crops. (Credit: Canadian Light Source) Blé : Une image radiographique d’un épi de blé. Les différentes couleurs indiquent des différences de densité. Ces informations aident les scientifiques à comprendre la biologie des plantes et à créer des cultures mieux adaptées au climat. (Source : Canadian Light Source)

a large space. The lights are low, and colourful images dance on large screens around the room.

This is Beautiful Science. The images are from scientific research and are so incredible they deserve to be on display. Contributors come from companies and institutions, including the Canadian Light Source, University of Saskatchewan and Saskatchewan Polytechnic. The media ranges from fluorescence microscopy to photography. The display includes explanations of the artwork, and scientists are on site to talk about the science behind their pieces.

PARTNERSHIPS THE SECRET FOR SUCCESS Biotechnology is much more than genetic engineering (although that is an important tool). Any process that uses living organisms (yeast, bacteria, fungi, enzymes, etc.) to create beneficial products is considered biotechnology.

Bread, beer, wine, and cheese are examples that go back thousands of years. Fuels, enzyme-based cleaners, crop development, biologicals, bioremediation, vaccines and medicines are other products of biotechnology that benefit modern society.

Saskatchewan is a hot bed of agricultural biotechnology, and well known for producing some of the highest quality agricultural crops in the world. Saskatoon is also home to the Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization (VIDO), Canada’s Centre for Pandemic Research. This province is one of the country’s most active during Global Biotech Week (GBW). What’s the key ingredient? Community spirit and collaboration!

s’accompagne d’explications sur les œuvres d’art, et des scientifiques sont présents sur place pour parler de la science qui sous-tend les œuvres.

LES PARTENARIATS, UN GAGE DE RÉUSSITE La biotechnologie va bien au-delà du génie génétique (bien que celui-ci offre des techniques incontournables). On considère comme appartenant à la biotechnologie tout processus qui fait appel à des organismes vivants (levures, bactéries, champignons, enzymes, etc.) pour créer des produits utiles. Le pain, la bière, le vin et le fromage en sont des exemples plus que millénaires. Les carburants, les nettoyants à base d’enzymes, les cultivars « créés », les produits biologiques, la biorestauration, les vaccins et les médicaments sont d’autres produits de la biotechnologie qui sont utiles à la société moderne.

La Saskatchewan est un haut lieu de la biotechnologie agricole, tout comme elle est réputée pour ses cultures qui comptent parmi les plus productives au monde. Saskatoon est également le siège de la Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization (VIDO), le centre canadien de recherche sur les épidémies. Cette province est l’une des plus actives du pays pendant la Semaine mondiale des biotechnologies (SMB). À quoi cela tient-il? À un esprit de communauté et de collaboration!

La province peut compter sur Ag-West Bio (l’association de l’industrie des biosciences de la Saskatchewan), qui tient les rênes de l’événement grâce à la mise sur pied d’un comité d’organisation local et à la coordination des activités. Les personnes qui font partie du comité sont très enthousiastes et

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très engagées. Elles élaborent le programme et se partagent la charge de travail en matière de logistique, de promotion et de collecte de fonds.

Certains membres collaborent à la Semaine des biotechnologies depuis une décennie, voire davantage. Cette année, en plus du personnel d’Ag-West Bio, les membres du comité sont représentés par Saskatchewan Polytechnic, Innovation Saskatchewan, Genome Prairie, l’Université de la Saskatchewan (USask), Agriculture in the Classroom Sask et Farm and Food Care Sask. Ils accueillent également un scientifique indépendant et un étudiant de la USask.

L’année 2023 ne fait pas exception à la règle : la sélection d’événements étant toujours aussi variée.

La Semaine des biotechnologies de la Saskatchewan a officiellement commencé avec le Taste of Innovation, un dîner de lancement qui célébrait l’innovation en matière de génie génétique. Des aliments ont ainsi trouvé leur place jusque dans l’assiette des participants, comme le saumon AquAdvantage™, les pommes de terre Innate®, l’huile de canola, ainsi que de nombreux autres produits innovants fabriqués en Saskatchewan.

Un partenariat avec Farm and Food Care Saskatchewan et le Saskatchewan Food Industry Development Center (Food Centre) a conduit à la mise au point d’un webinaire produit par Le Panier alimentaire canadien et intitulé The Science of Breadmaking [La science de la panification]. Animé par Sara Lui, une chercheuse spécialisée en alimentation au Food Centre, le webinaire explique le fonctionnement de la levure et du gluten dans le pain.

L’alimentation et la biotechnologie ont également été au centre d’un webinaire hybride organisé par le College of Agriculture and Bioresources de la USask, intitulé Advancements in Ag Research [Les avancées de la recherche en agriculture], auquel participait Michael Nickerson, titulaire de la chaire de recherche sur l’agriculture et l’alimentation de la Saskatchewan.

La Saskatoon Public Schools Division Foundation et Agriculture in the Classroom ont de leur côté eu l’heureuse idée de créer une zone scientifique à l’occasion de la foire de rue All in for Literacy, où les élèves de la maternelle à la huitième année ont été invités à participer à des ateliers scientifiques (extraction d’ADN et science du sol).

L’un des plus anciens produits issus de la biotechnologie, la bière, est généralement mis à l’honneur dans divers événements qui jalonnent la Semaine des biotechnologies de la Saskatchewan, et ce chaque année!

Les amateurs de bières se sont retrouvés chez Taste of Innovation was a celebration of food. The menu included GMO products, including Boffins à l’Innovation Place pour le Biotech & AquAdvantage™ salmon and Artic™ Apples. (Credit: Ag-West Bio) Beer, organisé conjointement par Ag-West Bio et Le dîner Taste of Innovation met à l’honneur les aliments issus de la biotechnologie. Le menu était composé de produits génétiquement modifiés, notamment du saumon AquAdvantage™ et des Innovation Saskatchewan. L’un des temps forts de la

Ag-West Bio (Saskatchewan’s bioscience industry association) takes the lead in the province, pulling together a local organizing committee and coordinating activities.

The committee is an enthusiastic, highly engaged group of people who develop the program and share the workload for logistics, promotions and fundraising.

Some members have been a part of GBW for a decade or more. This year, along with Ag-West Bio staff, committee members represent Saskatchewan Polytechnic, Innovation Saskatchewan, Genome Prairie, University of Saskatchewan (USask), Agriculture in the Classroom Sask, Farm and Food Care Sask, as well as an independent scientist, and a USask student.

The event list in 2023 was as wide-ranging as ever.

Saskatchewan’s week officially began with Taste of Innovation - a kick-off luncheon to celebrate food and ingredient innovation - featuring genetically engineered ingredients such as AquAdvantage™ salmon and Innate® potatoes, and of canola oil, along with many other innovative, Saskatchewan made products.

A partnership with Farm and Food Care Saskatchewan and the Saskatchewan Food Industry Development Center (Food Centre) led to the development of a Canadian Food Focus webinar called The Science of Breadmaking, with Dr. Sara Lui, a food scientist at the Food Centre, explaining how yeast and gluten work in bread.

Food and biotechnology were also the focus for a hybrid webinar hosted by USask’s College of Agriculture and Bioresources called Advancements in Ag Research, featuring Dr. Michael Nickerson, Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food Research Chair.

pommes Artic™. (Source : Ag-West Bio)

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Another exciting collaboration, with the Saskatoon soirée aura été un jeu de questions, Biotech Trivia, au cours duquel rivalité rimait avec bonne humeur, à la suite duquel les Public Schools Division Foundation and Agriculture in the participants repartirent avec des prix très intéressants (ce Classroom, led to the Science Zone at All in for Literacy, a dont ils peuvent, bien sûr, se vanter). street fair event, where students from K-8 were invited to Il est à noter par ailleurs qu’un participate in hands-on science partenariat de longue date, qui activities (DNA extraction and a soil remonte à 2014, unit l’événement science activity). au Café scientifique Saskatoon.

Being one of the oldest products L’orateur invité était cette année of biotechnology, beer is typically Chris Eskiw, chercheur au featured in a couple Saskatchewan département des sciences de GBW events each year! l’alimentation et des bioproduits de At Innovation Place in la USask et expert en génomique Saskatoon, Boffins was the hot spot de la levure. Ce dernier a présenté for Biotech & Beer, co-hosted by au public des faits étonnants sur la Ag-West Bio and Innovation levure et la fabrication de la bière; Saskatchewan. A fun and fiercely les participants étaient rassemblés competitive Biotech Trivia game autour d’une pinte, au Winston’s was a highlight of the evening, with Pub. the winners earning great prizes (and of course, bragging rights).

DES ACTIVITÉS A partnership with Café COMPLÉMENTAIRES Scientifique Saskatoon has been L’édition 2023 du balado ongoing since 2014. This year, the Canola seeds: A three-dimensional x-ray image of canola seeds Startupville (en anglais) d’Innovation guest speaker was Dr. Chris Eskiw, a during germination. The emerging plants can be seen breaking through the shells of the seeds to search for water and nutrients. Improved understanding of how plants absorb Saskatchewan, produit dans le cadre researcher in the Food and nutrients and water will help develop more weather-adaptable de la Semaine des biotechnologies, Bioproduct Sciences department, crops. (Credit: Canadian Light Source) présentait une interview du fondateur USask and an expert in yeast Graines de colza : Image radiographique tridimensionnelle de de Proxima R&D, Iain Wallace, qui genomics, engaged the audience with graines de colza pendant la germination. On peut voir les plantes émergentes percer les coquilles des graines à la expliquait le b.a.-ba de la création fun facts about yeast and beer recherche d’eau et de nutriments. Une meilleure de la manière dont les plantes absorbent les d’une entreprise scientifique dans making, while they sampled a pint at compréhension nutriments et l’eau permettra de créer des cultures mieux adaptées aux conditions météorologiques . une petite ville.

Winston’s Pub. (Source : Canadian Light Source)

ROUNDING OUT THE ACTIVITIES The 2023 Biotech Week Edition of Innovation Saskatchewan’s Startupville podcast, features an interview with Proxima R&D founder Dr. Iain Wallace, discussing what it’s like to build a science startup in a small city.

For the younger set, a poster making kit was developed

by Agriculture in the Classroom, filled with tricks and tips on how to communicate science (the kit is available online for teachers to download).

Public tours were hosted by the Canadian Light Source, Canada’s only synchrotron facility, as well as the Food Centre’s new Fermentation Facility.

Saskatchewan’s Global Biotech Week program also included social media activities: scientists were invited to post snapshots to capture a moment in their day and celebrate science by flooding the internet with fun and inspiring pics for #ScientistSelfies; and our wily mascot Felix the Helix played hide and seek on social with #FindFelix.

Visit www.globalbiotechweeksask.ca for photos, videos and recorded webinars from the week. To learn more about Saskatchewan’s bioscience sector, visit www.agwest.sk.ca

Pour les plus jeunes, une trousse de création d’affiches a été conçue par Agriculture in the Classroom. Elle proposait des trucs et astuces autour de la communication scientifique (la trousse est disponible en ligne et peut être téléchargée par les enseignants).

Des visites publiques ont été organisées au Centre canadien de rayonnement synchrotron, la seule installation du genre au Canada, ainsi que dans la nouvelle installation de fermentation du Food Centre.

Le programme de la Semaine mondiale des biotechnologies de la Saskatchewan comportait également des activités sur les réseaux sociaux : les scientifiques étaient invités à immortaliser en photo un moment de leur journée, puis à la publier, afin que le Web soit inondé d’images ludiques et inspirantes avec le mot-clic #ScientistSelfies, notre façon de célébrer la science. Notre ingénieuse mascotte, Felix the Helix, a quant à elle joué à cache-cache sur les réseaux sociaux autour du mot-clic #FindFelix.

Des photos, des vidéos et des webinaires produits au cours de la semaine sont accessibles à l’adresse www.globalbiotechweeksask.ca (en anglais). Pour en savoir plus sur le secteur des biosciences en Saskatchewan, consultez le site www.agwest.sk.ca (en anglais). biotech.ca

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Empowering the Regenerative Medicine Revolution: Reinforcing the Bridge Between the Lab and the Market Une meilleure intégration de la médecine régénérative grâce au renforcement du pont menant du laboratoire au marché

by Cate Murray, President and CEO of the Stem Cell Network par Cate Murray, Présidente-directrice générale du Réseau de cellules souches

CANADIAN MEDICAL RESEARCH HAS HAD MANY SUCCESSES. IT BROUGHT THE WORLD INSULIN, mRNA vaccines, pacemakers and an ever-growing list of stem cell-based therapies and technologies treating a growing list of chronic illness and rare diseases. In fact, Canada pioneered regenerative medicine through the discovery of stem cells – building blocks that can grow into any cell and thus regrow tissue to heal the body. This is revolutionizing for health care, and it is the future of medicine.

But Canada needs to do more. We need to strengthen the entire ecosystem of medical research, and in particular the full pipeline from “discovery” to “commercialization”. In too many cases, Canadian researchers make breakthrough discoveries but then they go elsewhere – Boston, California, Tokyo – where the money is to translate that discovery and scale it.

If Canada is going to have a life sciences industry that is producing high-quality products, good jobs, attracting foreign investment and contributing to our GDP – and giving Canadians first access to cutting-edge therapies – then we need to better support the connection between academia and industry. Otherwise, it’s going to happen somewhere else instead.

How do we reinforce the bridge between academia and commercialization? It will take a national strategic science plan, as called for in the recent Report of the Advisory Panel on the Federal Research Support System, and that means a commitment to long-term public policy and political will to back it up. Overall, there are four major components to be considered: human talent, scientific excellence, capital investment and willing receptors able to adopt the outputs of life

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LA MÉDECINE RÉGÉNÉRATIVE CANADIENNE A CONNU BIEN DES SUCCÈS. Elle a offert au monde l’insuline, les vaccins à ARNm, le stimulateur cardiaque, ainsi qu’un nombre croissant de technologies et de thérapies géniques, grâce auxquelles on traite de plus en plus de maladies chroniques et de maladies rares. En fait, le Canada est même l’un des pionniers de la médecine régénérative, car on y a découvert les cellules souches, ces éléments constitutifs de la régénération tissulaire qui peuvent prendre la forme de toute cellule et ainsi guérir l’organisme. Cette découverte a révolutionné les soins de santé et constitue l’avenir de la médecine.

Or, le Canada doit maintenant appuyer le secteur, car ce sont l’ensemble de l’écosystème de la recherche médicale et en particulier les programmes scientifiques, de la « découverte » à la « commercialisation », qui doivent être renforcés. Trop souvent, les chercheurs du Canada font des percées scientifiques, puis partent ailleurs — Boston, la Californie, Tokyo — c’est-à-dire là où des fonds sont disponibles pour une application à grande échelle des résultats de la recherche.

Pour que le secteur canadien des sciences de la vie puisse produire des biens de qualité, créer de bons emplois, attirer les investissements étrangers, contribuer à notre PIB — et donner à la population canadienne un accès rapide aux traitements de pointe —, les liens qui unissent le milieu universitaire et l’industrie doivent être renforcés. S’ils ne le sont pas, ce sont d’autres territoires qui bénéficieront de telles retombées favorables.

Comment donc renforcer le pont qui mène de la recherche à la commercialisation?

Il faudra un plan stratégique national pour les

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The Morphocell Technologies team Photo credit: Morphocell Technologies | L’équipe de Morphocell Technologies Source : Morphocell Technologies

science research. With all four ingredients tightly tied together, like the foot boards of a bridge, the synergies will start to emerge, and magic will happen. Drop any one of these and the others will wobble – leading one to question if they should attempt to cross the bridge.

The bridge between academia and commercialization starts with people. Human talent – that means not only promoting science in our schools, but also building Canada’s science culture overall. We must also have the conditions in place that will allow us to attract and retain talent, so that the best minds, Canadian and international, can work and succeed within our borders and are not compelled to leave for more rewarding opportunities abroad.

Top talent, in turn, begets strong multi-disciplinary and collaborative science that fuels discoveries leading to therapies and technologies. This has a further stimulative effect of forging networks able to capitalize on their energy, research strength and innovative spirit. In Canada these networks already exist and are bringing together all parts of the life science enterprise – researchers, clinicians, investors, business, health care receptors and patients.

They are foundational to the bridge that connects academia to commercialization. For the Stem Cell Network (SCN), we work with organizations like OBIO, BIOTECanada, AdMare and CCRM to provide academia with a path forward toward investment, the creation of successful biotechs, and the

sciences, comme en appelle de ses vœux le récent Rapport du comité consultatif sur le système fédéral de soutien à la recherche, ce qui signifie un engagement à long terme en matière de politiques publiques, appuyé par une grande volonté politique. Dans l’ensemble, quatre grandes composantes sont à considérer : le talent humain, l’excellence scientifique, les investissements de capitaux et des gens prêts à accueillir favorablement et à adopter les fruits de la recherche en sciences de la vie. Une fois en place ces quatre piliers, il ne restera qu’à établir le pont; des synergies se feront alors jour, et la formule magique agira. Affaiblissez un pilier, et le pont vacillera : qui, dans cette situation, voudra tenter de franchir le pont?

Le premier pilier à bâtir est fait de gens, c’est-à-dire de talents humains, que nous obtiendrons non seulement en faisant la promotion de la science à l’école, mais aussi en insufflant au Canada tout entier une culture scientifique.

Nous devrons aussi mettre en place les conditions propices à attirer et à retenir les gens de talent, de sorte que les plus brillants esprits, qu’ils soient canadiens ou étrangers, puissent travailler et s’épanouir chez nous et ne soient pas poussés à partir vers des occasions plus gratifiantes à l’étranger.

Un solide milieu scientifique, de nature multidisciplinaire et collaborative, qui stimule les découvertes productrices de traitements et de technologies, va de pair avec le talent. Un tel milieu favorise l’établissement de réseaux capables de tirer

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parti de l’énergie, des atouts intellectuels et de l’esprit d’innovation de ses membres. Au Canada, ce type de réseaux existe déjà et rassemble tous les éléments de la grande entreprise des sciences de la vie : les chercheurs, les cliniciens, les investisseurs, les gens d’affaires, les « récepteurs » des soins de santé et les patients. Ils constituent ainsi l’un des piliers du point qui mène de la recherche à la commercialisation. En ce qui concerne le Réseau de cellules souches (RCS) par exemple, nous travaillons avec des organisations telles que OBIO, BIOTECanada, AdMare et le CCMR afin d’offrir aux universitaires une voie d’investissement, de création de biotechs fructueuses et d’obtention de licences protégeant la PI, dont les produits peuvent ensuite être fabriqués à grande échelle et exportés à travers le monde.

Le fait que les investisseurs craignent le risque et recherchent le rendement n’est un secret pour personne. En sciences de la vie, l’investissement est un pari à longue échéance, et l’investisseur doit être très patient. Il faut donc prendre soin de créer des rencontres judicieuses entre les chercheurs, les investisseurs et les hommes et femmes d’affaires. Il s’agit essentiellement de mettre en relation les sarraus et les cravates. C’est pourquoi le RCS offre entre autres des fonds, des formations à la commercialisation, l’accès à des sommets d’investisseurs et des programmes de mentorat : des pierres du pont vers la commercialisation. Nous proposons aussi des investissements qui catalysent l’apport de capitaux du secteur privé.

Dr. Kieffer with colleagues in the UBC lab Photo credit: Paul Joseph, UBC Brand & Marketing Prenons l’exemple de la montréalaise M. Kieffer, Ph. D., au laboratoire de la UBC Source : Paul Joseph, service des marques et du marketing, UBC Morphocell Technologies, une jeune pousse prometteuse qui a émergé du RCS. Au départ, il y avait une scientifique et son mari, un Take the case of Montréal-based Morphocell hépatologue pédiatrique spécialisé dans la transplantation, Technologies. Today it is a promising start-up that came dont les patients étaient des enfants et des adolescents au out of SCN. It started with a scientist and her husband, a foie gravement atteint, qui avaient besoin d’une greffe et pediatric transplant hepatologist who worked with children seraient appelés à prendre des immunosuppresseurs toute and teenagers with significant liver damage – young leur vie pour éviter le rejet d’organe. Ils ont ainsi eu l’idée d’un patients who required a transplant and would need a patch cellulaire qui permettrait au foie de guérir et grâce lifetime of immunosuppressant drugs to prevent organ auquel on sauverait des vies sans passer par la rejection. What they saw led to the idea of a cell therapy transplantation. L’idée était novatrice, et le RCS a couru le patch to give the liver time to heal and save lives without risque. Il a décidé de financer la recherche-développement du the need of a transplant. It was a novel idea and SCN took patch. Le jeu en a valu la chandelle, et les 800 000 $ investis the risk on funding the research to develop the patch. The par le RCS ont mené à la création de Morphocell Technologies risk paid off and SCN’s $800K investment led to the et catalysé 8 millions $ d’investissements des secteurs privé et creation of Morphocell Technologies and unlocked upwards public. Des emplois ont aussi été créés, et des gens, formés. of $8 million from private and public investors. It has also

licensing of IP that can be scaled and exported around the world.

It is no secret that investment capital is risk averse, looking for high returns and low risk. In the life sciences the bets have long time horizons, and that requires a certain type of investor with a lot of patience. That means attention must be given to connect researchers, investors and business professionals. It really is about connecting the lab coat with the pinstripe suit. That is why SCN offers funding, commercialization training, access to investment summits, mentoring programs and more – all important steps on the bridge to commercialization. We also provide the catalytic investments that can help unlock private capital.

spurred job creation and training. Most importantly, it will change the lives of patients. This is both a personal life changer and a health system game changer.

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Another brilliant example is that of Aspect Biosystems in Vancouver. They partnered with a stem cell biologist focused on type 1 diabetes, Dr. Timothy Kieffer from the University of British Columbia. SCN provided a research award that allowed Dr. Kieffer’s lab and Aspect to join forces in building out a data package to prove the science.

That data set was central to securing a $2.6 billion deal with Novo Nordisk. That is a staggering leverage built on SCN’s original catalytic investment. For both Morphocell and Aspect Biosystems, SCN provided research funding, training for research talent, access to investors through strategic life sciences conferences and a belief in what Canadian scientific excellence can achieve.

The global market for cell and gene therapies has been growing by more than 25% per year. The Innovation Economy Council projects that by 2030 the value of the cell and gene therapy market will reach more than $45 billion.

The bioprinter at Aspect Biosystems Photo credit: Aspect Biosystems La bio-imprimante d’Aspect Biosystems Source : Aspect Biosystems

The more we can create Canadian success stories, the more Canada is on the map as a world-class forge of exciting new medical research, and the more we benefit from being part of this growing field.

Where do we go from here? We need to scale our support programs, double down on our science and commit to training at the intersection of science and business.

Additionally, we need to support Canadian life science investors so they can make bets on Canadian science first.

Regenerative medicine is a made-in-Canada science. Let’s continue to build the bridge between academia and commercialization so we can lead the world in a science we founded. And let’s allow Canadians to reap the benefits.

Cate Murray is the President and CEO of the Stem Cell Network.

Plus important encore : la vie des patients en sera transformée, sans parler des effets sur le système de santé.

Un autre exemple remarquable est celui de la vancouvéroise Aspect Biosystems. L’entreprise s’est associée à un biologiste spécialisé dans les cellules souches et travaillant sur le diabète de type 1, M. Timothy Kieffer, Ph. D. de l’Université de la Colombie-Britannique. Le RCS a octroyé au laboratoire de M. Kieffer et à Aspect une subvention de recherche qui leur a permis d’unir leurs forces pour constituer un ensemble de données à l’appui de leur hypothèse scientifique. Cet ensemble de données a été crucial pour l’entente de 2,6 milliards $ conclue avec Novo Nordisk. Il s’agit là d’une multiplication extraordinaire des fonds initialement investis par le RCS. Celui-ci a fourni à Morphocell et à Aspect Biosystems non seulement des fonds de recherche, mais aussi de la formation à l’intention des chercheurs de talent, l’accès à des investisseurs par l’intermédiaire de congrès sur les sciences de la vie, ainsi qu’une foi indéfectible dans les capacités de l’excellence scientifique du Canada.

Le marché mondial des thérapies cellulaires et géniques croît de plus de 25 % par an. L’Innovation Economy Council prévoit que d’ici 2030 la valeur du marché des thérapies cellulaires et géniques sera supérieure à 45 milliards $. Plus il y aura de réussites au Canada, plus le pays sera perçu dans le monde comme un terreau de calibre international donnant naissance à de passionnants projets de recherche novateurs, et plus nous bénéficierons de notre participation à ce secteur en pleine expansion.

Quelles sont les actions à poser maintenant? Il nous faut élargir les programmes de soutien, multiplier les programmes scientifiques et nous engager à offrir de la formation touchant à la fois aux sciences et aux affaires. De plus, nous devons appuyer les investisseurs du secteur canadien des sciences de la vie afin qu’ils privilégient la science canadienne. La médecine régénérative a pris naissance chez nous.

Continuons à édifier le pont qui mène de la recherche à la commercialisation, afin d’être les chefs de file d’une science dont nous sommes les fondateurs. Permettons ainsi aux Canadiennes et aux Canadiens d’en récolter les fruits.

Cate Murray est la présidente-directrice générale du Réseau de cellules souches.

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Investing in Canadian innovation: One-on-one

with Maha Katabi, General Partner, Sofinnova Ventures

Investir pour l’innovation canadienne :

Entretien avec Maha Katabi, associée principale, Sofinnova Ventures

TELL INSIGHTS MAGAZINE A LITTLE ABOUT YOUR JOURNEY INTO THE LEADERSHIP ROLE YOU HAVE ESTABLISHED IN THE INVESTMENT COMMUNITY WITHIN THE LIFE SCIENCES SECTOR IN CANADA. I always wanted to be involved in the sciences, and I focused on pharmacology at university. During my training as a researcher at McGill, I came across the business aspects of drug development in my interaction with an industry collaborator who was interested in testing their novel lipid formulation in tumor models. This Canadian company, Inex, was focused on developing liposomal formulations for drug and gene delivery. I quickly realized that I wanted to explore the world outside the lab and

QU’EST-CE QUI VOUS A MENÉ À VOTRE POSTE DE DIRECTION ACTUEL AU SEIN DE LA COMMUNAUTÉ DE L’INVESTISSEMENT DU SECTEUR CANADIEN DES SCIENCES DE LA VIE? J’ai toujours voulu évoluer dans le monde de la science et j’ai étudié en pharmacologie à l’université. Pendant ma formation de chercheur à l’Université McGill, j’ai commencé à m’intéresser à l’aspect commercial du développement de médicaments à la suite d’une interaction avec Inex, un collaborateur qui désirait mettre à l’essai sa nouvelle formulation lipidique sur des modèles tumoraux. Cette entreprise canadienne aspirait à élaborer des formulations de liposomes pour la vectorisation de médicaments et de gènes.

J’ai rapidement su que je souhaitais sortir du laboratoire et dès que j’ai obtenu mon diplôme, je me suis joint à un fonds d’investissement destiné aux entreprises en démarrage. J’ai donc commencé à rédiger des plans d’affaires pour diverses technologies, puisque j’avais des bases solides en matière d’innovation, de biotechnologie et de financement de l’industrie biopharmaceutique. Au fil de ma carrière, je me suis peu à peu spécialisé dans la gestion de fonds de placement pour un éventail de sociétés, notamment des entreprises privées en démarrage, des entreprises matures rendues au stade des essais cliniques et des entreprises publiques.

SOFINNOVA A VU LE JOUR EN 1976 ET GÈRE AUJOURD’HUI DES ACTIFS D’UNE VALEUR DE PLUS DE 3 MILLIARDS DE DOLLARS POUR METTRE SUR PIED DE NOUVELLES ENTREPRISES TECHNOLOGIQUES DU SECTEUR DES SCIENCES DE LA VIE AUX ÉTATS-UNIS, EN EUROPE ET AU CANADA. POURQUOI L’ÉQUIPE DE SOFINNOVA S’INTÉRESSE-T-ELLE À L’ÉCOSYSTÈME CANADIEN DE LA BIOTECHNOLOGIE? La stratégie de capital de risque de Sofinnova Investments s’intéresse d’abord et avant tout au développement thérapeutique. À la base, la société a été créée par un fonds de pension français, et l’un de ses premiers dirigeants a rapidement établi une présence à San Francisco. Cette nouvelle branche a donné lieu à Sofinnova Investments, un gestionnaire indépendant de fonds d’investissement consacré

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joined an early-stage company creation fund after I graduated. I was pulled into writing business plans for various technologies, and understood the global nature of innovation, biotech and financing in biopharmaceuticals.

Throughout my career to date, I have taken on the management of investment funds across early-stage private companies to mature clinical stage and public companies.

SOFINNOVA WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1976 AND TODAY HAS MORE THAN $3 BILLION IN ASSETS HELPING TO DRIVE NEW LIFE SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY COMPANY DEVELOPMENT IN THE UNITED STATES, EUROPE AND CANADA. WHAT ATTRACTED THE SOFINNOVA TEAM INTO THE CANADIAN BIOTECH ECOSYSTEM-WHY CANADA? Sofinnova Investments’ venture strategy is focused on therapeutics. The firm was originally launched by French pension funds, and one of the firm’s early managers established a presence in San Francisco early on and this led to the establishment of Sofinnova Investments as an independent manager of US focused investment funds. The firm pivoted to investments in life sciences in the late

au marché américain. Vers la fin des années 1990, la firme s’est consacrée aux sciences de la vie et plus récemment, elle a entièrement concentré ses investissements dans le secteur thérapeutique. Aujourd’hui, nous faisons équipe avec les sociétés biotechnologiques et pharmaceutiques pour faire sortir leurs thérapies innovantes du laboratoire et les offrir aux patients.

La majorité de nos activités de placement se déroule aux États-Unis. Or, l’innovation a actuellement le vent en poupe à l’étranger, notamment en Europe, au Canada et dans d’autres marchés émergents internationaux. Le marché mondial est hautement concurrentiel, et nous ciblons ce que nous pensons être les meilleures opportunités dans les domaines et les marchés où notre équipe est en mesure d’offrir une valeur ajoutée. La feuille de route de notre équipe comprend 24 traitements approuvés par la FDA au cours des 10 dernières années. L’industrie canadienne des sciences de la vie offre des occasions dont la qualité et la portée sont comparables, et il s’agit d’un marché où les investissements demeurent relativement faibles.

Maha Katabi (far right) at the Bio International Convention | Maha Katabi (à l’extrême droite) à la convention internationale Bio

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nineties and has further focused as a pure play therapeutics investor over the past four funds. We partner with founders of biotech and pharmaceutical companies to take innovative therapies from the lab to the patient.

The majority of our investment activities are in the United States. Innovation is strong outside the US in Europe, Canada, and other emerging places around the world. It is a globally competitive market place and we are looking at what we believe are the best opportunities in areas and places where our team can add value. The team’s experience and track record have collectively led to 24 FDA approvals over the last 10 years. Canada’s life sciences industry offers opportunities that are comparable both in quality and market potential, and this market remains relatively underinvested.

WHEN YOU SCAN THE CANADIAN INDUSTRY, WHAT HAS IMPRESSED YOU THE MOST ABOUT WHAT CANADIAN TECHNOLOGY AND ENTREPRENEURS ARE DOING? During the pandemic, what I learnt about our healthcare community in Canada when we seized the opportunity to accelerate decision making about clinical trial conduct, funding innovative projects, and accelerating negotiations to have access to vaccine technologies was that we have amazing people. Gone were the usual complaints: this is too risky, why are we doing this, can we succeed? It is remarkable how quickly we can move when a risk-taking mindset prevails.

Resilient healthcare systems are needed to sustain a robust economy. Now that the pandemic is behind us, we need to focus on innovation and continue to foster a risk-taking culture.

There are numerous examples of Canadian technology and entrepreneurship in biotech and pharma: from the early days of the industry in the mid-nineties developing 3TC as an antiviral therapy to treat HIV by Biochem Pharma and GSK to the discovery and development on Monteleukast (derived from Montreal) at Merck’s research facility in Canada. As an aside, Jonathan Leff, MD Executive Partner at Sofinnova, was part of the Montelukast discovery team at Merck. Other recent examples that have had a global impact include Peter Cullis’s development of lipid nanoparticles that were used to deliver mRNA vaccines by Moderna, Pfizer and others.

CAN YOU SPEAK ABOUT SOME OF THE PLATFORM TECHNOLOGIES YOU ARE SEEING TRANSFORMING THE SECTOR TODAY? In my view, smart therapies that are selective and can deliver targeted treatment while minimizing collateral damage have been advanced in recent years across several modalities: in biologics we have seen antibodies become the vector to deliver toxins to tumor cells and replace

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LORSQUE VOUS FAITES UN TOUR D’HORIZON DE L’INDUSTRIE CANADIENNE, QUELLES TECHNOLOGIES ET QUELS ENTREPRENEURS VOUS IMPRESSIONNENT LE PLUS? Pendant la pandémie, la communauté médicale canadienne a saisi l’occasion d’accélérer et de rationaliser la prise de décisions sur les essais cliniques, le financement de projets novateurs et les négociations entourant l’accès aux vaccins. J’ai alors réalisé à quel point nous sommes chanceux de pouvoir compter sur des professionnels de si haut calibre.

Nous avons su faire tomber les barrières habituelles du type « c’est trop risqué », « pourquoi faisons-nous cela? » ou encore « réussirons-nous? ». C’est incroyable de constater la vitesse à laquelle nous pouvons avancer lorsque nous cessons d’être réfractaires aux risques.

Un système de santé résilient est un maillon essentiel d’une économie robuste. Maintenant que la pandémie est derrière nous, nous devons nous concentrer sur l’innovation et continuer de cultiver une culture ouverte aux risques.

Les exemples de l’excellence de l’entrepreneuriat canadien dans les secteurs biotechnologiques et pharmaceutiques ne manquent pas. On n’a qu’à penser au développement du 3TC comme traitement antiviral du VIH par Biochem Pharma et GSK dans les années 1990, alors que l’industrie n’en était qu’à ses balbutiements, ou encore à la découverte et au développement du Montelukast (nommé en l’honneur de Montréal) dans les laboratoires canadiens de Merck. D’ailleurs, j’en profite pour mentionner que le docteur Jonathan Leff, associé directeur général de Sofinnova, a fait partie de l’équipe de Merck derrière la découverte du Montelukast.

Parmi les avancées plus récentes qui ont eu un impact mondial, on peut également penser au développement par Peter Cullis de nanoparticules lipidiques utilisées dans les vaccins à ARNm de Moderna, Pfizer et autres.

POUVEZ-VOUS NOUS PARLER DE CERTAINES PLATEFORMES TECHNOLOGIQUES QUI TRANSFORMENT ACTUELLEMENT L’INDUSTRIE? Des thérapies sélectives offrant des traitements ciblés limitant les dommages collatéraux ont été développées au cours des dernières années dans plusieurs modalités d’intervention. Du côté de la biopharmacie, nous avons vu des anticorps devenir le vecteur de transmission des toxines vers les cellules tumorales et remplacer les chimiothérapies traditionnelles dans le traitement du cancer. On appelle cette technologie conjugué anticorps-médicament, ou CAM. La découverte de petites molécules capables d’exploiter les failles génétiques des tumeurs a changé la façon dont nous traitons le cancer du poumon et les cancers hématologiques.

Le profilage moléculaire et la sélection des patients sont aujourd’hui couramment utilisés dans les services d’oncologie.

Cette approche thérapeutique sur mesure a été mise à profit dans plusieurs secteurs, notamment pour le traitement de maladies rares telles que la fibrose kystique et les dystrophies

ecosystem écosystème

traditional chemotherapies in cancer. This strategy is called Antibody Drug Conjugates or ADCs. Small molecules that exploit genetic weaknesses in tumors have changed the way lung cancer and hematological cancers are treated. Molecular profiling and patient selection and now routinely used in managing oncology patients. This tailored therapeutic approach has been used in many therapeutic areas, in rare diseases such as cystic fibrosis and muscular dystrophies with exon skipping technology.

Molecular glues are another example of a biological observation of a small molecule changing how to intracellular proteins interact and signal leading to a novel field of chemical biology.

Genetic medicines have made meaningful contributions in hemophilia, heart disease, ophthalmology and I believe more therapies will emerge as genetic medicines are improved to be safer, commercially scalable and durable.

Rare diseases are an almost untapped area. More patients can be helped around the world as we focus on making effective treatments more accessible.

Artificial intelligence is now being adopted across the pharma industry. From my perspective, it can change how supply chains are managed, how physicians interface with patients and how clinical trials are conducted. It has been implemented more extensively across the early phases of drug discovery over the last 10 years, and it will continue to be a part of the tool box to improve productivity in early stage drug discovery and development.

THINKING FORWARD SAY 5 OR SO YEARS, WHAT DO YOU SEE ON THE HORIZON IN TERMS OF WHERE THE TECHNOLOGIES ARE GOING AND HOW WILL THEY IMPACT HOW HEALTHCARE WILL CHANGE? Personalized approaches are likely to be applied to treating a wide range of chronic inflammatory diseases, neurodegenerative conditions, and metabolic diseases.

Current bottlenecks in drug development such as the conduct of clinical trials will likely benefit from the availability of databases that can streamline and accelerate the enrolment process and reduce the need to rely on very large clinical trials.

Market access and drug pricing are a societal challenge that we need to tackle to ensure that innovation reaches patients that need it most.

We have seen a steady state of roughly 50-55 novel products approved in the US in the last 5-10 years. With increased productivity, it will be a great outcome to see that number increase in a non-linear fashion to change how the industry as a whole is perceived compared to other innovation driven sectors.

musculaires grâce à la thérapie par saut d’exon. Les colles moléculaires sont un autre exemple de la capacité d’une petite molécule à transformer la façon dont les protéines intracellulaires interagissent et communiquent, et ont ouvert la voie à un nouveau domaine de la biologie chimique.

Les médicaments génétiques ont apporté d’importantes contributions au traitement de l’hémophilie, des cardiopathies et des problèmes ophtalmologiques, et je crois que davantage de traitements verront le jour à mesure que la médecine génétique devient plus sécuritaire, plus durable et commercialisable à plus grande échelle.

Les maladies rares représentent un territoire virtuellement inexploré. Nous pourrons aider davantage de patients à l’échelle mondiale si nous œuvrons à améliorer l’accessibilité des traitements efficaces.

L’industrie pharmaceutique a officiellement adopté l’intelligence artificielle. Je crois personnellement que l’IA peut transformer la gestion des chaînes d’approvisionnement, les interactions des médecins avec leurs patients et la conduite des essais cliniques. Au cours des dix dernières années, elle a été mise à profit lors des phases précoces de la découverte de nouveaux médicaments, et continuera de faire partie intégrante de notre boîte à outils pour améliorer la productivité des premières phases de développement de nouveaux médicaments.

PROJETONS-NOUS CINQ ANS EN AVANT. SELON VOUS, QU’EST-CE QUE L’AVENIR NOUS RÉSERVE EN MATIÈRE DE TECHNOLOGIES ET QUEL SERA LEUR IMPACT SUR L’INDUSTRIE DES SOINS DE SANTÉ?

Des approches personnalisées seront probablement utilisées pour traiter une vaste gamme de maladies inflammatoires chroniques, de maladies neurodégénératives et de maladies métaboliques.

Les goulots d’étranglement que nous observons aujourd’hui dans le développement de nouveaux médicaments, notamment dans la conduite d’essais cliniques, seront probablement allégés par la disponibilité croissante de bases de données capables de rationaliser et d’accélérer le processus de recrutement et d’inscription des participants, et de réduire le besoin de recourir à des essais cliniques de très grande envergure.

L’accessibilité des médicaments – tant sur le plan géographique que sur le plan financier – est un défi sociétal auquel nous devons nous attaquer pour nous assurer que l’innovation sert les patients qui en ont le plus besoin.

Au cours des cinq à dix dernières années, l’approbation des médicaments a connu un rythme stable aux États-Unis, soit environ 50 à 55 nouveaux produits homologués chaque année. Grâce à la hausse de productivité que nous connaissons aujourd’hui, j’espère voir ce nombre augmenter de façon non linéaire pour que la perception de l’industrie dans son ensemble évolue par rapport à celle d’autres secteurs propulsés par l’innovation.

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bionation

Celebrating the Best in the Canadian Biotechnology Industry Célébrer le meilleur du secteur canadien des biotechnologies PRESENTED AT BIONATION 2023, BIOTECANADA’S ANNUAL GOLD LEAF AWARDS were held in September at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa. The awards recognize the remarkable individuals and companies who have made significant contributions to the biotechnology industry and ecosystem in Canada.

The inception of the Gold Leaf Awards began 20 years ago and they are considered a valuable national affirmation for individuals and companies in the biotechnology sector.

Given the industry’s recent momentum, and public interest in solutions, BIOTECanada created an independent, robust, and informed process for the governance, nomination, and selection process of the Gold Leaf Awards. An advisory group comprised of esteemed and respected industry leaders representing various BIOTECanada member constituencies assessed the award categories, criteria, and recommended nominations in February.

Using clear criteria, all nominations were reviewed, a deliberation process was completed, and the 2023 winners were selected.

Congratulations to the 2023 Gold Leaf Award winners: • Abdera Therapeutics - Promising Biotech Company of the Year • Repare Therapeutics - Established Company of the Year • Bloom Burton & Co. - Ecosystem Builder • Roberto Bellini - Game-Changing Industry Leadership • Nabanita Nawar, HDAX Therapeutics - Next Generation Leadership Thank you to the 2023 Gold Leaf Awards Advisory Group who lent their time and expertise to the selection process.

• Geneviève Guertin - Fonds de Solidarité FTQ • John Norman - Gowling WLG (Canada) LLP • Shermaine Tilley - CTI Life Sciences Fund • Kathleen Lisaingo - AbCellera All nominees and winners are great examples of the core strengths of Canada’s biotech ecosystem.

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DANS LE CADRE DU RASSEMBLEMENT BIONATION 2023, LE GALA ANNUEL DES FEUILLES D’OR DE BIOTECANADA a eu lieu en septembre au Centre national des arts d’Ottawa. Les prix soulignent la contribution remarquable de personnes et d’entreprises au secteur et à l’écosystème des biotechnologies du Canada.

Les Feuilles d’or ont vu le jour il y a 20 ans et font aujourd’hui la fierté des Canadiennes et des Canadiens œuvrant dans l’industrie des biotechnologies qui les reçoivent.

Compte tenu de l’élan que connaît le secteur et de l’intérêt de la population pour les solutions qu’il propose, BIOTECanada a créé un processus indépendant et rigoureux pour la gouvernance du programme de prix, les mises en candidature et la sélection des lauréats. Un groupe consultatif formé de leaders de l’industrie qui jouissent de l’estime de leurs pairs et représentent différentes régions du pays a évalué en février les catégories de prix, les critères et les candidatures proposées. À partir de critères clairs, les membres du groupe ont examiné toutes les candidatures, ont délibéré, puis ont choisi les lauréats de 2023.

Félicitations aux récipiendaires des Feuilles d’or 2023 : • Abdera Therapeutics — Entreprise biotechnologique prometteuse de l’année • Repare Therapeutics — Entreprise biotechnologique établie de l’année • Bloom Burton & Co. — Prix du constructeur d’écosystèmes • Roberto Bellini — Prix du leadership de l’industrie qui change la donne • Nabanita Nawar, HDAX Therapeutics — Prix de la prochaine génération de leaders Merci aux membres du groupe consultatif des Feuilles d’or 2023, qui ont consacré temps et expertise au processus de sélection.

• Geneviève Guertin — Fonds de Solidarité FTQ • John Norman — Gowling WLG (Canada) LLP • Shermaine Tilley — Fonds CTI sciences de la vie • Kathleen Lisaingo — AbCellera Tous les candidats et tous les lauréats offrent un reflet des atouts qui sont au cœur de l’écosystème canadien des biotechnologies.

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Award winners Brian Bloom (Bloom Burton) and Nabanita Nawar (HDAX) Les lauréats Brian Bloom (Bloom Burton) et Nabanita Nawar (HDAX)

Repare Therapeutics team accepting the 2023 Gold Leaf Award | L’équipe de Repare Therapeutics reçoit le prix Feuilles d’or 2023

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2023 Gold Leaf Award winners with Honorable Joyce Murray MP and Andrew Casey Les lauréats des Feuilles d’or 2023 avec l’Honorable Joyce Murray Députée et Andrew Casey

Lana Janes (Abdera) with Honorable Joyce Murray MP and Andrew Casey Lana Janes (Abdera) avec l’Honorable Joyce Murray députée et Andrew Casey

Thank you to our 2023 Gold Leaf Awards Sponsor

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Nous remercions notre commanditaire

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