Life Sciences 2024

2024

LIFE SCIENCES Enabling a globally competitive life sciences sector with technology

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2024

LIFE SCIENCES Enabling a globally competitive life sciences sector with technology

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PRESIDENT: Alvin Brouwer EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Hayley Woodin Hastings DESIGN: Tracy Trydal CONTRIBUTORS: Nelson Bennett, Adam Campbell, Glen Korstrom, John Kurucz, Brigitte Petersen RESEARCHER: Anna Liczmanska SALES MANAGER: Marianne Larochelle AD SALES: Sam Gray, Blair Johnston, Manny Kang, Pariya Tari, Bryce Wickstrom ADMINISTRATOR: Eva Shumiatcher Life Sciences is published by BIV Magazines, a division of BIV Media Group, 303 West 5th Avenue, Vancouver, B.C. V5Y 1J6, 604-688-2398, fax 604-688-1963, biv.com.

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FEATURES B.C.’S DIGITAL HEALTH REVOLUTION 07 Investment and innovation advance care INNOVATION VIA RESEARCH CLUSTERS 10 How interdisciplinary work sparks ideas AI-POWERED DRUG DISCOVERY New cures are possible with new tech

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A GLOBALLY COMPETITIVE INDUSTRY 18 B.C.’s life sciences sector is growing THE FUTURE OF FALSE CREEK FLATS 28 Vancouver’s Innovation Hub takes shape

B.C. government greeting

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Federal government greeting

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LSBC president and CEO greeting

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2024 Life Sciences BC Awards

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Mapping B.C.’s biotech therapeutics sector

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Government investment in life sciences

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LSBC member milestones

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LSBC: A year in pictures

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LSBC sponsor recognition

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LIFE SCIENCES 2024 PUBLISHED BY BUSINESS IN VANCOUVER

BRITISH COLUMBIA IS BUILDING CANADA'S FASTESTGROWING LIFE SCIENCES SECTOR

BY BRENDA BAILEY

A s B.C.’s m i n i ster of jobs, economic development and innovation, I’m proud to say B.C. is the fastest-growing life sciences and biomanufacturing sector in Canada, and is home to over 2,000 companies employing close to 20,000 people in the province. These figures are so much more than just numbers; they represent individual stories of incredibly talented people who are working in this province to create solutions to health care and other societal challenges.

Our government is committed to maintaining this strength and momentum. Last year, we launched the province’s first Life Sciences and Biomanufacturing Strategy, which is helping us maximize opportunities for B.C. in the global innovation economy. The strategy is built on five pillars: ■ Improving access to talent; ■ Growing innovative local companies; ■ Increasing biomanufacturing capacity and attracting anchor companies; ■ Expanding our clinical trials; and ■ Leveraging and commercializing research capacity.

This summer, we released a year one progress report outlining the actions we’ve taken to deliver on this strategy—actions that are aligned with our industrial blueprint to attract investment, create new jobs, and grow clean and sustainable industries in the province. To date, our government has supported B.C.’s life sciences sector with over $737 million in funding and leveraged more than $1.2 billion in federal funding and private investment to help the sector continue to grow. This means more high-quality, well-paid jobs for people living in B.C. This kind of investment generates advancements in fields that are developing innovative solutions for a wide range of challenges people face in their lives. For example, a nearly $200 million partnership between Vancouver-based Aspect Biosystems and the governments of B.C. and Canada is expected to drive the development of cutting-edge bio-printed tissue therapeutics. This project will see Aspect establish clinical biomanufacturing capabilities, advancing its made-in-B.C. platform that will expand on treatments for serious metabolic and endocrine diseases, such as diabetes, obesity and liver disease, which will change people’s lives

for the better.

In June, we celebrated a key milestone with adMare BioInnovations, which announced the location of their new wet laboratory facility in Vancouver. The expansion of operations at adMare is expected to provide more than 20 early-stage biotech companies with access to turnkey wet labs and cutting-edge equipment. The province is also investing in Vancouver Island Life Sciences’ Victoria-based facility.

Wet lab facilities are important because they provide local life science companies with the specialized equipment they need to do their work—to validate the effectiveness of new discoveries and evaluate their commercial viability.

With the rapid growth of the life sciences sector comes hundreds, and eventually thousands, of new job opportunities. That’s why our government worked with PacifiCan to make a combined investment of $7.2 million to create a new B.C. Biomanufacturing Training Facility at the British Columbia Institute of Technology, in partnership with Canadian Alliance for Skills and Training in Life Sciences.

At the centre, students and trainees will receive hands-on and theoretical training. They’ll learn from experienced industry trainers in classrooms and mocked-up cleanroom environments equipped with state-of-the-art pilot-scale bioprocessing equipment. This will be an integral part of building the highly skilled workforce needed to fill future jobs in biomanufacturing and advance B.C.’s and Canada’s capabilities to make medicine.

The province has also announced a $74.7 million investment towards the creation of 3,000 new tech-relevant learning spaces in B.C. post-secondary institutions. With this support, B.C. students will have access to training in life sciences, as well as training in other tech fields like cybersecurity, software engineering, data science, creative tech, clean tech and agritech. In each case, tech students in B.C. will be well positioned to take advantage of the incredible opportunities coming to the province.

The life sciences ecosystem is a thriving, collaborative community in our province. As the sector continues to expand and grow in B.C., I look forward to deeper roots for more anchor companies, a profusion of life-changing discoveries and an abundance of opportunities for the creators, scientists, entrepreneurs, researchers and visionaries who are ready to pursue the possibilities that are on the horizon. ç Brenda Bailey is B.C.’s minister of jobs, economic development and innovation at the time of publication, and the MLA for Vancouver-South Granville.

OUR GOVERNMENT HAS SUPPORTED B.C.’S LIFE SCIENCES SECTOR WITH OVER $737 MILLION IN FUNDING AND LEVERAGED MORE THAN $1.2 BILLION IN FEDERAL FUNDING AND PRIVATE INVESTMENT

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EMBRACING INNOVATION TO CREATE NEXT-GENERATION MEDICINES DOMESTICALLY

BY FRANÇOIS-PHILIPPE CHAMPAGNE

Canada’s life sciences sector is in the midst of a renaissance.

Since 2020, Canada has embarked on a transformative jou r ney to s t ren g t hen it s biomanufacturing and life sciences sector capabilities, investing nearly $2.3 billion in 40 projects aimed at rebuilding our national ecosystem.

This substantial investment not only reinforces Canada’s position as a global hub for biomanufacturing and life sciences, but also attracts international investors, spurs innovation and creates high-quality jobs for Canadians.

Canada is building on its strong legacy of leadership in scientific research and innovations. Stem cells and insulin, both discovered in Canada through pioneering Canadian science, underscore our country’s historical contributions in the sector.

Our Biomanufacturing and Life Sciences Strategy is built on five key pillars: ■Effective governance that integrates innovation and health; ■Excellence in research and talent development; ■Sector growth; ■Building public capacity; and ■Establishing top-tier regulatory and clinical trial systems to foster innovation.

These pillars are concrete commitments aimed at nurturing a robust life sciences sector capable of producing cutting-edge therapies, vaccines and the next generation of medicines right here at home.

Canada’s strategy has delivered notable achievements, including a diverse portfolio of vaccine technology platforms, therapeutics and biomanufacturing investments, through which Canada has built-up capacity and attracted signature investments from global leaders such as Moderna, Sanofi, and AstraZeneca. These are just a few examples with many others expected.

It has directly benefited British Columbia, with investments in AbCellera Biologics, adMare BioInnovations and Canada’s Immuno-Engineering and Biomanufacturing Hub at the University of British Columbia (UBC) being key examples of the work we are doing. Collective leadership, across all levels of government, companies, and academic and skills institutions are helping solidify, grow and sustain our competitive advantage in our vibrant life sciences ecosystem.

More recently, we’ve seen investments such as the unprecedented $400 million allocated to TRIUMF’s particle accelerator at UBC underscoring our commitment to pushing

the boundaries of scientific discovery and technological innovation. This funding will elevate Canada’s capabilities in particle physics, fostering breakthroughs in medical isotopes and beyond. This significant federal investment in TRIUMF reaffirms our dedication to advancing Canada’s leadership in cutting-edge research and technology.

Moreover, we recently celebrated the opening of STEMCELL Technologies’ state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Burnaby and announced $49 million in funding for Aspect Biosystems highlighting our progress in advancing regenerative medicine and bio-printed tissue therapies. These developments are pivotal in positioning Canada as a global leader in the regenerative medicine market of tomorrow, bolstering our capacity to innovate and address pressing health-care challenges.

British Columbia’s role in this national endeavour cannot be overstated. The province’s dynamic life sciences sector, complemented by a robust talent pool and supportive innovation ecosystem, strengthens Canada’s collective ability to drive scientific breakthroughs and retain intellectual property within our borders. For instance, the success of mRNA vaccines in combatting the COVID-19 pandemic is, in part, due to the lipid nanoparticle technology pioneered at UBC. Canada’s leadership in biomanufacturing is increasingly fortified through strategic international partnerships, like our collaboration with the United Kingdom. This partnership, highlighted in recent agreements advancing biomanufacturing and quantum science, underscores our shared commitment to driving global innovation and scientific progress.

Beyond the U.K., Canada actively engages in partnerships across the globe, leveraging collective expertise to accelerate advancements in life sciences. These collaborations not only bolster our biomanufacturing capabilities but also foster cross-border knowledge exchange, promote technological innovation and enhance global health security.

As we navigate the complexities of a more volatile world, resilience remains our guiding principle. The lessons learned from the pandemic underscore the importance of strengthening critical supply chains and investing in our domestic capabilities. By harnessing the power of science, technology, and talent—particularly within B.C.’s thriving life sciences community—we are positioning Canada to play a global leadership role in biomanufacturing and medical innovation.

Canada’s journey in biomanufacturing and life sciences embodies resilience, innovation and meaningful partnerships. It is representative of our vision for a healthier and more sustainable future, driven by the ingenuity of our researchers and the perseverance of our entrepreneurs.

Together, we will continue to leverage our strengths, foster prosperity and ensure that Canada remains at the forefront of global biomanufacturing and life sciences innovation. ç François-Philippe Champagne is Canada’s minister of innovation, science and industry.

BRITISH COLUMBIA’S ROLE IN THIS NATIONAL ENDEAVOUR CANNOT BE OVERSTATED. THE PROVINCE’S DYNAMIC LIFE SCIENCES SECTOR … STRENGTHENS CANADA’S COLLECTIVE ABILITY TO DRIVE SCIENTIFIC BREAKTHROUGHS

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LIFE SCIENCES 2024 PUBLISHED BY BUSINESS IN VANCOUVER

B.C'S GROWTH AS A WORLD-CLASS LIFE SCIENCES LEADER IS EVOLVING

BY WENDY HURLBURT

Life Sciences BC (LSBC) supports and represents British Columbia’s life sciences sector, nurturing economic development in the province. With Canada’s fastest-growing life sciences sector, B.C. houses a thriving ecosystem with a rate of GDP growth that continues to outpace the overall provincial economy across important indicators. There is no doubt that British Columbia is a significant player, with top-tier scientific advancements and pivotal partnerships and investments reinforcing our position as a global life sciences powerhouse.

B.C. is driving forward life sciences innovation, as record growth in recent years reflects the high calibre of regional talent working to advance the sector. With support from B.C.’s Ministry of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills, LSBC recently launched a provincewide Labour Market Intelligence (LMI) Study to build a comprehensive forecast for labour demand and supply.

Today, B.C.’s life sciences sector employs more than 28,500 British Columbians, inclusive of the health technology and digital health subsectors, as reported in our LMI study. Recommendations from the report emphasize supporting the scale of life sciences companies and nurturing a competitive

talent and training ecosystem to lay a pathway between the sector’s vibrant potential and a sustainable, globally competitive future. We are already enacting some of the report’s recommendations, which include the formation of a talent council to address the sector’s needs.

Digital health is prime to transform health care, with new technologies and innovations continuously improving patient lives and outcomes. Last year, LSBC introduced a dedicated digital health conference to facilitate connections and conversations for this exciting subsector. The province also announced diagnostic services using locally developed digital tools to improve patient access and speed, enabling the use of AI and supporting rapid diagnostics. This initiative, as part of the province’s integrated marketplace, links strategic buyers to local companies to implement, scale up and export B.C. technology solutions.

This is an exciting time to be part of the life sciences sector in B.C. World-class biotech innovations are emerging from every corner of the ecosystem, bringing increasing attention to our province. Over the last 10 years, our biotech subsector alone brought in over US$13 billion in private-sector investments, establishing a strong foundation for expansion.

LSBC is committed to helping the life sciences sector thrive as we look forward to the progress and innovations that not only move our economy forward, but also improve the lives of patients here and around the world.

Wendy Hurlburt is president and CEO of Life Sciences BC.

OVER THE LAST 10 YEARS, OUR BIOTECH SUBSECTOR ALONE BROUGHT IN OVER US$13 BILLION IN PRIVATE-SECTOR INVESTMENTS

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B.C.'S DIGITAL HEALTH REVOLUTION From groundbreaking, made-in-B.C. innovations to a world-leading health authority, private and public players are digitizing health care in British Columbia

BY GLEN KORSTROM

E

xcitement was palpable at WELL Health Technologies Corp.’s head office on a scorchinghot morning during the summer.

Staff, invited guests and media mingled on the fifth f loor of the Gastown heritage building known as the Landing, at 375 Water Street.

Some were admiring the gorgeous view of the North Shore mountains, the Port of Vancouver and a cruise ship docked at Canada Place.

A ll were awaiting Innovation Science and Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne to announce $15.3 million in federal funding through the B.C.-based DIGITA L supercluster to further integrate artificial intelligence into health-care technology to make the system more efficient.

WELL Health for years has been developing, along with consortium partners, what it calls Health Compass—a platform that automates medical clinics’ back-office functions, such as the booking of patient appointments.

The technology keeps improving.

New money is earmarked for what the consortium calls Health Compass II. Doctors are already able to use the current platform’s A I capabilities to summarize and insightfully distill conversations they have du ri ng appoi ntments w ith patients.

T h e A I-b a s e d t e c h n o l o g y n o t o n l y t r a n s c r i b e s conversations, but can add perspective on what patients’ conditions might be. It then suggests possible conditions to the physician.

“It can identify patients that are not being correctly treated,” says Dr. Michael Frankel, who splits his time as a family physician in Surrey and as WELL Health’s chief medical officer.

“T hat l itera l ly saves l ives. It saves the hea lth-ca re system money. It saves doctors’ time. T his tool can scan through structured and unstructured data in the patients’ charts.”

Si f ti ng th roug h str uctu red data i n a n Excel fi le is straightforward. Reading and analyzing large amounts of unstructured data is the technological leap.

Medical patients in B.C. can have health-care records that stretch back decades. A typical one, in PDF format, might be around 150 pages and include multiple doctors’ notations for visits from throughout the patient’s life.

Newer records are likely typed, although abbreviations may differ between doctors.

Notations made in the 1990s might be in cursive text.

Physician Michael Frankel says he believes the AI-infused Health Compass system saves lives, money and time • ROB KRUYT

Given that doctors stereotypically have scarcely legible handwriting at the best of times, reading those reports can take an enormous amount of time.

Indeed, it would be impossible for a family doctor to thoroughly read each patient’s medical history before seeing them, Frankel says.

“This technology will do it in seconds, or minutes, and pick out whether you’ve been treated appropriately, and it will make diagnoses that are missed,” he says.

WELL Health CEO Hamed Shahbazi calls the technology groundbreaking.

“It’s almost impossible for a general practitioner to catch everything because they have so many different files and content coming into their inbox all the time,” he says.

“Having a disease-detection tool that can screen and scan data, screen for diseases and preventatively identify and risk-stratify those patients [is valuable].”

A real-time demonstration of the technology was on display during that hot morning press conference last July.

W ELL Health medical director Stephen MacDonald

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LIFE SCIENCES 2024 PUBLISHED BY BUSINESS IN VANCOUVER

WELL Health CEO Hamed Shahbazi heads a tech company that is also the largest owner-operator of medical clinics in the country, with more than 175 in its portfolio • CHUNG CHOW

As vice-president of digital patient and provider experience at Fraser Health, Jennifer MacGregor is responsible for all digital health, technology, data science, data analytics and innovation in the region • CHUNG CHOW

clicked a button on a screen and then held a five-minute chat with Champagne about what the minister said was a recent health condition where he had a sore throat and could not swallow easily.

MacDonald then ended the chat, clicked the button again and the AI-powered technology transcribed the series of questions he asked Champagne about the condition, as well as Champagne’s answers, and spat out a structured summary.

“Likely gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD),” was one of the potential diagnoses that the AI technology generated on the screen.

About a week after that press conference, WELL Health and its partner HEALWELL AI Inc. launched what the latter called an AI-powered co-pilot for cardiologists. That technology identifies patients at high risk of cardiovascular disease.

T he i n novation is bu i lt on W EL L Hea lth’s secondgeneration AI-powered physician co-pilot, known as WELL AI Decision Support, which was also co-developed with HEALWELL AI. “By expanding our AI capabilities to include cardiovascular disease detection, we are equipping cardiologists with enhanced tools and decision support necessary to identify at-risk patients earlier, ultimately improving patient outcomes and reducing healthcare costs,” says HEALWELL AI CEO Alexander Dobranowski.

W E L L He a lt h not on ly s p e a rhe a d s te ch nolog ic a l innovations—it is also the largest owner-operator of medical clinics in Canada, with more than 175 in its portfolio.

Those clinics use its AI innovations.

WELL Health also owns clinics in the U.S. thanks to its 2020 acquisition of Silicon Valley-based Circle Medical Technologies Inc., but Shahbazi told BIV that the company’s American clinics have a different technology platform and do not use Health Compass.

province’s health-care system.

Sometimes that involves making devices for health-care professionals, while other times the products and services are available to consumers.

Vancouver-based Clarius Mobile Health focuses on business-to-business customers.

Its CEO Ohad Arazi told BIV that his company’s wireless, ha nd held, u ltrasou nd sca n ners a re on ly for sa le to professionals, such as rheumatologists, who use them to diagnose arthritis.

Clarius recently announced a partnership with the Switzerland-based pharmaceutical giant Novartis, which agreed to lease 100 of Clarius’ devices for two years and for an undisclosed amount of money.

Novartis will provide those scanners to rheumatologists who will use them to diagnose psoriatic and rheumatoid arthritis more quickly.

“T he average ti me to d iag nosis [for some a r th ritis conditions] in B.C. is over two years, but within six months of the onset of symptoms, you already have irreparable joint damage,” Arazi says.

“We’re trying to work with Novartis to move the time to diagnosis from months to minutes by arming the clinicians to do this. It has a big impact on patient care because there’s a long period where someone might be bouncing around between referrals.”

On the business-to-consumer side of B.C.-made healthcare innovations is Vancouver-based MYND Therapeutics Inc. It released an app on July 1 called Myndset, which uses AI and augmented reality for preventative health care, specifically for people who are obese or who want to recast their eating patterns.

The app can simulate reality and aims to train users’ brains to resist food.

One part of the app, for example, provides a long list of potential trigger foods for the consumer—a glazed doughnut, for example, or pizza, or cheese.

Consumers, perhaps sitting near tables, select the trigger foods on their phones. They then use their smartphone

B.C. private companies make technology tools for professionals and consumers Many B.C. companies sell products aimed at improving the

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camera to show their surroundings. They then see on their phone an image of the pizza, or other trigger food, next to them at their table.

The app asks them to stare at the food for 30 seconds and then rate how much they craved it.

Other parts of the app help with resistance training, and ideally guide the consumer to be able to reduce the cravings they experience.

The app can also send notifications to users at what MYND CEO Michael Bidu calls “high-risk times,” which are times when the user is likely to crave food.

The notification may be a reminder to go for a walk or to do some other activity.

The AI part of the app is a Mia chatbot, which can answer questions about obesity in general and about an individual user’s progress within the app.

“The No. 1 feature that the users asked us to have is a guide, or a companion, or someone to take them by the hand during the therapy,” Bidu says.

Innovation applied throughout the health-care system Fraser Health does not use the Health Compass technology that the WELL Health consortium created.

Instead, it last fall formed a partnership with Google’s parent company Alphabet Inc. and Medical Information Tech nolog y I nc.— best k now n by the por tma nteau Meditech—to adopt a different system.

“We’re the first in the world to deploy it,” says Fraser Health vice-president of digital patient and provider experience Jennifer MacGregor.

The system is called Meditech Expanse and it has an AI component.

Fraser Health received the technology in February and spent four months tweaking it before starting to use it in June, MacGregor told BIV. Meditech has had a relationship with Fraser Health for “decades,” so it made sense to deepen the business relationship by adding technological advances, MacGregor explains.

One element of the new system uses AI to assist with discharging patients.

When hospitals discharge patients, staff need to produce reports to summarize what care has taken place before a patient is allowed to go home.

“Some of our patients have been here for many days, if not weeks, so it is a lengthy process to have our physicians go through that,” she says, adding that she estimates the new

technology cuts the amount of time required to produce the reports by about 50 per cent.

The technology can also be used by hospital staff in advance to predict when a patient will be discharged.

Fraser Health has incorporated training modules into the technology to facilitate smooth and efficient processes.

“If you have any questions about ‘How do I transfer this patient?’ or ‘How do I order a transfusion?’ you can ask,” MacGregor says.

She says she expects that in the future Fraser Health will have technology that is able to quickly zip through unstructured data in medical records to come up with diagnoses, similar to the capabilities of Health Compass.

The priority in the short term is to make sure that the technology gets things right, she says.

If a doctor notes in a chart that there is a suspected case of appendicitis, and a later chart notation rules that condition out, it is important that an AI is able to piece together the information in an accurate and helpful way, she says.

“We are approaching generative AI with a safety-first view, and with caution,” she says. “There are some other vendors and partners that we are looking through, and different types of technology.”

Fraser Health has in many respects been at the forefront of using new technologies to improve health care.

It has partnered with Medtronic to use that company’s GI Genius technology that helps gastroenterologists diagnose and treat disease.

The AI in that technology looks at images and acts as a digital companion, MacGregor says.

“It looks at what you’re seeing,” she adds. “If you’re looking at a polyp, it will help you with detection. You can consider it to be a second set of eyes.”

More than a year ago, Fraser Health started to integrate non-humanoid robotics into surgeries.

Surgeons use the robots to make tiny holes or incisions, or otherwise help out with procedures.

The health authority to pursue a digital twin—software that gives hospital staff a digital representation of physical operations and of how patients move within and between facilities.

The technology can help planners better understand needs and better design future facilities.

It can also model the impact of putting various pieces of equipment in different places within a facility, or of allowing a hospital department to run longer operating hours or to have more staff, potentially enabling greater efficiency in hospital operations, MacGregor says. ç

Over 40 years of architectural experience in the Life Sciences and Biotech Industry .........................................................................................................

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RESEARCH WITH

AMBITION British Columbia’s leading research clusters empower researchers, academics and stakeholders across disciplines to think big

SBME director Dr. Peter Zandstra (second from right) with trainees • PAUL JOSEPH/UBC

BY ADAM CAMPBELL

R

esearch clusters can be hard to define, but they represent a vital element of B.C’s life sciences ecosystem.

They are the place where different disciplines come together to innovate and create new technologies, helping to feed research and talent development.

University of British Columbia (UBC) associate vicepresident of resea rch a nd i n novat ion Dr. M att hew Evenden says the term is quite malleable but underscores the advantages of having multidisciplinary individuals working towards a common goal.

“Most resea rchers, t h roug h most of t hei r act iv ity, a re o p e ra t i n g w i t h i n f a i rl y s p e c i f i c d i s c i p l i n a r y conversations and contexts,” he says. “Clusters provide an opportunity for researchers to think in much bigger terms.”

E ve n d e n o ve rs e e s t h e U B C R e s e a rc h E x c e l l e n c e Program—an initiative that provides support and funding to clusters led by researchers at the institution, and aims

to build networks with high-achieving goals.

The importance of these research clusters lies in being able to undertake major research questions, to pursue innovation and to advance societal changes through interdisciplinary collaboration.

“I think they invite researchers to be more ambitious; most of us know that major problems are going to require a range of participating areas of expertise; so this is a way to make that happen,” Evenden says.

I nt r ic ate net work s l i ke t hese not on ly spu r more innovation, but they also facilitate the leveraging of ideas, solutions, funding and other resources, according to Evenden.

Fu nd i ng for U BC Resea rch E xcel lence clu sters i s provided from within the university, but it positions researchers to apply for major grant opportunities both

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Researchers in Dr. Sriram Subramaniam’s cryo-electron microscopy lab at UBC • PAUL JOSEPH/UBC

nationally and internationally, he adds.

Pioneering diabetes research Ever y resea rch clu ster h a s its ow n pu r pose a nd objectives depend i ng on the field, such as the B.C. Diabetes Research Network, a UBC Research Excellence cluster led by UBC Dr. Bruce Verchere, a professor in the departments of surgery, and pathology and laboratory medicine Verchere says B.C. has had a strong and collaborative network of diabetes researchers for a number of years, but a mechanism was needed to bring them closer together.

Aside from the goal of having an impact on people l iv i n g w it h t h e d i s e a s e, t h e c lu s te r fo c u s e s on enhancing training and knowledge exchange with those living with the diabetes.

One of the breakthroughs to come out of the cluster relates to its work on stem cells, with research and experimental transplantation of pancreatic islets cells for those with Type 1 diabetes.

These islets are spheres of cells that mostly make insulin, and in Type 1 diabetes, they’re attacked and destroyed by the immune system.

“The idea with transplantation is replacing the cells that make insulin,” Verchere says. “People with Type 1 diabetes are either injecting or given insulin by pump,

but the cells can do that more precisely and keep the blood sugar under control.”

Trials in Vancouver are opening the possibility to genetically modify these insulin-producing cells and make them more resistant.

The B.C. Diabetes Research Network has roughly 100 members across t he prov i nce a nd receives a combination of internal and external funding.

“The vision is a world without insulin, where people with diabetes can live a life free of stress of always

CLUSTERS PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR RESEARCHERS TO THINK IN MUCH BIGGER TERMS  Dr. Matthew Evenden Associate vice-president of research and innovation, UBC

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LIFE SCIENCES 2024 PUBLISHED BY BUSINESS IN VANCOUVER

monitoring blood sugar,” Verchere says.

Dr. Bruce Verchere • BC CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE, SUBMITTED

Dr. Michelle Wong • PAUL JOSEPH/UBC

Building Canada’s pandemic response capacity A not her resea rch cluster hosted at U BC a nd at t he forefront of i n novation i n l i fe sciences is Ca nada’s I m mu no-E ng i neer i ng a nd Biom a nu fact u r i ng Hub (CIEBH), led by executive director Dr. Michelle Wong.

This initiative was launched in early 2023 by the federal government, which is investing $140 million towards pandemic preparedness and response.

T he hub is focused on immuno-engineering and its stated goa l i s to m a ke Ca n ad a a g loba l hub for t he development of immune-based therapeutics.

A total of four projects are being undertaken by the CIEBH. T he f i rs t i s a new 25,000-sq u a re-fo ot a dva nc e d therapeutics manufacturing facility which, according to Wong, will enable academic researchers to develop innovative cell- and gene-based therapies.

This good-manufacturing-practices facility will be the first in Western Canada, meaning researchers will be able to develop their discoveries and keep their intellectual property in British Columbia.

The other three projects include Avenger, a library of RNA vaccine formulations with the capability of being custom-designed and rapidly deployed; PROGENITER, a development pipel i ne for a ntibody therapies that leverage AI-enabled drug discovery and cryo-electron microscopy; and the Bridge Research Consortium, which aims to build public trust in and promote equitable access to medicines.

Wong says the purpose of having a wide multidisciplinary network is to undertake greater challenges, support the B.C. l i fe sciences ecosystem a nd i ncrease Ca nada’s capacity to deal with future health risks.

“T he CI EBH rea l ly bri ngs together a very powerfu l coalition of multisectoral partners from across B.C., Canada, as well as internationally,” she says.

The cluster also addresses the unmet need of immunobased therapeutic development at an accelerated pace.

“For the next pandemic, we want to be so prepared that we’re able to develop and respond to therapeutics in less than 100 days. That’s the goal,” Wong says.

More than 50 partners at an institutional level and a very large array of individuals both nationally and internationally make up the cluster.

WE RECOGNIZE THAT BRITISH COLUMBIA REQUIRES TALENT IN THE LIFE SCIENCES AREA. WE HAVE A MANDATE TO EDUCATE THE NEXT GENERATION OF LEADERS IN BIOTECHNOLOGY AND BIOMEDICAL DEVICES

Dr. Sriram Subramaniam • PAUL JOSEPH/UBC

Dr. Peter Zandstra Director, SBME

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This micro-certificate provides the essential tools to navigate the complex intersection of innovation, business, and regulatory frameworks within the life sciences.

Tailored to advance leadership capabilities, this program is crucial for those looking to accelerate their careers in the rapidly evolving biotech and life sciences industries.

Wendy Hurlburt, President and CEO

of Life Sciences BC, highlights the significance of this program: “The launch of this program is a pivotal moment for the life sciences ecosystem in British Columbia. As the industry expands, the demand for skilled leaders to drive innovation and deliver new healthcare solutions has never been greater. SBME’s micro-certificate will play a key role in meeting this need and supporting the continued growth of our bioeconomy.”

Developed by leading industry experts, the curriculum focuses on the practical applications of innovation leadership and intellectual property management. It complements the strong technical and scientific expertise that participants already possess, bridging the gap to successfully commercialize medical and bio-innovations.

Part-time, 100% Online

bme.ubc.ca >

Participants will gain a deep understanding of how to identify and address unmet medical needs, implement effective intellectual property strategies, and lead innovation projects within their organizations. Dr. Peter Zandstra underscores the program's impact: “This program empowers professionals to transform research and innovative ideas into market-ready solutions, fostering a new generation of leaders who will make a real-world impact through biomedical research.”

The 10-week, online course begins in October and is now accepting registrations.

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LIFE SCIENCES 2024 PUBLISHED BY BUSINESS IN VANCOUVER

Wong adds that the federal government has supported the hub’s research and its host institution UBC. “It’s really institution agnostic. We really see this as doing this together,” she says. “We have been really there to support them. That’s the goal of being the catalyst.”

Driving breakthroughs in biology and engineering S e v e n y e a r s i n , U B C ’s S c h o o l o f B i o m e d i c a l E ng i neer i n g (SBM E) i s l i ke a clu ster of clu sters dedicated to improving health outcomes.

“The premise behind the school is that we have an opportunity to bring advanced biology and engineering together to have an impact on health across multiple scales,” says Dr. Peter Zandstra, director of SBME. The school has three main research clusters: One in imaging and computational biology, one in cellular and molecular engineering, and one in human interfacing devices.

T he main purpose and impact of these networks, Z a nd st ra says, i s i n desig n i ng, d i scover i ng a nd innovating new ways to either understand human biology or develop technologies to improve health outcomes.

A new era for t he SBM E b eg i n s i n Ja nu a r y 2025 with the opening of its $139 million state-of-the-art building.

“This is the first purpose-built school of biomedical eng i neeri ng bu i ld i ng i n Ca nad a. It rea l ly br i ngs together core facilities, teaching spaces and research labs to give us a home for our goals,” he says.

“It represents a g reat zone for pa rtnersh ips w ith industry, community and hospital collaborators and partners.”

The building will include amenities such as a biofoundry to generate medical devices, and lab spaces to give students hands-on experience in life sciences.

A mong the plethora of projects it supports, some exciting innovations coming out of the SBME include

Dr. Peter Zandstra • PAUL JOSEPH/UBC

Dr. Ali Bashashati’s paper on using AI and machine learning to identify the genesis of the earliest stages of endometrial cancer, and Dr. Anna Blakney’s work in lipid nanoparticles to develop a self-amplifying RNA system that reduces the number of doses needed for many of these drugs.

Currently, the SBME has around 89 faculty members and 556 students, as well as various industry partners.

T he scho ol a l so receives a rou nd $25 m i l l ion i n research funding annually, and has been supported externally, and internally by UBC. “T he school has been rema rkably successf u l at generati ng what’s ca l led ex tra mu ra l f u nd i ng,” Zandstra says. “A nd the reason why we’re able to attract this funding is because of the unique talent which we’re bringing to bear through these research clusters.” ç

Life Sciences BC — where the ecosystem comes together With more than 250 members and growing, LSBC continues to represent the life sciences sector in British Columbia and beyond in the following categories: • Academic and research institutions • Accelerators, incubators and investors • Associations and government • Biotechnology • Global pharmaceutical corporations • Health technology (digital technology and medical technology) • Individuals and students • Professional services • Scientific/lab services and supplies • Therapeutics

Learn more about LSBC’s members, which comprise the core of this vibrant, dynamic and allied association.

AI-POWERED DRUG DISCOVERY

Artificial intelligence and machine learning are helping B.C. life sciences leaders unlock new insights and potential cures

• YUUJI/ISTOCK/GETTY IMAGES PLUS

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LIFE SCIENCES 2024 PUBLISHED BY BUSINESS IN VANCOUVER

Gandeeva Therapeutics founder and CEO Sriram Subramaniam • ROB KRUYT

BY NELSON BENNETT

D

iscovering or designing the right small molecule drug to correct the behaviour of malformed or malfunctioning proteins that cause disease has been likened to finding or making just the right key to fit just the right lock.

But there are millions of potential locks and keys.

Similarly, in biologics, designing the right antibody to treat a disease caused by a virus also involves millions of possible permutations of large molecules.

Artificial intelligence and machine learning are fast becoming indispensable tools in reducing some of the d rudgery of si fti ng a nd sorti ng th rough m i l l ions of potential drug targets and drug candidates to find or design just the right fit.

Machine learning and AI are being used in drug target discovery (i.e. identifying proteins that cause disease), hit identification (determining the binding affinity between small molecules and protein targets) and new drug design.

Three B.C.-based companies—AbCellera, Gandeeva Therapeutics and Variational AI—all use AI or machine learning in some way as part of their drug discovery processes.

For Variational AI, it’s at the core of what the company does. Its generative A I platform, En ki, desig ns new small molecules for a variety of drug targets. Variational

A I prov ides En k i as a ser v ice to biotech nolog y a nd pharmaceutical companies. “ We don’t se a rch, we generate,” says Va r i at ion a l A I founder and CEO Handol K im. “You describe the molecu le you wa nt. We’re l i ke a Chat GP T for d r ug companies.”

About 40 per cent of the cost of taking a drug from d iscover y to approva l is i ncu rred i n the ea rly d r ug discovery stage, Kim says.

“On average, it costs about US$2.6 billion to go from [the] start of a drug program to approval,” he says. “And that cost has basically been doubling every nine years.

“U lti mately, the potentia l [of A I] is to redefi ne the unit economics of drug discovery. If we can decrease the time, and the expense, and the failure of the status quo—which is basically this make-test-build empirical loop—if we can do it much faster, much more efficiently, then it allows people to take the same amount of capital and have a higher probability of success. Really, for us, we’re enabling an economic play.”

AI is not just useful in helping to identify or generate

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new drugs. AlphaFold, developed by Google DeepMind, is generating a lot of excitement in the life sciences space for its ability to better identify drug targets, Kim says.

Proteins are made up of long chains of amino acids, and their function is determined by their three-dimensional shape, which is determined by the way the chains are folded. Understanding a protein’s structure is crucial for drug discovery and for understanding biological processes.

AlphaFold2 is able to predict the way a protein folds, which has long been a big challenge for scientists.

A lphaFold3, released earlier this year in May, isn’t limited to proteins. It can predict the structure of all kinds of complex molecules—including DNA and RNA— and predict how they interact.

It has the potential to allow scientists to design more precise drug candidates, Kim says.

“If you can get a better sense of what the target looks like and where you need to hit, you can develop a better small molecule to hit it,” he explains.

G e t t i n g a b e t te r u n d e r s t a n d i n g o f t h e t a rge t—a misbehaving protein—is a major component of what Gandeeva Therapeutics does.

The company uses high-resolution molecular imaging called cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) and AI to develop precision medicines.

Gandeeva develops a more precise understanding of the structure and function of proteins with cryo-EM, which allows proteins to be interrogated and imaged at extremely high resolution. Using cryo-EM and AI allows Gandeeva to predict with greater accuracy which proteins are interacting with each other and to develop molecules that contribute in some way to the chemical conversation between proteins.

“AI is very powerful in predicting those interfaces,” says Gandeeva founder and CEO Sriram Subramaniam. “AI is increasingly no longer just a tool that we use, but it pervades everything that we do. We are essentially using AI and cryo-EM to combine prediction with experiment.”

I n add it ion to h is leadersh ip role at Ga ndeeva, Subramaniam heads the PROGENITOR project, which was set up with funding from the federal government post-COVID-19 as a kind of quick-reaction force in the event of another pandemic. AI plays a critical role in what PROGENITOR does, which is to provide ready-to-deploy antibody treatments for pathogens with high pandemic potential, such as the H5N1 influenza (or bird flu).

“This project is being aimed at being prepared for the next pandemic,” Subramaniam says. “I want to establish end-to-end capability here for early discovery, AI-driven design, optimization and production of clinical-grade

AI IS INCREASINGLY NO LONGER JUST A TOOL THAT WE USE, BUT IT PERVADES EVERYTHING THAT WE DO

Sriram Subramaniam Founder and CEO Gandeeva Therapeutics

Founder and CEO Handol Kim says Variational AI doesn’t search for molecules—it generates them • CHUNG CHOW

neutralizing antibodies against current viral threats.”

One of the problems with pandemics is that viruses can mutate in response to drugs and antibody therapeutics, so a system is needed that can quickly respond to those mutations.

“What we are developing is the capability to engineer antibod ies using these emerging A I-based methods t o c o m p e n s a t e f o r m u t a t i o n s i n t h e s e v i r u s e s ,” Subramaniam explains.

AI is also an important element of AbCellera’s work.

T he Va ncouver-headqua rtered l i fe science g ia nt’s drug discovery starts with searching through millions of immune cells to try to identify antibodies with the desi red proper t ies. Dig ita l i m ages a re created a nd machine learning is used to sift through them.

“We are able to sift through many millions of images in a couple of hours … [and] zero-in on the small number of cells that are likely to have those properties,” explains president, CEO and chair Carl Hansen.

“It’s one of the most-established applications of machine learning and A I-image recognition. We use it in the front end of the platform,” he says. “And it’s true that, without that, we would have a technology that is at least an order of magnitude less powerful in searching through the immune system. But I would caveat that by saying it isn’t as though machine learning is the entirety of the technology. It is a component of data analysis built into other proprietary technologies.”

Though powerful, Hansen cautions that AI isn’t the magic wand that some might think it to be. “ I t h i n k t h e re i s a p re t t y d ra m a t i c—a n d i n s o m e cases dangerous—disconnect between what artificial intelligence and machine learning can presently do today, and which problems it solves, and which problems it doesn’t solve, versus the public perception which, in the most extreme case, is that there is this magical computer that’s going to spit out drugs,” Hansen says.

“Large language models are an absolute breakthrough.

No doubt that’s really important. But the layperson sees that and concludes that artificial intelligence has arrived at the point where it’s smart and can solve every problem, and that is not true.” ç

B.C. LIFE SCIENCES' • DA-KUK/E+/GETTY IMAGES

'RENAISSANCE' The province’s latest bio boom has placed B.C. in the ‘best position ever’ to compete globally, but some impediments to sustained rapid growth remain

BY BRIGITTE PETERSEN

W

hile some experts say B.C.’s life sciences sector is experiencing another bio boom, more is needed to keep it competitive globally, including securing an anchor company.

Ali Ardakani, founder and managing director of Vancouverbased life sciences advisory and investment firm Novateur Ventures, says B.C. is among the world’s top life sciences hubs, noting trailblazers QLT and Angiotech.

“Now we have the second renaissance,” says Ardakani, adding that this era began a decade ago with companies such as Aspect Biosystems, AbCellera Biologics and Zymeworks.

The current revival began its boom during the COVID-19 pandemic when B.C. became known globally for developing the lipid nanoparticle portion of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.

“You can say there is a piece of British Columbia’s life sciences in five billion people around the world,” he says.

Chair of Life Sciences BC, Ardakani calls the local sector “highly competitive” and, while it’s able to attract global talent and capital, more support is needed.

“Our hope, vision and dream is at some point, these companies can mature into what we’re defining as anchor companies where we can actually then start selling multiple therapeutics globally,” he says.

Besides the ongoing need for more wet labs, Ardakani says

three areas need improvement, including attracting more talent.

“Talent is the key for success in any biotech company,” says Ardakani, pointing to pricey Greater Vancouver housing as a hurdle.

While the sector employs about 20,000 people, a recent Life Sciences BC report revealed a current labour deficit of 500 people. It predicted that gap to grow to 5,500 by 2027.

The second key challenge is securing venture capital for Series A financing.

“We do not have a single life sciences venture capital that’s headquartered out of B.C.,” says Ardakani.

Third is securing Canada’s first dominant and successful life sciences anchor company, which would attract talent and venture capital investments.

“In life sciences, you can’t just be best in your jurisdiction.

You have to be best globally. For a drug to be successful, it needs to be able to access global markets,” he says.

Last November, Vancouver-based adMare BioInnovations’ new think tank—the adMare Institute—released a report

| 19

outlining the need for life sciences anchor companies in Canada.

“The role of anchor companies is critically important for the growth of the long-term sustainability of the sector,” says Gordon McCauley, adMare’s president and CEO, adding that B.C.’s track record proves it is “very globally competitive.”

Adding to its existing innovation centres, adMare is constructing a new wet lab for early-stage biotechnology companies in Vancouver’s emerging life sciences M4 Main Alley hub. Supported by $10 million in provincial funding, the new centre is expected to open in fall 2025.

“We’re highly confident that facility will end up being 100 per cent rented very quickly,” says McCauley. “Today, those companies are begging and borrowing for space in university labs … so it’s really providing the platform for growth in the ecosystem.”

As far as B.C. being in a current bio boom, McCauley says the evidence is “overwhelming clear” and the local sector is in its “best position ever.”

“I think it is an incredible opportunity right now to seize that momentum, build on that momentum and keep going,” he says.

Tiffany Chiu, AbCellera’s vice-president of communications, says the Vancouver-based antibody medicine developer has ambitions to become an anchor company in Canada and globally, but that takes time.

“Becoming an anchor company doesn’t happen overnight,” says Chiu. “The real measure of that is, are we making medicines that actually improve people’s lives? When we start doing that, I think we have the potential to be that anchor company.”

In May 2023, the federal government committed $225 million toward AbCellera’s Vancouver expansion, and the province kicked in $75 million. The company plans to build a $701 million biotechnology campus, including a new pre-clinical development facility and existing facilities upgrades.

“This is to build Canada’s capability to be able to discover, develop and deliver medicines to Canadian patients,” explains Chiu.

AbCellera gained worldwide attention during the pandemic with its two antibody treatments, including the first to be authorized by Health Canada and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. But Chiu says pandemic response for infectious disease is not the company’s main focus—it’s currently working on T-cell engagers for cancer therapy.

“We’ve invested in this area because we think we have a technology advantage,” says Chiu. “We’ve been moving forward a number of programs in that area. We’re hopeful that some of these are going to end up in our pipeline.”

Abcellera currently has two programs to advance into human clinical trials. While the company is keeping details hush, one will be focused on metabolic and endocrine conditions.

“If everything lines up, it will be the first antibody medicine for this type of treatment,” explains Chiu.

The second program, which Chiu says the company hopes will be “best-in-class,” focuses on atopic dermatitis.

Future research and training Dr. Dermot Kelleher, the University of British Columbia’s (UBC) vice-president of health and Faculty of Medicine dean, says that while UBC has contributed significantly

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to life sciences over many years, it faces challenges in moving that science up the value chain from discovery to biomanufacturing and use.

A new School of Biomedical Engineering, focused on cellular and molecular engineering, will help address this challenge.

Aided by a $25 million grant from the B.C. government, construction of the $139 million educational and research centre is underway. The school, expected to open in 2025, will focus on engineering new and improved stem-cell therapies, vital tools and medical devices, and other new treatments.

“It includes generating engineered T-cells to attack cancer or RNA therapeutics,” says Kelleher.

This past spring, the federal government funded $140 million in projects for Canada’s Immuno-Engineering and Biomanufacturing Hub (CIEBH)—a UBC-led national research coalition. Funding supports four multidisciplinary research projects around homegrown vaccines and therapeutics to better prepare Canada for future pandemics and accelerate development treatments for cancer, diabetes, dementia and other diseases.

One of the goals is to advance Canada as a leader in advanced immune-based therapeutics like RNA vaccines, antibody treatments and cell therapies.

One of the hub’s projects is a new Advanced Therapeutics Manufacturing Facility at UBC—the first of its kind in Western Canada—bringing researchers and biotech start-ups together to develop cell- and gene-based therapies. The facility, which is now being planned, will allow UBC to manufacture clinicalgrade RNA-type therapeutics and cell-based therapies. While the facility won’t be open for another few years, an interim operation will be established.

“W hen we have the facility built, we will be able to manufacture those agents,” says Kelleher. “And then we will be able to take them into clinical trials in British Columbia.”

To address industry demand for more skilled staff, the British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT) is building its B.C. Biomanufaturing Training Facility, to be located on its Aerospace Technology Campus in Richmond. BCIT has partnered with the Canadian Alliance for Skills and Training in Life Sciences on the project, which is scheduled to launch in late fall.

“This facility is focusing on the training required for people to go to wo rk i n bioprocessing and biomanufacturing,” says Lisa Chu, d e a n o f B C I T ’s School of Health Sciences.

“It’s really meant to be a safe space for people to learn and not worry about making m ista kes, because it w i l l b e a si mu l ate d l ab environment.” ç • TANYAROW/ISTOCK/GETTY IMAGES PLUS

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LIFE SCIENCES 2024 PUBLISHED BY BUSINESS IN VANCOUVER

26 ANNUAL LIFE SCIENCES BC AWARDS th

Life Sciences BC is proud to announce the winners of the 26th Annual Life Sciences BC Awards, presented by Farris.

This awards program recognizes exceptional individuals, companies and organizations that were pivotal in propelling British Columbia’s thriving life sciences sector forward in the last year. Their groundbreaking discoveries, cutting-

edge technologies, health-care advancements, strategic leadership and dedication to community building have profoundly and positively impacted the sector and the broader B.C. economy.

All 2024 award recipients were honoured at a gala event held September 10 at the Vancouver Convention Centre.

Company & Organizational Awards Company of the Year

Aspect Biosystems

Emerging Company of the Year

Augurex

Strategic Partner of the Year

University of British Columbia School of Biomedical Engineering

Deal of the Year

Chinook Therapeutics

Individual Awards Dr. Don Rix Lifetime Achievement Award

Dr. Richard Glickman

Milton Wong Community Leadership Award

Joseph Garcia

Scientific Entrepreneurship Award

Dr. Robert Young

Genome BC Award for Scientific Excellence

Dr. Raymond Ng

Companies to Watch – Recognition Honour Roll HEALWELL AI, Kapoose Creek Bio, Mesentech, Reverb Therapeutics, SeraGene Therapeutics, VoxCell BioInnovation

COMPANY OF THE YEAR ASPECT BIOSYSTEMS

Aspect Biosystems is a biotechnology company pioneering the development of bio-printed tissue therapeutics to transform the treatment of currently incurable diseases. Aspect is creating these next-generation cell therapies by applying its full-stack tissue therapeutic platform, which combines the company’s proprietary bio-printing technology, computational tissue design, therapeutic cells

and biomaterials. Aspect’s bio-printed tissue therapeutics are designed to replace, repair or supplement biological function inside the body with the aim of treating serious metabolic and endocrine diseases including diabetes, obesity and liver disease.

In 2023, Aspect entered into a partnership with global health-care leader Novo Nordisk to develop bio-printed tissue

therapeutics for diabetes and obesity.

In July 2024, Aspect announced a $200 million partnership with the governments of Canada and B.C. to advance Aspect’s unique clinical biomanufacturing capabilities, full-stack tissue therapeutic platform and pipeline of bio-printed tissue therapeutics.

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EMERGING COMPANY OF THE YEAR AUGUREX

Augurex is a leading, profitable, commercial-stage biotechnology company headquartered in Vancouver. Specializing in the development and commercialization of innovative biomarkers, Augurex revolutionizes patient clinical management for better disease outcomes. The company offers cutting-edge blood tests and digital health solutions that enhance clinical assessments and enable precise care. Augurex’s highly skilled team

excels in biomarker development, clinical validation and commercialization of biomarker products. Collaborating with top Canadian researchers and clinical rheumatology experts, Augurex advances autoimmune disease management from early diagnosis to ongoing monitoring.

Focusing on the 14-3-3 (eta) biomarker portfolio, Augurex has pioneered applications in rheumatoid arthritis (AS), ankylosing spondylitis and other autoimmune

conditions. Their newest blood test detects 14-3-3 autoantibodies, offering groundbreaking applications in managing AS. The 14-3-3 protein blood test is approved by Health Canada and available through leading U.S. health-care providers.

Aug u rex is ded icated to adva nci ng personalized clinical decision-making and improving patient lives through biomarker-driven insights.

tion, innovation and research. SBME’s vibrant community comprises world-class researchers and faculty, exceptional students and influential leaders, including hospital partners, entrepreneurs and industry organizations. Driven by collaboration, innovation and inclusivity,

SBME fosters strong partnerships with academia, industry and government to pioneer advancements in biomedical engineering.

In January 2025, SBME will inaugurate a state-of-the-art facility designed to propel health-care solutions at the intersection of engineering, medicine and biology.

SBME’s unique programming responds to the dynamic needs of the life sciences sector. Its dedicated wet-lab incubator

provides essential support for early-stage life science ventures. Additionally, its Innovation Leadership Micro-Certificate equips participants with crucial skills in intellectual property management and commercialization strategies to ensure innovations have a clear pathway to market.

Through these initiatives, SBME advances technologies and addresses critical challenges, ensuring a meaningful impact on the field and on society.

Chinook Therapeutics was founded in 2019 by Versant Ventures to discover, develop and commercialize precision medicines for rare and severe chronic kidney diseases. These illnesses are an acute worldwide problem, as a lack of effective treatments often lead to dialysis, transplantation and high costs to

health-care systems. Up to 10 per cent of the global population suffers from kidney disease, and in the U.S. alone, kidney diseases account for more than $130 billion in annual costs.

Ch i nook’s pipel i ne i ncludes two late-stage assets in clinical development to t reat I m mu nog lobu l i n A

Nephropathy—atrasentan and zigakibart—as well as earlier-stage research and development programs.

In August 2023, Novartis completed its acquisition of Chinook, in line with the former’s strategy to focus on innovative medicines and significantly expand its renal portfolio.

Hayden and Noel Hall, Dr. Glickman created a new business model that resulted in the development of CellCept for the treatment of severe Lupus Nephritis, saving lives and changing how the global industry viewed the commercial opportunity associated with rare diseases.

Dr. Glickman has recruited and developed significant leadership and

talent in B.C.’s ecosystem and has served the community through several leadership roles where he has impacted policies that support the growth and maturation of the industry. He serves as founding chair of Essa Pharmaceuticals, which he helped launch out of the BC Cancer Agency, as chair of Engene Corporation and as a member of Eupraxia’s board of directors.

has extensive experience advising on all types of mergers, acquisitions and corporate finance transactions, including public and private equity and debt financings, take-over and issuer bids, share and asset acquisitions and divestitures, and regulatory and stock exchange compliance work.

Garcia is a director emeritus of Life Sciences BC and a director of Science

World. He is a former director of the Canadian Glycomics Network and Genome BC. Prior to his career in law, Garcia worked in corporate finance with a national investment bank and in clinical research with a multinational pharmaceutical company.

Merck Frosst-BC Leadership Chair in Drug Discovery. His research centres on drug development in cancer and cystic fibrosis.

Dr. Young has led development of five approved drugs, including SingulairTM for asthma and ArcoxiaTM for arthritis. He has also founded three companies. He was president of the Canadian Society for Pharmaceutical

Sciences in 2012-14 and has been named a fellow of the Royal Society of Canada and a member of the Order of Canada.

Dr. Young is currently founder and president of Mesentech, a Vancouver company developing therapies to treat bone conditions.

STRATEGIC PARTNER OF THE YEAR The School of Biomedical Engineering UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH (SBME) at UBC is dedicated to transCOLUMBIA SCHOOL OF forming patient health and health-care BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING outcomes through cutting-edge educa-

DEAL OF THE YEAR CHINOOK THERAPEUTICS

DR. DON RIX LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD Dr. Richard Glickman is a B.C.-based DR. RICHARD GLICKMAN

medical entrepreneur who co-founded numerous global biotechnology companies—including Ontario Molecular Diagnostics, StressGen and Aurinia— that have successfully developed and approved innovative medicines. He also co-founded Aspreva, which was one of the world’s first rare disease companies. Together with Micheal

MILTON WONG COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP AWARD JOSEPH GARCIA

Joseph Garcia is a partner at Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP and a leading life sciences transactional lawyer in Canada. Garcia’s practice focuses on corporate finance and mergers and acquisitions. He advises public and private companies, investment dealers, venture capital and private equity funds, and acts as independent counsel to boards of directors. Garcia

SCIENTIFIC ENTREPRENEURSHIP AWARD DR. ROBERT YOUNG

Dr. Robert Young trained as a chemist at the University of British Columbia and conducted research at prominent institutions in London, Adelaide and France. Over 29 years at Merck he served as vice-president of medicinal chemistry and acting site head at Merck Frosst, and site head at the MRL Terlings Park Neuroscience. In 2006 he joined Simon Fraser University as the

24 |

LIFE SCIENCES 2024 PUBLISHED BY BUSINESS IN VANCOUVER

GENOME BC AWARD FOR SCIENTIFIC EXCELLENCE DR. RAYMOND NG

Dr. Raymond Ng is the Canada Research Chair on data science and analytics. He is also the founding director of the UBC Data Science Institute, and an elected fellow of the Royal Society of Canada.

For both 2022 and 2023, he was named one of the world’s Top 75 academic data science leaders by the MIT-based CDO Magazine.

Dr. Ng’s main research area for the

past three decades has been data mining, with a specific focus on health informatics text mining and natural language processing. He has published over 230 peer-reviewed publications on those topics. He is the recipient of two best paper awards from the premier data mining and database conferences in the world.

For the past decade, Dr. Ng has co-led

several large-scale genomic projects funded by Genome Canada, Genome BC and industrial collaborators.

HEALWELL AI is a health-care technology company focused on AI and data science for preventative care. Its mission is to improve health care and save lives through early identification and detection of disease. As a physician-led organization with

a proven management team of experienced executives, HEALWELL is executing a strategy centred on developing and acquiring technology and clinical science capabilities that complement the company’s road map. Through partnerships

with companies such as WELL Health Technologies, HEALWELL AI is gaining a strong foothold in the health-care landscape. HEALWELL is publicly traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange and OTC Markets.

Kapoose Creek Bio is a biotechnology company using AI to accelerate the discovery of drugs from nature with unprecedented speed and scale. It is building a diversified portfolio of stakes in the next generation of critical medicines, using some of the most prolific and least-studied organisms—wild fungi sourced from a rare ecosystem on the north coast of Vancouver Island. Through

its proprietary AI platform unEarth Rx, Kapoose Creek Bio is overcoming the historical limitations of natural product drug discovery by integrating phenotypic screening with advanced machine and deep learning to accelerate the identification of drug leads, and simultaneously determine their mechanism of action. The company has enjoyed a year

of remarkable progress, recently announcing: The advancement of potent compounds in neurology, spanning indications in neurodegeneration and mental health; a prestigious grant from Genome Canada; and the successful realization of ambitious fundraising goals.

Mesentech is a clinical stage biotechnology company developing novel therapeutics that partition selectively to the musculoskeletal system. Irodanoprost is a muscle and bone regenerative therapy that has demonstrated a robust pharmacodynamic response in humans. The

company expects upcoming Phase 2 trials in sarcopenic osteoporosis and muscular wasting disease such as Duchenne and FSH muscular dystrophy will establish irodanoprost as a first-in-class regenerative therapeutic for the musculoskeletal system that opens the door for many other

indications. Mesentech has a pipeline of novel therapeutics with tissue-specific partitioning to colon, lung and bone, for indications such as colitis, fibrosis and cancer.

R e v e r b T h e ra p e u t i c s i s a Va n c o uver-based, pre-clinical stage biotechnology company with a new technology that uses bi-specific antibodies to redirect the body’s own cytokines and concentrates them to assist natural healing by the immune system. Reverb’s Amplifier platform ensures that the immune system acts

locally where it is needed most, and not throughout the body. Because it uses the body’s own cytokines, Amplifier therapies are thought to be much better tolerated than traditional therapeutics. Amplifier drugs are also easy to manufacture. The lead program is directed against a set of cancers that respond poorly to current

therapies and is expected to enter clinical trials within two years. Reverb is also initiating programs that will address the overactive immune system in autoimmune diseases. The company recently completed the first close on its seed round.

SeraGene Therapeutics is a pre-clinical stage company developing next-generation prophylactic therapies for patients with rare coagulation disorders. Leveraging a deep understanding of clotting biology and nanomedicine, SeraGene envisions a future where patients requiring life-long treatments can have a life well-lived through highly effective,

low-treatment-burden therapies. As a female-founded company developing technology created by female scientists, SeraGene is actively pursuing indications that address the disproportionate burden of bleeding disorders on women, girls and people who menstruate. Its lead asset is a monthly-dosed universal hemostatic agent in which promising proof of concept

data in seven different rare bleeding disorders has been generated. In just under two years, SeraGene has advanced its lead asset to the development candidate stage for its lead indication, demonstrating a robust safety and efficacy profile in gold standard large animal bleeding disorder models.

VoxCell BioInnovation, established in 2020, is developing human-like cancer tissue models as drug screening platforms for the drug development industry, including pharmaceutical companies and

CROs using proprietary and revolutionary 3D bio-printing technology. VoxCell’s models will aid in identifying optimal drug candidates earlier in the drug development process, increasing the predictability of

drug behavior in humans, saving time and money. VoxCell’s mission is to allow therapies to reach the market sooner, getting them into the hands of people who need them.

COMPANIES TO WATCH – RECOGNITION HONOUR ROLL

| 25

Husband-and-wife research team inducted into BC Innovators Hall of Fame Dr. Connie Eaves is posthumously recognized for her contributions to science, health and research alongside Dr. Allen Eaves

D

rs. Connie and Allen Eaves became the first couple to be jointly inducted into the BC Innovators Hall of Fame this year.

Sadly, the honour was bestowed posthumously for Connie, who passed away on March 7 this year, at the age of 79, from colon cancer.

“They’re both really distinguished scientists in their field,” says Jill Tipping, president and CEO of BC Tech, which oversees the Hall of Fame.

Indeed, both Connie and Allen Eaves were named to the Order of Canada—in 2021 and 2022, respectively—in recognition of their research in the fields of cancer and stem cells. In 2021, Connie was given one of the highest honours any scientist can receive when she was elected to the London Royal Society in recognition of her work in the identification of blood and mammary stem cells.

She was also inducted into the Canadian Medical Hall of Fame in 2019.

Connie and Allen had parallel careers working in cancer and stem cell research, and they sometimes worked as a team at the same lab at BC Cancer.

The couple met at the Ontario Cancer Institute in Toronto. “ We b o n d e d t h e re o n o u r i n t e re s t i n understanding the regulation of [stem cells] and differentiation and how it goes on in cancer,” Allen told BIV. Connie came to Vancouver in 1973 to work at the BC Cancer Institute, and Allen followed her to Vancouver a couple of years later, after he finished his clinical training. He eventually became head of clinical hematology at the University of British Columbia (UBC) and Vancouver General Hospital, where he spent nearly two decades building B.C.’s Leukemia Bone Marrow Transplant program.

While at BC Cancer, the couple founded the Terry Fox Laboratory in 1981. Connie worked there until her death this year, and led the Connie Eaves Lab, which specialized in hematopoietic

stem cell research.

In 1983, the couple was among five scientists who published a seminal study in the New England Journal that demonstrated how normal stem cells could be found in patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia. It was not known until then that leukemia patients could have healthy stem cells, Allen explains.

This led to a new therapy in which a patient’s non-cancerous stem cells could be separated out and cultivated, while the cancerous cells in the patient were killed off with chemotherapy or radiation therapy. The patient’s own healthy stem cells could then be reintroduced into the patient, obviating the need for bone marrow donors.

“This was the basis of doing autonomous bone marrow transplantation—that is using the patients’ own cells to treat cancer,” Allen explains.

Connie’s research at the Terry Fox Laboratory enhanced the scientific world’s understanding of hematopoietic stem cells—which produce blood cells—and, in particular, “quiescent” cancer stem cells.

Quiescent cells are semi-dormant and resistant to treatment. Drugs used to treat cancer fail to target these types of cells, which can later become active and lead to the recurrence of tumours. Connie’s lab identified molecular pathways that regulate quiescence in cancer stem cells, opening up potential therapeutic targets for different types of cancer, including leukemia.

She a lso d iscovered the stem cel ls that make breast tissue, which is important in understanding breast cancer—something Connie herself battled at one point.

In addition to heading her own lab at the Terry Fox Laboratory, Connie was a professor in the Department of Medical Genetics and the School of Biomedical Engineering at UBC, and editor-in-chief of the journal Experimental

Drs. Connie and Allen Eaves • SUBMITTED

Hematology.

In 2006, Allen was forced to retire at 65, so he launched his second career building one of Canada’s largest and most successful life sciences companies.

STEMCELL Technologies makes specialized media and reagents for the growing stem cells, immune cells and other cell types. It now employs 2,000 people and has annual sales of $500 million.

A few months after Allen’s initial retirement, employment rules were changed, which allowed Connie to continue running her lab.

“Connie stayed on at the cancer agency and I went off and built STEMCELL Technologies,” Allen says.

While he says both he and his wife had a passion for research, Connie was also particularly passionate about mentoring young scientists.

“Connie was a big mentor of many graduate students and post-doctoral fellows,” he says. “In fact, she had over a hundred. And that was the thing she prided herself most on was teaching people how to do cancer research.” ç

2023 LSBC Award winners with the organization’s president and CEO Wendy Hurlburt

Life Sciences BC 2023-24 Continuing to build the fastest-growing life sciences sector in Canada At LSBC’s 2024 Career Connect Day, which hosted over 400 attendees

LSBC’S 2023 Invest in BC event attracted over 50 investors from across North America, along with several trade commissioners and other key stakeholders

In February 2024, LSBC released a Labour Market Intelligence study with growth projections and talent recommendations for the sector

| 27

Elevating and advocating for the sector in 2024 (Right) Discussions at the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade’s Future of Life Sciences event focused on growing sustainable anchor companies

Attendees at LSBC’s inaugural Digital Health event held earlier this year

A panel of experts at the organization’s annual Access to Innovation conference, moderated this year by LSBC board chair Ali Ardakani

250+ members 25+ events 180+ speakers 2,600+ attendees 4,100+ newsletter subscribers 24,500+ social media followers 110,000+ website visits

LSBC president and CEO Wendy Hurlburt with 2023 Scientific Entrepreneur Award winner Dr. Peter Zandstra

B.C. Minister of Jobs, Economic Development and Innovation Brenda Bailey speaks at LSBC’s summer social

The LSBC-led B.C. Life Sciences delegation of more than 40 B.C.-based organizations at BIO 2024 in San Diego

A rendering of the new St. Paul’s Hospital, which will anchor Vancouver’s Innovation Hub in False Creek Flats • PROVIDENCE HEALTH CARE

INVESTMENT FLOWS Already home to some of B.C.’s biggest life sciences companies,

BY JOHN KURUCZ

A

fully autonomous robot transports bedsheets from a loading bay to a third-floor hospital area with little need for human intervention.

Along its route, it passes by a clinical room fully equipped with the necessary technology to allow the survivor of a car accident to communicate with her Haida Gwaii care team in real time.

Two blocks away, a software programmer spends his lunch tossing a football with a clinical researcher. An hour later they find themselves in a hyper-futuristic lab space developing vaccines for the next virulent outbreak.

Far from being a Hollywood script, these very scenarios will become a reality in Hollywood North within a decade.

A cluster of life sciences and tech labs moving into

Vancouver’s False Creek Flats neighbourhood will radically transform everything, from vaccine development to cancer research, as companies convene in a seven-acre parcel between Industrial and Terminal avenues known as the Innovation Hub. “The ability to collaborate and work together is obviously enhanced immensely by people being geographically close,” explains Wendy Hulburt, president and CEO of Life Sciences BC. “That’s what you see in innovative or scientific areas across the world where these types of clusters develop, because they want to work near each other.”

TO FALSE CREEK FLATS the Innovation Hub is expected to be complete within the decade The area’s anchor tenant will be the new St. Paul’s Hospital, which will include an 11-storey acute care tower slated to open in 2027, followed by a clinical support and research centre one year later. The two facilities will almost triple the footprint of the current hospital site and will employ thousands.

The clinical support and research centre will provide vitally important wet and dry lab space, clinical trial capacity, innovation spaces, data services and bio banks that will serve as the engine that drives the growth of the broader ecosystem.

It will also act as a springboard to fund and support startups and established firms across the Vancouver life sciences scene and beyond: AbCellera, Clarius, Thrive Health and Medtronic, among others.

“Innovation only ever happens from partnerships and interaction,” says Fiona Dalton, president and CEO of Providence Health Care. “We’re really trying to support

that ecosystem and think of the physical things people need to all be working together.”

Vancouver’s cyclical relationship with the life science sector dates back to the 1980s, when pioneering startups and ideas flowed out of the University of British Columbia (UBC). Companies either flourished, folded or moved over the intervening 30 years.

Vancouver’s emergence as a global anti-body hub of research and development took root more than decade ago. The life sciences portfolio has vastly diversified over the last five years and now spans liquid nanoparticle technology, cell and gene therapy, precision medicine and world-class oncology research.

COVID-19 then shone a particularly bright international spotlight on two Vancouver companies. AbCellera was one of the first global firms to develop an antibody, while Acuitas pioneered a delivery mechanism for the Pfizer vaccine.

Sponsored Content

adMare answers the call for laboratory space in Vancouver to Support Emerging Companies The life sciences industry in British Columbia is experiencing a remarkable surge, marked by significant growth and a multitude of promising companies developing new medications for patients. It is currently the nation’s fastest-growing biotech centre, with close to 20,000 jobs. This region, known for its innovation and talent, has emerged as a significant hub for researchers, entrepreneurs, and investors in the biotechnology and life sciences sectors. However, this rapid expansion faces a major hurdle: a severe shortage of space for emerging companies, which are critical to the future of the industry.

The lack of space limits start-ups’ growth

Start-ups are essential to the ongoing growth of BC’s life sciences industry. They bring fresh ideas, disruptive technologies, and entrepreneurial energy that drive innovation. Despite their potential, these young companies often struggle with logistical challenges, notably the lack of adequate space to conduct their research and develop new therapies. The sector rapid growth has led to the highest demand for laboratory space in 15 years, coupled with the lowest vacancy rate in existing buildings.

A new Innovation Centre to welcome more companies

To address this urgent need, adMare BioInnovations, with support from the Government of British Columbia, is constructing a new Innovation Centre in Vancouver. Scheduled to open in the fall of 2025 the M4 Main Alley site, this centre represents a crucial step in supporting start-ups and fostering their growth. The facility will feature flexible, turn-key lab space and is designed to host up to 20 companies over its first five years

Envisioning a stronger life science industry

The life sciences industry in British Columbia holds immense potential to boost the economy and enhance healthcare outcomes for Canadian patients. However, to fully realize this potential and support start-ups evolve into anchor companies, addressing the space shortage is imperative. The new adMare Innovation Centre in Vancouver represents a promising response to this challenge, offering crucial support to emerging companies and fortifying BC’s life sciences ecosystem.

Connect with us to join a vibrant ecosystem

As we embark on this exciting journey to strengthen British Columbia’s life sciences sector, we encourage emerging companies in need of lab space to connect with us.

Visit our website at www.admarebio.com/en/innovation-centres to learn more about how we can support your growth and connect with us at lab@admarebio.com to be part of the future of healthcare innovation.

| 31

Low Tide Properties’ senior vice-president Adam Mitchell stands near the future site of Lab29 • SUBMITTED

But what separates today’s industry boom from the past is the sheer size, scope and consolidation of the sector.

It’s an uptick in momentum that Vancouver development firm Low Tide Properties began seeing in 2018.

Having entered the life sciences market in 2013, Low Tide is now Vancouver’s largest life sciences landlord and operates more than 500,000 square feet of lab space, including four facilities already in the Flats.

STEMCELL Technologies and Aspect Biosystems are among Low Tide’s highest-profile tenants in the area, along with tech giants Electronic Arts, Samsung and Blackbird Interactive.

“One of the reasons we like life sciences specifically is it takes a specialized skill set to manage them,” says Low Tide’s senior vice-president Adam Mitchell. “It’s an asset class we have developed an expertise in both from a management perspective, and also in running the facility, so it gives us a competitive advantage.”

Another 230,000 square feet of space will become available when Low Tide’s newest venture, Lab29, opens in the next three to four years. Mitchell projects the entire ecosystem will be complete by 2032—the Broadway SkyTrain extension will be done by 2027, followed by another three years of build out and capped off by a two-year incubation phase.

And yet, looking ahead a decade, the Innovation Hub may still be too small to house the country’s largest life sciences sector—one that has grown by 25 per cent in three years and attracted $13 billion in capital and investment over the last decade, according to data from Life Sciences BC. Christopher O’Neill is the associate vice-president of FLOORSPACE, a commercial real estate firm working with life science companies to help them to identify and source facilities across Vancouver.

He points to only three move-in ready lab spaces across Metro Vancouver to illustrate the dearth his clients see.

“The scarcity is so apparent in laboratory space that we typically don’t use vacancy rates like we would in other asset classes,” O’Neill says. “When you look at the time it takes to design a lab, get permits and do the construction, it becomes prohibitive. When these companies need more space, they needed it yesterday.”

Despite that roadblock, O’Neill hears from clients that there is momentum already building around the Innovation Hub. Those educated in the region by and large want to stay rather than move stateside or face long commutes locally.

“People don’t want to be at UBC, Richmond or Big Bend in Burnaby as much, they want to be in Mount Pleasant and False Creek,” O’Neill says. “It’s readily available with rapid transit, it’s bikeable and walkable, but attracting and retaining talent is a major talking point for people in the life sciences sector.”

It’s a conversation piece Hulburt and Dalton know all too well.

A Life Sciences BC report released in February points to a provincial labour gap of 500 people, a number that could grow to as high as 5,500 by 2027.

Life Sciences BC will soon establish a talent council to

INNOVATION ONLY EVER HAPPENS FROM PARTNERSHIPS AND INTERACTION

Fiona Dalton President and CEO Providence Health Care

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| 33

Christopher O’Neill is the associate vice-president of FLOORSPACE • CHUNG CHOW

counter those numbers, in what will be a recruiting exercise never before seen in Canada. The council aims to attract and retain talent, partner with governments and post-secondary institutions to bolster training and find incentives for those in the sector to stay in Canada.

Hulburt points to Vancouver’s long-established tech sector as a catalyst to help move that collective growth forward.

Those who once developed code, built software or created video games have the precise skillsets many life science companies need.

“Our ability in B.C. has a lot to do with our culture, how we collaborate in our community and our innovative spirit—it’s very much a rising tide lifts all boats,” Hulburt says. “What

the [Innovation Hub] is creating is an opportunity to link all of these pieces together.”

Dalton, meanwhile, notes St. Paul’s proximity to the Downtown Eastside and how future collaboration across the ecosystem can help reverse the ravages of the toxic drug epidemic gripping North America.

It’s a model that could take after St. Paul’s BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, where leading-edge, international solutions were developed for decades.

“There is a sense that we’re not just doing something for our patients, we are doing something that then gets copied across the globe,” Dalton says. “When you see that, you know that you can change the world.” ç

34 |

LIFE SCIENCES 2024 PUBLISHED BY BUSINESS IN VANCOUVER

Mapping the interconnected strands of B.C.'s biotech therapeutics sector The graphic below represents a snapshot of British Columbia’s thriving and interconnected biotechnology therapeutics sector. The companies shown are grouped based on their technologies and the types of medicines and molecules they are developing. Only active partnerships and deals with global pharmaceutical companies that have been announced within the past 15 years are included. Not shown are partnerships or M&A transactions with other biotechnology companies or mid-sized firms.

The total deal value of the licensing transactions shown exceeds US$15 billion—based on disclosed deal data—with the average deal size sitting at around US$210 million. Significantly more deals involving privately held firms have taken place, but the deal data has not been disclosed.

The solid lines in the infographic indicate partnerships, and dotted lines are mergers and acquisitions. The most recent M&A transactions include Chinook Therapeutics’ acquisition by Novartis for US$3.2 billion, and Sierra Oncology’s acquisition by GSK for US$1.9 billion. The most recent partnerships include Acuitas’ partnership with Bayer, Aspect Biosystem’s partnership with Novo Nordisk, Gandeeva Therapeutics’ partnership with Moderna, Zymeworks’ partnership with Jazz Pharmaceuticals and AbCellera’s partnership with Abbvie. The most active disease areas for partnerships are cancer, infectious disease, neurology, autoimmune and endocrine/metabolic.

Source: Novateur Ventures, July 2024

| 35

2023

Non-government investments in B.C.'s life sciences sector

Company

Financing type

Date completed

Value in CAD

Alpha Cognition Inc.

Public equity

2023-02-16

$3,206,518

BetterLife Pharma Inc.

Public equity

2023-03-08

$1,103,850

BetterLife Pharma Inc.

Public equity

2023-03-14

$337,500

Alpha Cognition Inc.

Public equity

2023-03-16

$1,291,358

Clearmind Medicine Inc.

Public equity

2023-04-04

$4,744,521

Aequus Pharmaceuticals

Public debt

2024-04-05

$500,000

uBriGene Biosciences Inc.

Series C

2023-04-18

$29,481,991

Abdera Therapeutics Inc.

Uncategorized venture round

2023-04-20

$191,700,000

Sirona Biochem Corp.

Public debt

2023-04-20

$1,160,629

Algernon Pharmaceuticals Inc.

Public equity

2023-05-05

$876,878

BriaCell Therapeutics Corp.

Public equity

2023-05-15

$5,398,935

Rakovina Therapeutics Inc.

Public debt

2023-05-29

$1,103,282

Gene Biotechnology Enterprises Ltd. (Gene Bio Medical)

Seed financing

2023-06-16

$11,261

Aequus Pharmaceuticals

Public debt

2024-07-06

$400,000

Algernon Pharmaceuticals Inc.

Public equity

2023-07-14

$154,407

Filament Health

Public equity

2024-07-24

$2,500,000

Alpha Cognition Inc.

Public equity

2023-08-31

$1,815,875

Eupraxia Parmaceuticals

Public equity

2023-08-18

$22,287,125

Clearmind Medicine Inc.

Public equity

2023-09-14

$3,037,500

Alpha Cognition Inc.

Public equity

2023-10-16

$474,259

Aequus Pharmaceuticals

Public debt

2023-10-20

$100,000

Alpha Cognition Inc.

Public equity

2023-11-08

$1,363,498

Xenon Pharmaceuticals Inc.

Follow-on

2023-11-29

$465,750,105

Filament Health

Convertible debt

2023-12-06

$900,000

ImmunoPrecise Antibodies Ltd.

Follow-on

2023-12-08

$1,707,750

Ondine Biomedical Inc.

Public equity

2023-12-11

$6,336,749

BetterLife Pharma Inc.

Public equity

2023-12-18

$149,603

Zymeworks Inc.

Public equity

2023-12-26

$67,499,990

Algernon Pharmaceuticals Inc.

Public equity

2023-12-27

$212,006

Note: This list was provided by Novateur Ventures Inc.

36 |

LIFE SCIENCES 2024 PUBLISHED BY BUSINESS IN VANCOUVER

2023

LSBC member clinical milestones

Company

Month

Milestone

AstraZeneca

January

Variational AI

January

Biogen

March

BYOOVIZ, first LUCENTIS biosimilar, now available in Canada to treat debilitating retinal disorders

Microbion

March

Microbion Corp. initiates Phase 2 clinical study evaluating topical pravibismane treatment of diabetic foot infections

Enhertu approved by Health Canada as the first HER2-directed therapy for patients with HER2low metastatic breast cancer Variational AI files two U.S. provisional patents for potential COVID-19 drug created by generative AI

Sustained Therapeutics March

Sustained Therapeutics announces second Phase 2 trial of new drug platform

Aurinia

April

Aurinia Pharmaceuticals announces new and refined method of use patent for LUPKYNIS in the treatment of lupus nephritis issued by the United States Patent and Trademark Office

Filament

April

Filament Health and PharmAla Biotech announce release of GMP MDMA capsules

BeiGene

May

Health Canada approves BRUKINSA (zanubrutinib) for the treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukemia, the most common leukemia in adults

Kardium

May

Kardium announces first U.S. procedures in PULSAR Study of Globe pulsed field system

Sonic Incytes

May

Sonic Incytes receives FDA 510(k) clearance of AI-powered features for Velacur liver ultrasound

InMed

June

InMed Pharmaceuticals Inc. announces results from a Phase 2 clinical trial in epidermolysis bullosa

Paladin Labs

June

Endo announces approval of XCOPRI (cenobamate tablets) in Canada

AstraZeneca

July

Gilead

July

Novartis

July

Sanofi

July

Aequus

August

Aequus announces Zimed PF now available in Canada

Filament

August

Filament Health announces FDA approval of two clinical trials studying its botanical psilocybin drug candidate PEX010

GSK

August

GSK’s Arexvy, the first respiratory syncytial virus vaccine for older adults approved in Canada

SignalChem

August

WEX

August

Bausch

September

Essa

September

Mesentech

September

First human participants receive MES1022

Moderna

September

Moderna receives Health Canada authorization for updated COVID-19 vaccine for ages six months and older

PharmAla

September

PharmAla receives first office action for PharmAla-1 PCT Filing

United Therapeutics

September

United Therapeutics announces recent milestones for its heart and kidney xenotransplantation programs

Zucara

September

Zucara Therapeutics doses first patient in Phase 2a ‘ZONE’ trial

Abbvie

October

AbbVie’s RINVOQ (upadacitinib) receives Health Canada approval as the first and only oral therapy for the treatment of adults with moderately to severely active Crohn’s disease

Health Canada approves Lynparza in combination with abiraterone and prednisone or prednisolone for patients with BRCA mutated metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer Health Canada approves TRODELVY (sacituzumab govitecan) in pre-treated HR+/HER2metastatic breast cancer PLUVICTO receives positive recommendations from CADTH and INESSS for progressive PSMApositive metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer Dupixent® (dDupixent® (dupilumab injection) receives marketing authorization for prurigo nodularisilumab injection) receives marketing authorization for prurigo nodularis

SignalChem announces patients enrollment in clinical trial of AXL inhibitor SLC-391 in combination with KEYTRUDA (pembrolizumab) for advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer Wex Pharmaceuticals Inc. announces addition of intellectual property for its novel development and use of TETRODOTOXIN to relieve pain New Bausch Health treatment PrUCERIS (budesonide) aerosol foam now available across Canada to treat mild to moderate distal ulcerative colitis in adults ESSA Pharma announces initiation of Phase 2 study evaluating Masofaniten (EPI-7386) in combination with enzalutamide in patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer

| 37

2023

LSBC member clinical milestones

Company

Month

Milestone

Abbvie

October

EPKINLY receives Health Canada authorization with conditions as first and only subcutaneous bispecific antibody to treat adults with relapsed or refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma

Evonik

October

Evonik launches GMP-quality plant-based squalene

Evonik

October

Evonik launches EUDRACAP pre-clinic functional oral capsule for pre-clinical trials

Merck

October

KEYTRUDA (pembrolizumab) Plus LENVIMA (lenvatinib) is available for the first-line treatment of adult patients with advanced or metastatic renal cell carcinoma

Moderna

October

Moderna files for Health Canada review of its respiratory syncytial virus vaccine, mRNA-1345

NervGen

October

NervGen Pharma receives fast track designation for NVG-291 for the treatment of individuals with spinal cord injury

Pfizer Canada

October

Sumitomo Pharma and Pfizer in Canada receive Health Canada approval for MYFEMBREE

Renaissance

October

United Therapeutics

October

Abbvie

November

Abbvie

November

Amgen

November

Clairvoyant

November

GSK

November

InMed

November

Lexaria

November

PharmAla

November

World’s first observational trial to assess real-world efficacy of MDMA treatment

Renaissance

November

Renaissance BioScience Corp. secures additional patents for acrylamide-reducing yeast technology

Renaissance BioScience secures landmark patent for revolutionary RNA production and delivery technology United Therapeutics announces first patient enrolled in Phase 3 Teton PPF study of nebulized tyvaso in patients with progressive pulmonary fibrosis AbbVie announces positive topline results from Phase 2 LUMINOSITY trial evaluating telisotuzumab-vedotin (Teliso-V) for patients with previously treated non-small cell lung cancer AbbVie announces U.S. Food and Drug Administration and European Medicines Agency updates for Epcoritamab (EPKINLY/TEPKINLY) for the treatment of relapsed/refractory follicular lymphoma Health Canada has granted full approval for BLINCYTO in adult and pediatric patients with MRD and pediatric patients with relapsed/refractory B-cell precursor Clairvoyant surpasses 50 per cent randomization in its Phase 2b psilocybin therapy trial for alcohol use disorder Jemperli (dostarlimab for injection) plus carboplatin and paclitaxel approved in Canada as a treatment option for primary advanced or recurrent dMMR/MSI-H endometrial cancer InMed expands its pharmaceutical pipeline with INM-089 targeting the treatment of age-related macular degeneration Lexaria's technology lowers blood glucose more effectively than Rybelsus(R)-branded GLP-1 drug Semaglutide alone in human pilot study

Sustained Therapeutics November

Sustained Therapeutics announces clinical trial of second product

Bausch

December

Bausch Health announces positive topline results from global Phase 2 study evaluating Amiselimod (an S1P antagonist) to treat ulcerative colitis

Eupraxia

December

Eupraxia Pharmaceuticals announces positive clinical data in EP-104GI resolve trial

J&J

December

J&J

December

Pfizer Canada

December

Vertex

December

Vertex

December

WEX

December

Johnson & Johnson submits supplemental biologics license application and new drug application to U.S. FDA for RYBREVANT (amivantamab-vmjw) Plus Lazertinib for the treatment of patients with EGFR-mutated non-small cell lung cancer DARZALEX FASPRO (daratumumab and hyaluronidase-fihj)-based quadruplet therapy regimen shows significant improvement in outcomes for patients with transplant-eligible newly diagnosed multiple myeloma LITFULO receives Health Canada approval, becoming the first approved treatment for severe alopecia areata in Canada Vertex receives CHMP positive opinion for the first CRISPR/Cas9 gene-edited therapy, CASGEVY (exagamglogene autotemcel), for the treatment of sickle cell disease and transfusion-dependent beta thalassemia Vertex announces positive results from Phase 2 study of VX-548 for the treatment of painful diabetic peripheral neuropathy Wex Pharmaceuticals Inc. commences quantitative sensory testing clinical trial evaluating the impact of HALNEURON on healthy volunteers’ sensory perceptions

Note: This list was compiled by Life Sciences BC from publicly available information, with consultation from Michael Smith Health Research BC.

| 39

THANK YOU Life Sciences BC would like to thank our generous supporters for their ongoing commitment this year PLATINUM SUPPORTERS

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Sanofi Canada

Bausch Health

HEALWELL AI

StarFish Medical

BC Securities Commission

LifeLabs

St. Paul’s Foundation and Providence Health Care

BFL Canada

Mintz

WELL Health Technologies

Boehringer Ingelheim

mlHealth 360

C-POLAR Innovations

Moderna Canada

Cozen O’Connor

Novateur Ventures