INSIGHTS FOR THE LIFE SCIENCE INDUSTRY
FEBRUARY 2013 VOLUME 16, NUMBER 1
BRINGING TEAMWORK
TO THE TABLE Zymeworks’ model for smart drug design
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contents FEBRUARY 2013 – VOLUME 16 – NUMBER 1
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L-R: David Tucker, COO; Neil Klompas, CFO; Ali Tehrani, President and CEO; Surjit Dixit, CTO; and Gordon Ng, VP Preclinical R&D
DEPARtMENtS 6
RESEARCH NEWS
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BUSINESS CORNER
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FEAtURES ZYMEWORKS’ MODEL FOR SMART DRUG DESIGN Helping researchers around the globe overcome the limitations of natural enzymes and aiding them in creating more effective antibodies (By Daniela Fisher)
Opinion
SPOTLIGHTING THE PROOF CENTRE Biomarker signatures and healthcare solutions in heart, lung and kidney failure management (By Bruce McManus)
METAGENOMICS AND ITS LIMITLESS POSSIBILITIES A promising toolkit to view the microbial ecosystem that exists within and around all living things (By Gabe Kalmar)
IN EVERY ISSUE
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26 NEW PRODUCTS 28 CALENDAR OF EVENTS
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6 R&D NEWS
First-in-Canada technology helps cancer specialists better detect lung cancer
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Zymeworks: Bringing teamwork to the table
Accelerating the development of cost-effective biomarker-based blood tests and bringing them to market
www.biotechnologyfocus.ca
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WORKING TOGETHER Canada leads the way in bringing the translational research world together and finding new avenues to fill the gaps in the development continuum (By Barry Gee)
ACROSS CANADA Genomic selection in dairy cow breeding (By Shawn Lawrence)
THE LAST WORD What drives a competitive advantage? (By Don M. Enns)
February 2013 BIOTECHNOLOGY FOCUS 3
PUBLISHER’S NOtE
PUBLISHER/ EDITOR-IN-CHIEF STAFF WRITERS
Terri Pavelic Shawn Lawrence Daniela Fisher
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Barry Gee Bruce McManus Don M. Enns Gabe Kalmar
Calling all creative thinkers!
NATIONAL ACCOUNT MANAGER GRAPHIC DESIGNER CONTROLLER MARKETING MANAGER
Does your child think outside the box? Then this challenge might be for them. Leaders in innovation from across industry, not-for-profits, and academia have teamed up to create a unique competition that calls on Canadian students to help solve the challenges in Canada’s healthcare system. Colour Outside the Lines: A Reverse Innovation Challenge for Canadian Health Systems invites students to submit ideas and innovations from emerging markets that have the potential to improve Canada’s health systems. “Translating innovations that were created for the developing world to the industrialized world has been called ‘reverse innovation.’ The goal of Colour Outside the Lines is to identify and test reverse innovations from across the globe, and show how they can be developed into business models that will improve the health of Canadians,” said Dr. Peter Singer, CEO of Grand Challenges Canada and director of the Sandra Rotman Centre, one of the sponsoring partners behind the challenge. Colour Outside the Lines is a collaborative initiative from the International Centre for Health Innovation at Ivey, the Sandra Rotman Centre, the Institute for Health System Transformation & Sustainability (IHSTS), Medtronic, Roche, TELUS Health, and GE Healthcare. The challenge was borne out of a shared belief among its supporting partners that by forming new partnerships across borders and disciplines, we can find solutions to help improve health systems around the world. “To make meaningful improvements to our health systems, we must challenge our way of thinking and find new ways of innovating. This includes looking beyond our own backyards for the next big ideas. We believe there is much that can be learned from the experience and successes of unexpected sources, such as those of emerging markets,” said Dr. Anne Snowdon, Chair of Ivey International Centre for Health Innovation, founding partner behind the Challenge. While the target audience for the challenge is students, this does not mean only students should apply. Submissions are also open to any individuals or organizations with an interest in shaping the future of Canadian healthcare. The deadline for application submission is May 31, 2013. Winners will be announced in September 2013 and awarded funding at the 2013 Ivey Global Health Conference in November. The winning submission will receive $50,000, and two runners-up will also be selected, each receiving $25,000. Prize money is dedicated to moving the proposed reverse innovation forward and applying it to a Canadian health system. Winners will be chosen by an evaluation committee composed of the challenge’s partners. For submission details, frequently asked questions, videos and more, check out: www.colouroutside.ca. Happy February! And keep colouring outside those lines,
CIRCULATION DIRECTOR
Marcello Sukhdeo Elena Pankova John R. Jones Mary Malofy James Watson circulation@promotive.net Tel: 705-812-0611
EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD Celine Bak, Analytica Advisors; Rob Henderson, BioTalent Canada; Najla Guthrie, KGK Synergize; Pierre Bourassa, IRAP, Montréal; Murray McLaughlin, Sustainable Chemistry Alliance; Carol Reynolds, Wordmark Consulting Group Inc.; Ulli Krull, UTM; John Kelly, Erie Innovation and Commercialization; Peter Pekos, Dalton Pharma Services; Brad Thompson, Oncolytics; Darrell Ethell, CanReg; John Hylton, John H. Hylton & Associates; Robert Foldes, Cognovie Inc.; Randal R.Goodfellow, P.Ag., Senior Vice President, Corporate Relations, Ensyn; Bob H. Sotiriadis, Robic LLP; Dale Patterson, Genome Canada; Darcy Pawlik, Syngenta Seeds Canada Inc; Gail Garland, OBIO; Barry Gee, CDRD; Bonnie Kuehl, Scientific Insights Consulting Group Inc.; Raphael Hofstein, MaRS Innovation Biotechnology Focus is published 10 times per year by Promotive Communications Inc. 24-4 Vata Court, Aurora, Ontario L4G 4B6 Phone 905-727-3875 Fax 905-727-4428 www.biotechnologyfocus.ca E-mail: biotechnology_focus@promotive.net Subscription rate in Canada $35/year; USA $60/year; other countries $100/year. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written consent. Publications Mail Registration Number: 40052410 Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: circulation dept – 24-4 Vata Court, Aurora, Ontario L4G 4B6 National Library of Canada ISSN 1486-3138 \ All opinions expressed herein are those of the contributors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher or any person or organization associated with the magazine.
If you would like to order hard copy or electronic reprints of articles, contact Sandra Service 905-727-3875 x221 reprints@promotive.net
4 BIOTECHNOLOGY FOCUS February 2013
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R & D NEWS First-in-Canada technology helps cancer specialists to better detect lung cancer
Clinical Trials & Patents n Lorus Therapeutics Inc. (Toronto, ON), a biopharmaceutical company specializing in the discovery, research and development of pharmaceutical products and technologies for the management of cancer, announces that the United States Patent and Trademark Office has issued Lorus’ patent for its novel cancer therapy IL-17E. The US patent protects methods of treating cancer with IL-17E, both alone and in combination with anticancer therapy drugs including gemcitabine, paclitaxel, docetaxel, erlotinib, cisplatin, and bevacizumab. The patent covers the treatment of a wide range of cancers, including breast, lung, colon, pancreatic, gastric and ovarian tumors, as well as melanoma.
Dr. Stephen Lam and Dr. Annette McWilliams map out a patient’s bronchoscopy with the new BC Cancer Foundation -funded LungPoint Lung cancer specialists at the BC Cancer Agency now have access to a three-dimensional navigation system that can enhance diagnosis, staging and care for lung cancer patients in British Columbia. The BC Cancer Foundation-funded equipment is the first of its kind to be used in Canada and is newly-installed at the BC Cancer Agency’s Vancouver Centre. “This technology acts as a GPS, providing clear turn-by-turn guidance through the patient’s lung, leading us directly to the tumour,” says Dr. Stephen Lam, chair, Provincial Lung Tumour Group, BC Cancer Agency. “This new system will improve the accuracy of bronchoscopy procedures from 30 to 80 per cent for small lesions in the lung that are traditionally very difficult to biopsy.” The technology converts two-dimensional images from a Computerized Tomography (CT scan) into three-dimensional graphics that guide the respirologist through a bronchoscopy procedure, directly to the suspect tumour. The mapping system is particularly beneficial in procedures where the tumour is less than two centimeters and located in the
periphery of the lung. Previously, oncologists would refer to a two-dimensional image highlighting the tumour’s location from a patient’s CT scan. With the new three-dimensional images, care providers will also be better equipped to plan for radiation therapy and surgical procedures with specific markers indicating the cancer’s location. BC Cancer Foundation donors provided $600,000 to acquire the new LungPoint system in addition to other state-of-theart equipment in the newly renovated Endoscopy Suite. “Lung cancer experts at the BC Cancer Agency identified a new technology that would truly enhance patient care and BC Cancer Foundation donors answered that call ensuring patients continue to receive the best care possible,” said Douglas Nelson, president & CEO, BC Cancer Foundation. “Their generosity will directly improve lung cancer detection and diagnosis in BC.”
New discovery holds promise for preventing and even reversing early stage diabetes
may help reduce the onset of diabetes. The key, scientists have reported, is a protein critical to maintaining healthy levels of blood and oxygen in fat tissues. Led by senior investigator Dr. Andras Nagy and his research team at the Lunenfeld, the mouse model study sheds light
Researchers at Mount Sinai’s Samuel Lunenfeld Research Institute have uncovered a new biological mechanism which 6 BIOTECHNOLOGY FOCUS February 2013
To see this story online visit http://biotechnologyfocus.ca/first-incanada-technology-helps-cancerspecialists-to-better-detect-lung-cancer/
continued on page 7
n The United States Patent and Trademark Office has issued a US Patent to Axela Inc. (Toronto, ON). Patent 8,338,189 claims methods and devices for the detection of biomarkers and biomarker complexes. Specifically, the patent describes the use of diffractive optics technology in the detection of structural changes in a biomarker complex (eg. cardiac troponin protein complex) that may indicate a change in a disease state (eg. myocardial infarction). The new patent provides Axela Inc. with additional intellectual property protection for the commercial expansion of diffractive optics into the areas of disease diagnostics and drug efficacy monitoring. n iCo Therapeutics Inc. (Vancouver, BC) announces it has reached the midpoint of its Phase 2 iDEAL study for the treatment of diabetic macular edema (DME). The company reports there have been no drug related serious adverse events among patients receiving repeat doses of iCo-007. The trial explores whether varying combinations and concentrations of iCo-007 are effective in improving visual acuity in DME patients. The Phase 2 clinical trial is studying patients at 26 clinical sites across the U.S. and follows patients for a 12 month period. During the trial, patients are randomized into one of the following four groups: iCo-007 monotherapy (350ug), iCo-007 monotherapy (700ug), iCo-007 (350ug) with laser photocoagulation and iCo007 (350ug) with ranibizumab (0.5mg). The company also announced that it has exceeded its recruitment threshold of patients for statistical analysis of the study and expects to announce final data for the primary endpoint in the fourth quarter of 2013.
For more R&D news visit http://biotechnologyfocus.ca/ category/bio-pharma/
R & D NEWS
Dr. Andras Nagy
Continued from page 6
on why fat tissue in obesity may behave abnormally compared to fat tissue under normal weight conditions, and how this understanding can potentially help curb the risk of type 2 diabetes associated with obesity. In obesity, low blood flow and oxygen in fat tissue cells can impair the ability of cells in the pancreas to produce insulin, which lead to metabolic problems such as high blood sugar. The low levels of blood and oxygen can be improved by increasing the level of a signalling protein called Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF). With this protein, researchers found that the development of type 2 diabetes may be poten-
tially prevented by increasing VEGF levels. For those who are already exhibiting early stage symptoms of the disease, when the pancreas has not yet completely stopped producing insulin, increasing VEGF levels in fat tissue could also potentially reverse a developing disease. Dr. Nagy and his research team have been studying VEGF’s function for over 16 years. Their new findings are the first to show that increasing blood flow in fat tissue may revert early stage diabetes back to healthy conditions. “These findings provide us with new opportunities to slow or prevent progression
of diabetes while tackling the increasing problem of obesity,” says Dr. Nagy, senior investigator at Mount Sinai’s Samuel Lunenfeld Research Institute and also Professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Toronto. “Our findings have changed the way we are thinking about how obesity affects our metabolism – in fact, this study opens up a new way of looking at treatment and therapy for obese patients who are at increased risk for diabetes,” he added. For this study, Dr. Nagy’s team collaborated with other Lunenfeld scientists including Dr. Tony Pawson and Dr. Lee Adamson, as well as with researchers from the University of Toronto, and Korea’s Yeungnam University and the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST). The study was funded by the New Frontiers Program Project Grant from the Terry Fox Foundation. The findings were published in the journal Cell Metabolism. To see this story online visit http://biotechnologyfocus.ca/newdiscovery-holds-promise-for-preventingand-even-reversing-early-stage-diabetes/
Important Notice:
Avis important :
Human Pathogens and Toxins Act
Loi sur les agents pathogènes humains et les toxines
Attention: Persons handling human pathogens and toxins
Destinataires : Personnes manipulant des agents pathogènes humains et des toxines
The Human Pathogens and Toxins Act is designed to protect the health and safety of the public against risks posed by the accidental or deliberate release of human pathogens and toxins from research or other facilities.
La Loi sur les agents pathogènes humains et les toxines vise à protéger la santé et la sécurité de la population contre les risques associés au rejet accidentel ou délibéré d’agents pathogènes humains et de toxines par un centre de recherche ou un autre établissement.
Under the Human Pathogens and Toxins Act, if you are handling human pathogens and toxins, you may be subject to certain obligations. The best way to know if the Act affects you is to register with the Public Health Agency of Canada on our website.
Selon la Loi sur les agents pathogènes humains et les toxines, si vous manipulez des agents pathogènes humains ou des toxines, vous pourriez avoir à remplir certaines obligations. La meilleure façon de savoir si la Loi s’applique à vous consiste à vous inscrire auprès de l’Agence de la santé publique du Canada en consultant notre site Web.
To register or to obtain more information about laboratory biosafety in Canada, please visit
Pour vous inscrire ou pour en savoir plus sur la biosécurité en laboratoire au Canada, veuillez consulter le site
www.publichealth.gc.ca/pathogens
www.santepublique.gc.ca/pathogenes
February 2013 BIOTECHNOLOGY FOCUS 7
UBC-developed test for predicting lung attacks moves toward the market The PROOF Centre, a cluster of UBC scientists focused on developing biomarkers for chronic organ disease, has granted a U.S. company exclusive rights to commercialize gene expression blood tests to help predict which patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) are more likely to experience frequent “lung attacks.” Lung attacks, or exacerbations, are the leading cause of emergency room visits and hospitalizations among chronic disease sufferers, accounting for over $5.7 billion direct, and $6.7 billion indirect healthcare costs every year in Canada alone. When patients seek treatment for such episodes, it’s difficult to know if it’s a rare flare-up, or the beginning of a downward spiral that requires more aggressive treatment, including daily exercise and respiratory therapy. A large portion of COPD-related mortality is
due to lung attacks. Under the agreement, HTG Molecular Diagnostics, of Tuscon, Arizona, will develop the biomarker assay on its proprietary platform. Researchers from the PROOF Centre will stay involved in the clinical validation of the test, and will also support HTG’s application for regulatory approval in the U.S. “The development of these blood tests has been driven by a huge unmet clinical and social need,” said Bruce McManus, director of the PROOF Centre and a professor in the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine. “This agreement with HTG Molecular Diagnostics will facilitate bringing these tests to market faster, providing physicians with tools to improve patient care and management and help alleviate suffering of patients with COPD.” The PROOF Centre analyzed clinical data and blood samples from 700 patients in the search for signals of the severity of a lung attack. The not-for-profit organization, a national Centre of Excellence for Com-
Dr. Bruce McManus
R & D NEWS
mercialization and Research based at St. Paul’s Hospital, had received $1.5 million in funding from Genome British Columbia to develop the test from a promising set of biomarkers. For more in-depth coverage of the PROOF Centre check out the feature story on page 16 of this issue. To see this story online visit http://biotechnologyfocus.ca/proofcentre-and-htg-molecular-diagnosticscommercialize-copd-prognostic-test/
Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation receives historic $50 million donation
Celebrating an historic $50 million donation for Personalized Cancer Medicine at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre are (left to right) Paul Alofs (President & CEO, The Princess Margaret Cancer Centre), Dr. Robert Bell (President & CEO of University Health Network), philanthropist Emmanuelle Gattuso (who, with husband Allan Slaight and the Slaight family, donated the gift), Geoffrey Ogram (lung cancer patient), Dr. Benjamin Neel (Research Director, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre) and Dr. Mary Gospodarowicz (Medical Director of the Cancer Program, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre). (CNW Group/Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation). The Princess Margaret Cancer Centre recently announced that the Centre has received Canada’s largest ever private donation to cancer research. The $50 million donation was made by Canadian philanthropists Emmanuelle Gattuso, Allan Slaight, and the Slaight family to help advance the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre’s Personalized Cancer Medicine initiative. The couple’s donation is part of the Foundation’s Billion Dollar Challenge. Pledged over 10 years, it will be used to create a “superfund to support superstars” that will provide long-term, sustainable funding to 8 BIOTECHNOLOGY FOCUS February 2013
attract, support and retain the best and brightest researchers in the world devoted to eradicating cancer. “I have been touched by cancer, as have so many friends and family members,” said Gattuso, a 10-year breast cancer survivor. “Allan and I are extremely pleased to be able to support The Princess Margaret’s Billion Dollar Challenge for Personalized Cancer Medicine and hope others will join us. We believe in The Princess Margaret’s vision to conquer cancer in our lifetime.” In 2012, Gattuso and Slaight were named “Philanthropists of the Year” by the Asso-
ciation of Fundraising Professionals (AFP). In 2009, Gattuso, Slaight and the Slaight family donated over $22 million to create The Gattuso Rapid Diagnostic Centre at The Princess Margaret. The centre provides one-day diagnoses and treatment plans to breast cancer patients. Rapid diagnosis is now being embraced by other cancer sites, including colorectal, lung, pancreatic and prostate cancers. To date, The Princess Margaret will have received donations totaling over $72 million from the philanthropic couple and their family. The Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, a leader in cancer research, is transforming cancer care by creating and delivering its own unique model of Personalized Cancer Medicine that encompasses four key themes: detect, diagnose, target and support. “This unprecedented ‘superfund’ allows us to build and support research teams focused on precision genomics, advanced tumour biology, immune therapy and molecular imaging,” said Dr. Benjamin Neel, research director of the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre. “I truly believe that we can conquer cancer.” The Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation launched a Billion Dollar Challenge in April 2012. So far, the challenge has raised $243 million in donations and grants. To see this story online visit http://biotechnologyfocus.ca/videoprincess-margaret-cancer-foundationreceives-historic-50-million-donation/
BUSINESS CORNER Medicago signs $15 million non-dilutive loan agreement with major pharmaceutical partner Medicago Inc. announces the execution of a $15 million loan agreement with a major pharmaceutical company. “This additional investment by a major partner in our company clearly validates our rapid plant-based VLP vaccine technology given their scientific and commercial leadership in vaccines,” said Andy Sheldon, president and CEO of Medicago. “This significant agreement provides a non-dilutive infusion of cash for the continued development and commercialization of our vaccines.” The principal of the loan is repayable on January 14, 2014 but can be extended by Medicago at its option until January 14, 2016 and will bear an interest rate of not more than 10 per cent per year. Interest on this loan will be paid quarterly. Medicago and its partner are continuing discussions to finalize a licensing agreement which may also include co-promotion rights of Medicago vaccines in certain markets and, if successfully concluded will result in the principal of the loan being applied as upfront payments upon the execution of the licensing
agreement. In such an event, Medicago will not be required to pay interest on the loan. To see this story online visit http://biotechnologyfocus.ca/medicago-signs-15-million-nondilutive-loan-agreement-with-major-pharmaceutical-partner/
Forest Laboratories, Inc. expands into Canadian market International pharmaceutical company Forest Laboratories, Inc. has made its entry into the Canadian market through its wholly owned subsidiary Forest Laboratories Canada Inc. “We are excited about our venture in the Canadian marketplace,” said Greg Engel, general manager, Forest Laboratories Canada Inc. In the near-term, Forest Laboratories Canada Inc. will focus on bringing a number of therapeutic options to market in the areas of cardiology, respiratory medicine, gastroenterology, and mental health.”
The Canadian head office is based in Toronto, ON, with a sales team that will reach from coast-to-coast. To see this story online visit http://biotechnologyfocus.ca/forest-laboratories-inc-expandsinto-canadian-market/
ANNOUNCEMENT
FDA approves Cangene’s VARIZIG® Cangene Corporation announces that the United States Food and Drug Administration has approved VARIZIG® (Varicella Zoster Immune Globulin (Human)) for postexposure prophylaxis of varicella (chickenpox) in high risk patient groups including immunocompromised children, newborns and pregnant women. VARIZIG is a hyperimmune product that contains antibodies specific for the Varicella zoster virus which causes the viral infection known as chickenpox. VARIZIG is approved in Canada and was previously made available in the U.S. under an investigational new drug (IND) Expanded Access Protocol. Through the expanded access program, VARIZIG was available for patients at risk of severe complications of varicella, to address the unmet need in this population. The Expanded Access Protocol will remain active until commercial product is available for distribution which is expected in early March of 2013. VARIZIG will continue to be distributed exclusively by FFF Enterprises, Inc., a biopharmaceutical supplier. To see this story online visit http://biotechnologyfocus.ca/fda-approves-cangenes-varizig/
Rachael Ritchie, D. Phil. Genome British Columbia is pleased to welcome Dr. Rachael Ritchie to the team as Director, Business Development. Rachael is an accomplished scientist, business manager and policy analyst. She has extensive experience in the life sciences using scientific and management knowledge to improve the productivity and competitiveness of individuals, businesses and communities. Most recently she was with the OECD in Paris, developing analytical frameworks to inform science and technology policy in topic areas including health innovation, synthetic biology and marine biotechnology. Her previous posts include work at the Research Productivity Council in New Brunswick and post doctoral study at Harvard Medical School. Genome British Columbia is a catalyst for the life sciences cluster on Canada’s West Coast, and manages a cumulative portfolio of over $550M in research projects and science and technology platforms.
February 2013 BIOTECHNOLOGY FOCUS 9
BUSINESS CORNER Feds announce $400 million in venture capital In a move to rekindle investor interest in providing start-up funds for new ventures, the federal government has announced an action plan to provide $400 million in venture capital for financing high-growth companies. The announcement comes in response to consultations conducted in the summer of 2012 with key stakeholders. These consultations showed that venture capital returns have been poor across the world and that venture-capital fundraising in Canada has declined since 2001. Moreover, the consultations indicated that reasonable government incentives would be needed “to attract institutional investors who have left the asset class in Canada over the past decade.” The goal of the announced Government Venture Capital Action Plan will be to improve access to venture capital financing by high-growth companies so that they have the capital they need to create jobs and growth. “We will provide the resources needed to put Canada’s venture capital industry on the path to sustainability and ensure Canada’s high-potential firms have the resources they need to succeed,” said Prime Minister Stephen Harper in a release announcing the plan.
Another goal of the plan is to deepen the pool of experienced fund managers in Canada, “including by attracting foreign expertise and capital to Canada’s venture capital market,” the statement said. The Venture Capital Action Plan will make available: $250 million to establish new, large private sector-led national funds of funds (a funds of funds portfolio consists of investments in several venture capital funds) in partnership with institutional and corporate strategic investors, as well as interested provinces; Up to $100 million to recapitalize existing large private sector-led funds of funds, in partnership with willing provinces; and; An aggregate
investment of up to $50 million in three to five existing high-performing venture capital funds in Canada. Private sector expertise will be sought to advise the government on the selection of the private sector management of the large-scale, national funds of funds, and on the selection of the high-performing venture capital funds to receive capital from the government. The funds will be allocated over the next seven to 10 years. To see this story online visit http://biotechnologyfocus.ca/feds-announce-400-million-in-venture-capital/
Dealmakers n Response Biomedical Corp. (Burnaby, BC) has entered into a new nonexclusive distribution agreement with Fisher HealthCare, part of Thermo Fisher Scientific to distribute its infectious disease portfolio of RAMP® products in the U.S. This is the second agreement entered into between Response’s newly formed, wholly owned U.S. subsidiary, Response Point of Care Inc., and a U.S. distributor in January 2013. Fisher will market Response’s Infectious Disease Point of Care (POC) test panel, which currently includes the RAMP® Flu A + B test and the RAMP® RSV test, on the RAMP® 200. n Paladin Labs Inc. (Montréal, QC) has entered into an exclusive Canadian distribution agreement with Allergy Therapeutics plc for Pollinex®-R (modified ragweed tyrosine adsorbate), an allergy vaccine for the treatment of allergic rhinitis due to ragweed pollen. In addition, Paladin also received an option to acquire distribution rights to Pollinex®-R in Sub-Saharan Africa. Under the agreement Paladin will copromote the product with Takeda Canada Inc. for the first eight months before taking over all selling and distribution activities. Financial
10 BIOTECHNOLOGY FOCUS February 2013
terms of the agreement were not disclosed. n BioVectra (Charlottetown, PEI), a supplier to international pharmaceutical companies, has agreed to a purchase by California-based Questcor Pharmaceuticals for an upfront payment of $50 million. The value of the deal could grow to $100 million if BioVectra meets its growth projections. BioVectra has a relationship as a supplier to Questcor that goes back 10 years, manufacturing API, a key ingredient in Questcor’s flagship Acthar product, which has a number of applications, including the treatment of multiple sclerosis. BioVectra will continue to operate independently on P.E.I. under its existing management team. n Cytochroma Inc. (Markham, ON) has entered into a definitive agreement to be acquired by OPKO Health, Inc. (Miami, FL), giving OPKO worldwide rights to Cytochroma’s two lead product candidates: Replidea™ (coded CTAP101 Capsules), a vitamin D prohormone to treat secondary hyperparathyroidism (SHPT) in patients with stage 3 or 4 chronic kidney disease (CKD) and vitamin D insufficiency; and, Alpharen™ (Fermagate Tablets), a non-absorbed
phosphate binder to treat hyperphosphatemia in dialysis patients. Both products are in Phase 3 development in the U.S.. In addition, OPKO Health will acquire Cytochroma’s operations in Markham, ON and Bannockburn, IL, while Cytochroma’s officers will join the OPKO management team, and all other Cytochroma employees will be retained by OPKO. EnWave Corporation (Vancouver, BC) has signed a collaboration agreement with an option to license with Gay Lea Foods Cooperative Limited. The agreement grants Gay Lea a period of 12 months to develop a variety of dried dairy products using the Company’s Radiant Energy Vacuum (REV™) technology for eventual market testing. If Gay Lea’s market evaluation phase is successful, they have the option to sign an exclusive license to use REV™ technology on a commercial basis for the production of a number of unspecified dairy products. All other terms of the Agreement are confidential.
n
For more Business Corner news visit http://biotechnologyfocus.ca/category/ industryintel/
BUSINESS CORNER Microbix’ LumiSort patent upheld in U.S. The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has for a second time upheld all key claims of Microbix’ Biosystems Inc. U.S. LumiSort patent following a second competitive challenge. The USPTO plans to issue an Ex Parte Reexamination Certificate confirming the patentability of the claims of U.S. Patent 8,004,661, Microbix’ first-issued patent for LumiSort technology. Sexing Technologies,
a major incumbent in livestock sperm sexing, has twice challenged the patentability of the claims, and the USPTO has again rejected its challenge. “We have maintained that the technological innovation embodied in LumiSort represents a significant advancement in sperm sexing for the livestock industry. Having overcome repeated attempts to invalidate our patent, it is clear that LumiSort is sig-
nificantly different from prior art technology and satisfies the standard for patent protection. We will continue to defend and expand our LumiSort patent estate as the development program advances,” commented Microbix president and CEO Vaughn Embro-Pantalony on the decision. To see this story online visit http://biotechnologyfocus.ca/microbixlumisort-patent-upheld-in-u-s/
Oncolytics shares rise as company details broader use for lead product Shares of Oncolytics Biotech Inc. climbed in January after the drug developer said its lead product Reolysin may have a broader use as a potential cancer treatment. The Canadian company released results from an early-stage study of the drug as a possible treatment of colorectal cancer that has spread. It said patients taking Reolysin in combination with a common chemotherapy regimen called Folfiri had an overall progression-free survival of 7.4 months. Progression-free survival measures the time before a disease progresses or the patient in the study dies. Oncolytics said it will continue testing the drug in colorectal cancer patients. It had presented preliminary results from the small study at a recent gastrointestinal cancers symposium in San Francisco. Reolysin is based on a common virus called the respiratory enteric orphan virus, or reovirus. To see this story online visit http://biotechnologyfocus.ca/oncolyticsshares-rise-as-company-details-broaderuse-for-lead-product/
BER BioFocus_Mar2011_OUT.indd 1
2/9/11 10:00:13 February 2013 BIOTECHNOLOGY FOCUS AM 11
By: Daniela Fisher
ExECUtIVE PROFILE
BRINGING TEAMWORK TO THE TABLE Zymeworks’ model for smart drug design
“From day one, I’ve said that our objective at Zymeworks was not just to be competitive or productive locally, say within Vancouver or even in British Columbia or Canada. We wanted to be competitive and recognized globally. To do that, you need a world-class team.” — Dr. Ali Tehrani
12 BIOTECHNOLOGY FOCUS February 2013
Executive Profile
F
rom industrial to pharmaceutical applications, the next generation of protein engineering approaches are helping researchers across the globe overcome obstacles and limitations en route to creating more effective therapeutics. Such is the case with Vancouver’s Zymeworks, an emerging biotherapeutics company that is earning accolades for its groundbreaking work in designing novel antibodies to treat cancer, autoimmune, and inflammatory diseases. In 2012, Zymeworks made waves after closing an $11 million round of financing, as well as simultaneously announcing a major R&D milestone in the company’s collaboration with Merck in a broader deal valued at over $187 million. These are just two of the most recent achievements in a long list of accomplishments. Steering the company to success is its president and CEO Dr. Ali Tehrani, who co-founded the company in 2003 while completing his graduate studies at the University of British Columbia. Under his direction Zymeworks has gone from a small start-up to a major player in both the fields of computational biotechnology and next-generation protein therapeutic design. Tehrani’s formula for success includes taking a collaborative and global approach to drug development. “This is not about building an empire and becoming an emperor, this is about a team,” says Tehrani. “From day one, I’ve said that our objective at Zymeworks was not just to be competitive or productive locally, say within Vancouver or even in British Columbia or Canada. We wanted to be competitive and recognized globally. To do that, you need a world-class team.” For a team to be successful, it needs a strong leader and visionary. Tehrani has proven himself to be just such a leader, and the driving force behind the company. With both a BA and MA degree in Biochemistry, and a doctorate in Microbiology and Immunology, Tehrani is a scientist turned businessman. The transition occurred while Tehrani was in grad school at the University of British Columbia where he realized that his passion and strengths lay not in working behind the bench, but in helping other scientists see that their research had commercial potential. “What I realized was that I could translate and communicate the language of science for those who were unable to,” says Tehrani. “I was able to dream for those who were excellent at doing the science but did not know how to build a business around their inventions.”
Before starting Zymeworks, Tehrani also co-founded the Student Biotechnology Network to help expose students to opportunities in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical sectors, and to help them see how they could advance their careers after graduation. Eleven years later, the network is still running strong. The network was also the forum where Tehrani first showed the biotech industry what he was capable of doing. “In many respects that experience enabled a small group of us to start a company but without it being a company,” says Tehrani. “We had to learn how to team build, how to put events together, how to communicate, how to organize, how to think, how to strategize and apply those skills towards creating something that people got really excited about. Dreaming big and helping lead a small team that created something that is still in existence almost 11 years after the fact allowed the world to see some of my strengths and say ‘You know, I think he might be able to do more.’ ” In 2003 that ‘something more’ led to Ali Tehrani and Anthony Fejes starting Zymeworks, with the support and mentorship of angel investors Haig Ferris, Nick Bedford, and Andrew Wright, who remain involved with the company to this day. After its inception, one of the first major milestones for the company came in late 2007, with an early full-release of its proprietary molecular simulation program ZymeCAD™:
Zymeworks’ Computer Assisted Design suite. Developing a world-class, in-house computer-modeling program for rational drug design that caught the attention of the pharmaceutical industry was simply a matter of being at the right place at the right time, says Tehrani. “When we started Zymeworks, the raw computational horsepower had finally come together and today, as is evident from our iPhones and all the powerful machines that we have around us, it’s a commodity,” explains Tehrani. “Zymeworks is standing on the shoulders of giants. The notion of rational drug design was thought of way before us, and we just happened to be in the right place at the right time, at the intersection of the right advances in computing and biology, with the right ideas and the passion to bring it to fruition.” Using ZymeCAD™, the company creates an in silico experimental environment where structural biologists, biochemists and other protein engineers can propose and explore modifications to proteins. At Zymeworks, these modifications have related to new and improved characteristics for antibody-based therapeutics, including better drug-like properties, greater stability and most importantly, new functionalities such as the ability to attack multiple disease targets simultaneously. This computational environment for drug design and its applications opened up all kinds of possibilities for Zymeworks, in par-
“Antibodies as part of the drug design world, as part of the pharmaceutical world, represent an exciting opportunity, you can be much more creative with the business models that you can bring to the table there.”
February 2013 BIOTECHNOLOGY FOCUS 13
Executive Profile “If you want funding you have to work really hard for it. It is out there but odds are that it’s not going to be right within your reach. You have to travel, you have to be away from family, you have to talk to a thousand people and get 999 no’s before you get the one yes and it won’t come from where you were expecting. But that one yes is what you’re looking for. It can be the catalyst.” ticular in the area of antibody development and how it approaches partnerships with big pharmaceutical companies. “Antibodies as part of the drug design world, as part of the pharmaceutical world, represent an exciting opportunity,” says Tehrani. “You can be much more creative with the business models that you can bring to the table there.” From early 2008 to 2010, the company leveraged its experience in protein engineering and its ZymeCAD™ to develop its AlbuCORE™ and Azymetric™ platforms. Now Zymeworks is advancing beyond the design and development of enabling platform molecules, and applying its considerable protein expertise towards drug design and the development of a proprietary best-in-class portfolio of protein therapeutics. “Drug design, very subjectively and in my humble opinion, has been like alchemy,” says Tehrani. “If you look at it historically how drug design has come to where it is today, it’s been pretty much trial and error.” By using ZymeCAD to test potential therapeutics in a simulated environment, Zymeworks aims to first fully understand the therapeutic candidate, as well as the interactions between the drug and the disease target before embarking down the long and costly process of taking a new antibody-therapeutic to market. “Really curing a disease starts with understanding the disease,” says Tehrani. “Because if you can understand what happens and what causes a disease and what exactly takes place, then just like any engineering project you can begin designing a solution.” To take full advantage of its innovative technology platform, the company’s business model includes both internal R&D as well as drug-design collaborations with other companies. Its earlier partnerships with commercial and academic partners helped garner attention for the seminal work that was going on at Zymeworks. “As early as 2003 I had a list of favourite big multinationals that I wanted to do deals with; however it’s kind of difficult to jump right in at that level and sign them.” says Tehrani. “There are people standing on the sidelines 14 BIOTECHNOLOGY FOCUS February 2013
watching you and wanting someone else to work with you and see how that goes. What kind of a partner are you? What kind of a technology do you bring to the table and what does that other partner think of you at the end? They want someone else to interview you, someone else to audition you. So the early deal with XOMA was a deal where not only did we provide very specific value to XOMA and XOMA’s needs, but we were able to showcase our abilities and technologies and who are as potential partners to the rest of the world.” In 2011 Zymeworks’ partnership with Merck made headlines and demonstrated that an emerging Canadian start-up operating in a globally competitive and rapidly advancing segment of the market, could secure a major R&D collaboration. “For us, a little biotech company in Vancouver, to get the attention of one of the biggest pharmaceutical companies and to sign a deal with Merck, you have to be somebody, you have to be special,” says Tehrani. “We also saw the deal with Merck as validation of using our proprietary approach to build an enabling molecule that could become a drug, and Merck saying, ‘I see it. I see it, I can dream around it, and I can do something with it,’” says Tehrani. “Essentially the spirit of the deal is that Merck has a non-exclusive license to the Azymetric™ platform to build drugs.” Using the Azymetric™ scaffold, the two companies are working together to create novel bi-specific antibody therapeutics to address areas of unmet medical need. While typical antibodies are mono-specific, Zymeworks’ Azymetric™ antibodies are bi-specific, meaning they can bind two therapeutic targets very specifically. Bi-specific antibodies provide drug-developers the opportunity to pursue new and potentially more efficacious avenues of treating diseases, says Tehrani. After achieving a major R&D milestone with Merck last year, Zymeworks is working on building its own portfolio of best-in-class biologics. In the future, Tehrani hopes to develop several specific molecules for treating cancer, autoimmune and infectious diseases. As for its current financial model, Zyme-
works is clearly doing something right. Last year Zymeworks closed an $11 million financing led by Advanced Biotechnologies Venture Fund (ABVF), on the heels of an $8.1 million financing in 2011 that was co-led by Montreal-based CTI Life Sciences Fund and ABVF. On securing this financing, Tehrani credits his team, including his CFO Neil Klompas, for the hard work that went into chasing down the funding. His advice to those looking for funding is to get creative. “Don’t go to the same wells that have been dry for a long time. Make sure you go to other places and get creative,” says Tehrani. “If you want funding you have to work really hard for it. It is out there but odds are that it’s not going to be right within your reach. You have to travel, you have to be away from family, you have to talk to a thousand people and get 999 no’s before you get the one yes and it won’t come from where you were expecting. But that one yes is what you’re looking for. It can be the catalyst.” At the end of the day Tehrani, who is also on the board of Life Sciences BC, maintains that the scientific innovation and human resources coming out of British Columbia are some of the best. “Biotechnology is not dead in Vancouver or British Columbia,” says Tehrani. “It’s going through an evolutionary period. We have amazing companies that are doing amazing things and if there was ever a doubt in anybody’s mind about biotechnology, I think it’s fair to say that it’s just going through a period of transition, much like any other industry. We have some of the very best brains coming out of the University of British Columbia, Simon Frasier University and the University of Victoria who will go on to give us very innovative companies. Perhaps we are one example of that. I want people to know that if we could do it at Zymeworks, starting with nothing but an idea and a small group of people that believed in us, then others can too.”
To see this story online visit http://biotechnologyfocus.ca/ bringing-teamwork-to-the-table/
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By: Dr. Bruce McManus
ChroniC Diseases
BioMaRKeR signatURes and healthcaRe solUtions
in heart, lung and kidney failure management
L
ifestyle, environmental and genetic factors are driving the epidemics of heart, lung and kidney disease in Canada and around the world. Heart, lung and kidney diseases together are responsible for more than 40 per cent of deaths and $3.46 trillion in healthcare spending worldwide. People with chronic conditions such as heart failure, diabetes, hypertension, chronic kidney disease, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, represent approximately 38 per cent of the BC population and consume approximately 80 per cent of the combined physician payment, PharmaCare and acute care budgets (BC Ministry of Health). Chronic diseases are more common in older populations and its prevalence is projected to increase 58 per cent in the next 25 years. In addition, for the first time in history, our children are expected to have a shorter lifespan due to the epidemic of organ failure. Thus, any healthcare improvement focused on chronic disease will realize significant benefits.
PROOF Centre Solution The Centre of Excellence for the Prevention of Organ Failure (PROOF Centre), founded in 2008 by competitive federal funding from the Networks of Centres of Excellence, is a not-for-profit Society hosted by Providence Health Care and the University of British 16 BIOTECHNOLOGY FOCUS February 2013
Columbia. Working with a cross-sectoral multi-disciplinary team of clinicians, scientists, technologists, computational biologists, health care providers and authorities, health economists, and patients, the PROOF Centre develops cost-effective blood tests for heart, lung and kidney care, enabling the identification of disease presence, rate of progression, and therapeutic responsiveness. We create health-relevant content for new blood tests, while strategically using systematic measures to ensure physician and health care adoption.
PROOF Centre Development Process The PROOF Centre’s model begins with identification of a clinical need where a cost-effective blood test would enhance patient experience and outcomes, and bring economic value to Canadians and others globally. Based on coordinated consultation with experts in academia, healthcare, and industry, the PROOF Centre delivers its commercially viable blood tests through a development process that includes collaborator input and resources. The PROOF Centre’s goal is to accelerate development of these cost-effective biomarker-based blood tests that address critical clinical needs and bring them to market.
PROOF Centre Director, Dr. McManus, and graduate students from the James Hogg Research Centre, examine a venous blood sample – a precious source of “omic” biomarkers. Credit: Brian Smith, Providence Health Care
Dr. Raymond Ng, PROOF Centre, Chief Informatics Officer, and other PROOF Centre scientists, Zsuzsanna Hollander, Oliver Günther and Gabriela Cohen Freue, examine promising new data. Credit: Aaron Aubrey Photography The PROOF Centre is among a limited number of teams combining the value of RNAs, proteins, and metabolites in biosignatures. A computation pipeline has been developed using statistical ensembling and decision tree building to evaluate multicomponent marker panels. The team has developed SOPs and quality control measures
Chronic Diseases The goal of the program includes providing proper self-management education to these at-risk patients and to establish follow-up care procedures either with their family physician or the COPD clinic. — Bruce McManus
PROOF Centre clinical coordinators consent a subject in one of our heart failure studies in the Heart Function Clinic at St. Paul’s Hospital. Credit: Aaron Aubrey Photography for all aspects of data handling and storage. This quality-driven approach ensures that the vast amounts of data remain valuable assets. To this end, the PROOF Centre was awarded the 2010 Bio-IT World Best Practices Award for Personalized & Translational Medicine. The PROOF Centre’s lead programs in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), heart failure, and transplantation are projected to result in the commercialization of five biomarker blood tests by 2018. One of our tests that will improve care for COPD is discussed in more detail below.
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a leading cause of mortality and is expected to be the third leading cause of death worldwide by the year 2020, with much of this increase resulting from an exponential rise in COPD mortality among women. Lung exacerbations, or ‘lung attacks’ are experienced by about a third of those who suffer from COPD – a progressive disease that causes reduced lung function in the form of shortness of breath and coughing. When a lung attack takes place, the symptoms of
COPD worsen resulting in increased breathlessness, coughing, and wheezing. Lung exacerbations not only take a physical and emotional toll on those with COPD, but are also an enormous burden to the healthcare system. Such exacerbations are the leading cause of emergency room visits and hospitalizations among chronic disease sufferers in British Columbia (BC), and across the country. Consequently, lung attacks can incur over $5.7 billion in direct and $6.7 billion in indirect healthcare costs every year in Canada. There is a large and compelling unmet medical need and a socioeconomic imperative for identifying markers of COPD exacerbation. Physicians lack objective measurements to accurately risk-stratify patients and monitor the effectiveness of interventions provided for their patients. Currently, the only test in clinical use is lung function measured by forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1). However, FEV1 has limited utility because it cannot separate the different phenotypes nor reliably predict those who will exacerbate from those who will not. To address the devastating and costly impacts of COPD exacerbations, the PROOF
Centre, Genome BC, Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics, Providence Health Care, and HTG Molecular Diagnostics are providing much needed funding to develop a simple blood test that can determine if a person is at risk for a lung attack. The PROOF Centre team, working with Dr. Don Sin, project leader and head of Respiratory Medicine at St. Paul’s Hospital, and investigators from GlaxoSmithKline have identified unique gene and protein biomarkers that have the ability to predict which patients will likely have frequent lung attacks. Our blood tests outperformed the currently used test, FEV1. The goal is to put this test in the clinical laboratory and be available to any physician in BC. This would be a huge step forward from the current diagnosis method: a breathing test that is available only in certain centres in the province and which must be performed by specially trained staff. This predictive test will also provide a more accurate picture of a patient’s condition, and will allow physicians to better treat and manage COPD. The development of a predictive test for COPD lung attacks highly complements the initiatives undertaken by the BC Ministry of Health to overcome COPD. Already, a plan is in place to mobilize COPD experts at three Lower Mainland hospitals who will identify lung attack patients seen at each site. The goal of the program includes providing proper self-management education to these at-risk patients and to establish follow-up care procedures either with their family physician or the COPD clinic. Such a program opens the door for a seamless transition from laboratory-based discovery to effective patient management targeting the prevention of fatal lung attacks.
Prospect Thus, the PROOF Centre blood tests will save lives, improve quality of life, and save precious healthcare dollars with increasing rate of return. Our transplant, COPD, and heart failure tests combined are projected to save more than $3B in Canada and increase patient quality of life (QALY) five years after test implementation. Our blood tests will also be used by family practice physicians with practice guidelines integrated into the clinical reporting system for improved decision making.
To see this story online visit http://biotechnologyfocus. ca/biomarker-signatures-andhealthcare-solutions/
February 2013 BIOTECHNOLOGY FOCUS 17
By: Dr. Gabe Kalmar
Metagenomics
Metagenomics: Limitless Possibilities We are surrounded Microorganisms, also known as microbes, are found throughout the natural environment and play a central role in regulating how ecosystems operate. The population of microbes present in an environment can provide key indicators on the locality’s health, giving insight into imbalances that may be contributing to problems. The study of these microbes, known as metagenomics, consists of studying genetic material taken directly from microbial samples present in the environment, rather than from a managed ecosystem. Metagenomics spans the gamut of research: it can involve the collection and study of microbial DNA environments, such as those found in the female reproductive system or the human gut; invasive bacteria in a water source; or a layer of soil in the tar sands. Understanding these minuscule microbes found in this myriad of environmental samples is lending new understanding to the diagnosis and treatment of disease, the provision of clean drinking water and the extraction of oil from the ground. Additionally, an understanding of which microbes must be present to ensure a healthy baseline – and which ones should not be there – can help scientists and researchers determine when an environment is under threat. Thus, metagenomics, often called community or environmental genomics, is a promising toolkit that offers a powerful lens through
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which to view the microbial ecosystem that exists within and around all living things. With genomic advances creating new opportunities to identify the diversity of previously hidden microscopic life, metagenomics offers the potential to revolutionize our understanding of the entire living world.
Under the microscope Microbes are not new to scientists. In fact, humans have been able to see microbes since Anton van Leeuwenhoek’s documented discovery of microorganisms in 1675. And while van Leeuwenhoek did not make the connection between the decomposition of plant material or the fermentation of grapes and the miniscule organisms he saw under his microscope, there was an existing theory, evolved over centuries of study, postulating that many tiny-celled creatures existed that were not visible to the naked eye. During centuries of study, these theories proved correct; however, the promise of today’s metagenomics relies purely on the efficiency and sophistication of modern sequencing and bioinformatics techniques. Sequencing has become both faster and cheaper and is the key to the practical application of metagenomics. And integrating the information generated through sequencing and bioinformatics innovation is the key to successful metagenomics research.
MetagenoMiCs
Humans have been able to see microbes since Anton van Leeuwenhoek’s documented discovery of microorganisms in 1675.
Success A CELEBRATION OF
In the clinical realm metagenomics is being used to identify the human microbiome and its role in human health: in the future we may be able to modify our own microbiomes to manage or even preclude diseases like diabetes, obesity, Crohn’s disease and others. Metagenomics can also be applied in the case of unfamiliar infectious diseases or inexplicable outbreaks: using DNA sequences in a clinical sample will help to determine if the problem is a novel or recognizable pathogen. From an environmental health perspective, there are also many applications for metagenomics such as determining the microbiome of different environments and its role in ecosystem health, and discovering novel organisms or enzymes that may be of benefit to the biotechnology industry.
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Exploration and ingenuity – bodies, water and energy In metagenomic sequencing, DNA is retrieved directly from environmental samples, with the goal of obtaining an unbiased sample from all genes of all members of the community. One challenge this method presents is that not all microbial samples have a reference genome to be compared to. However, analysis of the genes often elucidates clues as to their function, which can then be compared to massive public metagenomic databases being continuously scanned and expanded with contributions of data coming from around the world. These databases not only contain genomics information, but equally importantly, all manners of data that define the environment where the samples were collected. Ultimately, the actionable information will be teased out of the datasets by asking questions that identify intersections between the genomics and phenotypic data.
Our bodies There are many advantages in knowing more about these unexplored microorganisms. The applications to human health number in the hundreds; a prime example is an ongoing research into the human vaginal microbiome, a niche area where Canada has significant expertise, research capacity, and pre-existing infrastructure upon which to build. Conditions associated with an imbalance in vaginal microbiota afflict several million Canadian women each year, and generate health care costs of billions of dollars annually. Ongoing research is not only identifying bacterial species present under various conditions over a woman’s lifespan, but also developing novel diagnostic tools and interventions to help restore and retain health. Research continues to offer more understanding of the core vaginal microbiome, and also explores the associations behind vaginal microbiota and pre-term births, genital tract infections, and overall reproductive health. To keep the vaginal microbiome healthy there must be a balance of lactic acid and hydrogen peroxide production. This combination
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Metagenomics seems to be what keeps unhealthy bacteria from being present, or if it is, from causing negative consequences. An imbalance in acidity can result in significant health problems, most notably bacterial vaginosis that is more a reflection of an out of balance system than an infection. While this may not sound serious or lead to obvious symptoms, there can be more significant long-term consequences. Vaginosis makes it more likely for sexually transmitted diseases to take hold and can increase the risk of pelvic inflammatory disorder. The most notable effect of an imbalanced vaginal microbiome is its effect on fertility and reproduction. Evidence points to fertility interruptions, spontaneous abortion and a higher risk of preterm delivery. Using metagenomics the researchers are studying the whole microbial community: gathering relevant data about changes in the vaginal ecosystem and analyzing shifts in bacterial configuration. This information is expected to help with the development of better tools to diagnose and treat bacterial vaginosis and mitigate detrimental impacts on sexual and reproductive health.
industrial and recreational uses. The pressures of industry, population growth, environmental degradation, and changing land use are threatening our watersheds; however, our current reactive model of water quality monitoring and assessment is neither effective nor sustainable. Recognizing this, the Canadian government and watershed stakeholders are adopting a new model of watershed stewardship called ‘source protection,’ in which a variety of strategies are used to proactively ensure that Canadian watersheds remain healthy and pollution-free within a wider ‘Source-to-Tap’ framework. Source protection can save Canadians millions of dollars annually in downstream drinking water treatment and monitoring costs. And, the Source-to-Tap framework could potentially avoid another Walkerton disaster. But perhaps the greatest benefit of this new approach to watershed management is assuring the long-term sustainability of our watersheds and the ecosystems that surround them. Metagenomics is enabling this novel approach to water quality management by enabling the rapid cataloguing of the microbes in our water.
Our water
Our energy
The old adage that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure rings especially true when we speak of ecosystems – particularly those surrounding our supply of fresh water. Canada’s watersheds are among the nation’s most important natural resources, providing drinking water for our population as well as water for agricultural,
Beyond alternate energy sources like biofuels, in which metagenomics has multiple applications, scientists are also finding applications in the traditional oil and gas energy sector. A cross-provincial team of investigators from BC and Alberta are currently analyzing ways to limit the environmental impact of extracting crude oil from Alberta’s oil sands, creating a database of information on the genetic potential of naturally existing microorganisms, genes and biological processes. By making the database publicly available, these researchers will give scientists from other sectors the opportunity to use the research and hopefully expand and build both overall knowledge and the database itself. Questions about how to enhance the recovery of oil from the tar sands and mitigate pollution are getting some answers through the unrealized potential of the microbes living in the soil. Researchers can now find, and replicate, the microcosm universes that exist in the smallest soil sample. In the case of the oil sands, metagenomics offer more insight than was previously available because it allows for the analysis of DNA fragments rather than whole organisms. The identifiable fragments can usually be identified by function using one of the robust databases publicly available. Knowing which microorganisms exist in the soil will help researchers understand why and how the oil has been degraded. The next step will be to use this increased microbial knowledge to begin reversing the process.
A new world, a new day, a new discovery Metagenomics has opened a door into a Lilliputian world where a host of novel discoveries are being made on a daily basis. This new approach to tackling the most complicated needs in medicine, food production, environmental issues and other global challenges may just be the holistic solution we need. Because of metagenomics, the possibility of solving some major challenges are no longer just within our imagination - they are within our grasp. Dr. Gabe Kalmar is Vice President, Sector Development at Genome British Columbia To see this story online visit http://biotechnologyfocus.ca/ metagenomics-limitless-possibilities/ 20 BIOTECHNOLOGY FOCUS February 2013
By: Shawn Lawrence
Across Canada FEATURE
Genomic selection in dairy cow breeding
Most consumers wouldn’t make the connection between dairy farming and science, or how advancements in genetic research might give Canadians an edge when it comes to dairy farming. Yet, Mother Nature and the cows that produce milk are indeed getting a helping hand from researchers in lab coats studying the complex genetic make-up of dairy cows and the milk they produce. Through the use of genomics, a branch of biotechnology that applies the techniques of genetics and molecular biology to the genetic mapping and DNA sequencing of genes, the dairy farming industry is benefiting from new applications that make the breeding process of dairy cows more efficient. Canadian dairy producers are among those well positioned to take advantage of genomics, using genomic testing as a tool to increase the accuracy of predicting an animal’s genetic merit. In the case of Holstein Canada, it is about strengthening the country’s Holstein breed. “Canada has already positioned itself as
Canada, giving their Holstein animals a designated name with the cost to register an animal at just $9,” says McNeil. According to McNeil, Holstein’s comprise 94 per cent of the entire dairy cattle population in Canada. “They are the most profitable dairy breed there is. And don’t let colour fool you— Holsteins are not only black and white, but they can also be red and white in pigment colour,” he says. In addition, Holstein Canada also provides genetic advancement programs and services that enhance the profitability of Canadian “Canada has already posidairy by embracing innovation and technoltioned itself as the envy of the ogy. The goal of every world for its Holsteins, but our breeder is to produce farmers are thirsty to do better a stronger, better next in all they do and this includes generation of cow that using genomics to improve produces top-quality milk for Canadian conCanada’s ability to produce sumers. quality cows.” — Glen McNeil “In the past, one might say not embracing innovation was something the dairy the envy of the world for its Holsteins, but cattle industry was criticized for, but I think our farmers are thirsty to do better in all times have changed and today we are more they do and this includes using genomics to leading edge and more scientific in our apimprove Canada’s ability to produce quality proach to producing a better next generacows,” explains Glen McNeil, president of tion of cow.” Holstein Canada. This, says McNeil, is where genomic Founded 128 years ago, Holstein Canada tools are making a difference for the dairy is the breed association responsible for industry. maintaining the herdbook, a list of ancestry “Genomics has helped speed up the for the Holstein breed across Canada. genetic advancement process, particularly “The herdbook is our core function, and in achieving faster genetic progress in your included in this function are services that herd. Before genomics, it would take five or comprise registration of when animals are six years before you finally got that calf that born and keeping track of dairy production. you really liked, based on the traits that you In all we have 11,000 members across Canwanted to improve from mother to daughada that register their animals with Holstein February 2013 BIOTECHNOLOGY FOCUS 21
Across Canada ter. Genomics has helped cut the time it takes by a few years and has saved the industry money in other ways. Just as important, it gives dairy farmers a more indicative idea of the type of cow they’re breeding. Selecting better sires, perhaps even using sexed semen on the best heifers are but two examples. Other examples might be breeding a cow that doubles milk production or just even increasing fertility in breeding. It generally increases farmers’ chances of getting it right.” Moreover, through genomics dairy farmers can also enhance the immune system of the cow, identifying animals that transmit healthy immune traits and breeding from these animals. The result is having healthier animals that produce healthy milk for consumers to enjoy. Perhaps most importantly, genomics provides a more mathematical approach to better manage Holstein breeding. “It all ties back into a genetic advancement formula that has been around for many years in the industry called the Lifetime Profit Index, or in short, LPI. LPI is a formula based on health traits, milk production, and type traits on how well an animal looks. It provides an overall measure of the economic value an animal will contribute and considers factors such as production, durability, health and fertility. Genomics has helped enhance this formula by increasing the reliability of what that formula tells us. Prior to genomics, if we had two parents, male and female, our prediction rate of optimizing mating was 35 per cent accurate. With genomics, it is now 65 per cent accurate. So it’s almost twice as accurate. This number will continue to grow as more animals are genomic tested, giving us a larger database to predict from.” All genomic samples in Canada for the Holstein breed come through Holstein Canada, and producers are able to use the genomic results to identify the traits currently that an animal exhibits and make more informed breeding decisions to breed and produce a next generation of Holstein that is more profitable than the current generation. According to McNeil, Holstein Canada offers Canadian dairy farmers three genomic testing options: one, a low density (LD) panel test for $45; the second, a LD plus test which was released in December last year for the cost of $60; and the third is a standard 50K panel test for $135. The difference between these three tests are the number of SNPs that are analyzed during the test. The LD panel analyzes 6,000 SNPs compared to the LD plus test which is 9,000 SNPs and the 50K panel analyzes 50,000 SNPs. These tests also screen for further genetic traits such as coat 22 BIOTECHNOLOGY FOCUS February 2013
colour, polled (whether an animal is born with horns or not), and for certain diseases. The tests themselves are predominantly meant for use on heifers, but can also be used on cows and bulls. Heifers are female cows that haven’t give birth, which usually happens at 24 months of age. The reason genomic tests are predominantly used on heifers says McNeil is because the gain in accuracy of predicting an animal’s genetic merit is largest for younger animals. He adds that with heifer rearing costs in Canada pegged at $2,500 or more, being able to make better selection, culling, or marketing decisions at an earlier age can significantly impact overall herd profitability. “Young animals always have a higher genetic potential than the older animals in a herd, so when a member genomic tests their heifers, they can use that in a mating program to enhance the rapid genetic gain from generation to generation. That’s why there’s a great uptake with the tests for young animals,” says McNeil. While genomics tools have only been on the market since 2009, they have been readily embraced by the industry. “Amazingly I would have to say genomics, and genomic testing is increasing on an annual basis. One would think the uptake with producers would be slow, but annually the average over the last two years there has been 11,000 samples collected and submitted to Holstein Canada for testing, and we anticipate for 2013 that it’s going to exceed 19,000 samples. It just goes to show with the large number of samples submitted within a year, how many people are actually using genomics and submitting samples, it’s quite a significant amount.” Also appealing is that the tests are noninvasive to the animal. “All it takes is pulling a few hairs from the cow’s tail, or alternatively, a sample can be collected using a swab (either nasal or vaginal).” The samples are submitted to Holstein Canada and then shipped to a lab in Québec. The lab analyzes these samples, the results come back to Holstein Canada, and they in turn are provided to the producer on a monthly basis. A question sometimes posed is what is more important, the bull’s genes or the dam’s genes in a genomic test result? Some feel it’s the male’s genes, because a sire can produce hundreds of thousands, if not millions of doses of semen in his lifetime, which results in more offspring then a female could ever produce. McNeil is among those with this opinion.
“The greatest bull the Holstein breed has ever seen is a Canadian-bred sire by the name of Braedale Goldwyn. With over 31,000 daughters in Canada, Goldwyn was also the first bull in the history of the breed to reach 1,000 Excellent (EX) daughters in Canada. He is an example of a sire that is very pre-potent in desirable genetics, and just by sheer numbers the influence and impact he has made in the world is much larger than what a female can do. And while he passed away a few years ago, Goldwyn still continues to breed more daughters and more sires because of his frozen semen. In fact, he will register about 500 daughters a year now, a lot less than he has in the past but still very impressive for a sire who is deceased.” When selecting a sire to mate a cow too, dairy farmers look at one or two faults of a cow they want to improve upon and select a sire or bull that would hopefully improve upon these one or two traits. McNeil says that farmers might look at a cow and say, “I want her to produce more milk, or I want her to be taller and then they go to a bull list and look over the hundreds of options to breed that cow too that hopefully results in a better animal for the next generation. This is where you have a lot more greater potential with looking at the options of sires, and why a bull like Goldwyn gets used so often.” McNeil adds however, that one shouldn’t dismiss the importance of the female genes, particularly in passing on certain traits to their progeny, especially when it comes to milk production. Either way, the results of genomic progress are improving upon what is already a strong Holstein industry in Canada. In fact, Canada is a major player when it comes to exporting dairy cattle genetics around the world with more than $8.6 million worth of Canadian Holstein embryos sold to countries such as Australia, Brazil, Germany, Japan and China in 2011. Likewise, a total of $121.5 million of Canadian dairy genetics were exported to Russia, the U.S., Kazakhstan, the Netherlands and other countries last year. At the end of the day, this leading-edge genetic technology is not only used to breed better cows that produce higher quality of milk for Canadian consumers, but it is a technology that is helping to breed the highest-quality of cattle enjoyed by many around the world. To see this story online visit http://biotechnologyfocus.ca/ genomic-selection-in-dairycow-breeding
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LEADERSHIP SUMMIT 2013 LEADING MANAGEMENT CHANGE IN THE CANADIAN PUBLIC SECTOR
APRIL 4 OTTAWA, ON CGE Annual Leadership Summit & Awards MARK YOUR CALENDAR!
Date: April 4, 2013 Time: 7:30 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. Place: Ottawa Convention Centre
The first annual Canadian Government Executive Leadership Summit has been launched to recognize exceptional executive leadership. This Executive Leadership Summit will feature innovative thought leaders, experienced senior management, and IT implementation professionals from the public and private sectors, who will interact with public service executives, managers and their teams in a unique format designed to deliver a world-class learning exchange and networking experience. AT THIS EVENT, ATTENDEES WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO:
JOIN US AND HEAR FROM LEADERSHIP EXPERTS SUCH AS
• Learn about the most important management challenges faced by public sector executives from some of the Canadian public sector’s most respected leaders. • Hear the latest views of respected thought leaders on three key drivers of successful management change that public sector executives and managers must embrace:
1. Strategy Execution 2. Leadership in challenging times 3. Managing complexity through knowledgeable application of technology
!
Re g owister
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Dr. Graham D. Sher Chief Executive Officer Canadian Blood Services Corinne Charette CIO of the Government of Canada Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat
• Celebrate noteworthy management change implementations by public sector colleagues. • Gather lessons learned from case studies of important management transformations undertaken by these organizations and by the Canadian Blood Services. • Interact with their public sector peers, association and private sector thought leaders to identify how certain common management challenges and opportunities can be addressed in a collaborative fashion.
Registration for this event is $1,000 plus HST
Dr. Robert Kaplan Marvin Bower Professor of Leadership Development Harvard University
Jill Dyché Vice President SAS Best Practices John Zachman Originator of “Framework for Enterprise Architecture” and Advisor to the U.S. Government Ken Cochrane Consultant, GCPedia founder, former CIO Government of Canada
PLATINUM SPONSOR:
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH:
Register by February 28, 2013 and pay
$800 plus HST Two or more registrants from the same organization pay
BRONZE SPONSOR:
$500 each plus HST ALL REGISTRANTS RECEIVE A copy of Stephen Covey’s best selling book Smart Trust.
For more information or to register please contact Sandra Service: at 905-727-4091 Ext.228 or sandras@netgov.ca or visit us at http://cgeleadershipsummit.ca/
By: Barry Gee
Spotlight
The official signing of a new Global Alliance that CDRD co-founded alongside five other top translational health research centres from around the world. Photo credit: CDRD
Canada Leads the Way
in Bringing the Translational Research World Together As the costs and risks associated with bringing new drugs or other therapeutic products to market become greater and greater, the various players (including government, academic institutions and granting agencies, translational research organizations, foundations and industry) are looking for new avenues to come together to fill the gaps in the development continuum and effectively de-risk early-stage technologies.
24 BIOTECHNOLOGY FOCUS February 2013
As such, a multitude of translational research initiatives and organizations are being established around the world, working to develop academic health research into new medicines. And until now, these organizations have for the most part, been doing so in isolation of one another.
On January 21 at an event hosted in London, UK. by His Excellency Gordon Campbell, Canadian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, and former Premier of British Columbia, an announcement was made to change all that. Six of the world’s top translational health research
Spotlight
centres, led by Canada’s Centre for Drug Research and Development (CDRD), announced they have come together to form a new Global Alliance of Leading Drug Discovery and Development Centres. The aim of this alliance is to strengthen the international academic and/or not-for-profit drug development and commercialization network to ultimately improve the rate at which academic research is translated into new medicines. It will be a powerful vehicle in bringing organizations together, leveraging one another’s strengths, and ultimately making for a much more effective global translational research environment. Through it, member organizations will collaborate on mutuallybeneficial projects, share best practices, expertise and resources, and develop common standards and performance measurements – ultimately working together to improve the conversion of global early-stage technology into much needed therapies. Karimah Es Sabar, president and CEO of CDRD, and the founding chair of the Global Alliance commented, “One of the most important things all the member organizations share is the realization that none of us will be able to fully achieve our goals by working in isolation. With the signing of a groundbreaking agreement, we are officially declaring the launch of the Alliance – a new means to break down borders, share best practices, expertise and resources,” she said. “It will allow us to share rather than duplicate, collaborate rather than compete, strengthen the international academic and drug development and commercialization network, and capitalize on new global opportunities.” The founding organizations include: The Centre for Drug Research and Development (CDRD), Canada; the Lead Discovery Center (LDC), Germany; the Scripps Research Institute, Scripps Florida, United States; the Centre for Drug Design and Discovery (CD3), KU Leuven R&D, Belgium; Medical Research Council Technology (MRC-T), United Kingdom; and Cancer Research Technology, United Kingdom. All member organizations are fully-integrated translational centres capable of professionally advancing drug discovery projects along the value chain from idea to drug candidate with proof-of-concept. Together, they represent close to 400 experienced drug developers collaborating with tens of thousands of academic scientists around the globe
on over 165 highly innovative therapeutic projects targeting significant unmet medical needs. For the biopharmaceutical industry, they represent a major source of innovation. Numerous alliances with many of the industry’s leading global companies have already been established to develop resulting drug candidates further and ultimately make them available to patients. Dr. Keith Blundy, Cancer Research Technology’s chief executive said, “Cancer Research Technology develops the basic research funded by Cancer Research UK through drug discovery to early clinical development in partnership with global pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies and its own CRT Pioneer Fund and Cancer Research UK’s Drug Development Office. CRT will potentially make available these resources to the Alliance, but initially the focus is on knowledge and expertise sharing with cooperative projects to follow as a second phase. It is expected that the combined scale of the Alliance will allow it to attract funding to undertake new drug discovery activities with both industry and public funders.” Dr. Bert Klebl, managing director and chief scientific officer of the Lead Discovery Centre (affiliated with the Max Planck Institutes in Germany) added, “This Alliance of outstanding drug discovery centres will help us to accelerate the translation of academic results into new therapies around the globe. By joining forces and sharing complementary expertise and infrastructure, we will be even more effective in closing the gap between basic research and industry to the benefit of patients.” Karimah Es Sabar concluded, “These organizations are the pioneers that have already well-established and proven their ability to deliver on our common goal of identifying the most innovative and promising discoveries in academia, and validating and developing them to a stage at which they have a clear commercial pathway in front of them, and are ready to be transitioned to the private sector which is then responsible for taking them to market. What they have all been able to accomplish to date is incredibly impressive; and we at CDRD are very proud to now be partners with each of them.” For additional information on the Global Alliance of Leading Drug Discovery and Development Centres, please visit: www.drugdevelopmentalliance.org
“One of the most important things all the member organizations share is the realization that none of us will be able to fully achieve our goals by working in isolation. With the signing of a groundbreaking agreement, we are officially declaring the launch of the Alliance – a new means to break down borders, share best practices, expertise and resources.” — Karimah Es Sabar, president and CEO of CDRD, and the founding chair of the Global Alliance
To see this story online visit http://biotechnologyfocus.ca/ canada-leads-the-way-inbringing-the-translationalresearch-world-together/
February 2013 BIOTECHNOLOGY FOCUS 25
NEW PRODUCTS Microarray Kit Kinexus Bioinformatics Corporation has released its first KinexTM antibody microarray kit with its latest generation KAM-850 chip. The new antibody microarray is capable of tracking the levels and functional states of hundreds of diverse proteins in human and animal cell and tissue specimens and features more than 330 phosphosite- and 540 pan-specific antibody probes. This provides researchers with a reliable proteomics tool to study changes in cell signaling proteins that occur in response to a range of treatments, drugs, toxins, pathological and other experimental conditions. The KAM-850 chip now provides for the broadest coverage of protein kinase and protein phosphatases targets and their regulatory phosphorylation sites. Discoveries made using the KinexTM microarray kit can be quickly validated by Kinexus with its custom KinetworksTM immunoblotting services and compared with the results from hundreds of thousands of measurements of protein expression and phosphorylation from thousands of other model systems with the company’s open-access KiNETTM databases and SigNET knowledgebases. To follow-up with detailed characterization of biomarker leads in large specimen sets, Kinexus offers custom reverse lysate microarrays services.
Web: www.kinexus.ca Reagents and Solvents Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. introduces its new and improved AcroSeal® packaging designed for air- and moisture-sensitive Acros Organics reagents and solvents. The new packaging better maintains chemical integrity, reducing the cost associated with purchasing
26 BIOTECHNOLOGY FOCUS February 2013
replacement products. Ideal for aggressive solvents and reagents, the adhesive-free AcroSeal packaging significantly reduces the rate of moisture uptake and the risk of contamination in tests comparing tetrahyrofuran in the new AcroSeal packaging and in a competitor’s packaging. It features an innovative, patent-pending quadrant septum, developed from a polymeric elastomer coated with inert fluoropolymer. With multiple layers, the septum holds its shape and forms a superior re-seal after puncturing to withdraw chemicals. With a large surface area, the convenient quadrant-style screw cap provides easier access to larger volumes of solvent and supports multiple punctures to the septum, further minimizing contamination risk. Extra-dry solvents, including methanol, acetonitrile, dichloromethane and methyl sulfoxide, are available with the packaging. This extends across three different grades: standard grade solvents, which are suitable for most applications; molecular sieves grade solvents, which have been stored over molecular sieves for prolonged shelf life; and finally supreme grade solvents, which have been filtered through 0.2 micron filters.
Web: www.acros.com. Freezer The new Eco VIP KM-DU73Y1E -86°C upright freezer from Panasonic has a capacity of 728 litres and is ideal for sample storage within hospitals, biomedical research institutes and biopharmaceutical laboratories. In comparison to other widely used, -86°C freezers of this size, the KMDU73Y1E can help to reduce electrical running costs by up to 50 per cent. This efficiency is achieved with the use of natural refrigerants, advanced Panasonic refrigeration technology and VIP PLUS vacuum panel insulation. As well as energy savings, VIP PLUS insulation panels save 30 per cent floor space compared to conventionally insulated upright freezers. The combination of the above features with Panasonic’s control technology provides improved cooling performance and excellent insulation characteristics and door-open recovery times. A streamlined cooling system provides even greater reliability for the security of valu-
able and often irreplaceable samples.
Web: www.panasonic.eu/biomedical Analyzer Mettler Toledo announces the launch of a dedicated thermogravi-
metric analyzer, TGA 1. This highly sensitive instrument facilitates the characterization of plastics, elastomers, thermosets and many more materials. The TGA 1 measures up to 50 million resolution points continuously down to 0.1 µg for a 5-gram sample weight. With no weight range change required when switching between small and large sample sizes, a wide variety of sample types can be measured in succession. The TGA 1’s modular design also increases its flexibility and ease-of-use while efficient automation for 24/7 sample handling and a variety of furnace/crucible sizes help broaden the TGA 1’s application range. The device has the ability to handle temperatures from ambient to 1100 ºC enabling a complete thermal analysis in a single-step process. Results are analyzed quickly using versatile, intuitive STAR software.
Web: www.mt.com Sample handling For general use or providing protection of light sensitive products and samples, BrandTech® amber bottles are constructed of soda-lime glass and have a space-saving square design. The ethylene-acrylate coating envelops the glass bottle like a protective skin providing better protection. Should the bottle break, the splintering hazards are reduced considerably. The maximum operating temperature for coated bottles is 80°C. To preserve the coating, do not clean at temperatures exceeding 60°C. Each bottle comes with a PP Screw Cap and LDPE Pouring Ring and is available as 250mL, 500mL, and 1000mL.
Web: www.BrandTech.com
NEW PRODUCTS Heat Plates Warner Instruments Okolab T round heated plates come with
with the KingFisher® (Flex or Duo), or the RNA/DNA kit The new PowerMag™ Eppendorf epMotion® automated pipetMicrobiome RNA/DNA isolation kit is the ting system. MO BIO’s ClearMag™ magnetic latest addition to the MO BIO PowerMag™ particle technology removes the common range. Designed for the automated isolaproblem of surface binding to the beads tion of RNA and DNA from stool, biosolids during purification, preventing the adsorpand gut material, the kit includes patnew card:Layout 1 1/31/2013 ented 9:09 AM Page 1 Removal Technology® to tion of organic inhibitors and ensuring the Inhibitor extraction of pure nucleic acids. Neither remove PCR-inhibiting compounds, such chaotropic salts nor ethanol are used in the as polysaccharides, heme and lipids. When PowerMag™ Microbiome kit, eliminating a combined with the optimized lysis and second source of contamination and helpbead beating technology, the PowerMag™ ing provide pure DNA and RNA that is ready Microbiome kit ensures a high yield and for use in PCR, qPCR and next generation purity of nucleic acids from even the most a built in temperature sensor and are sequencing. difficult and complex samples. The kits compatible with any microscope. The T Web: www.cambio.co.uk available are individually optimized for use Plate fits into microscope XY stages with circular openings and provides a transparent surface at a controlled temperature. Its conductive glass has a built in temperature SRC101 sensor, and when coupled with the PID temperature controller, provides great accuracy (±0.3°C) on specimen temperature. The controller features an external temperature sensor for the self calibration I wish to receive/continue to receive a complimentary subscription to routine, two temperature channels, and an Yes No BIOTECHNOLOGY FOCUS optional zero footprint mount. Format Preference: print digital both Web: www.warnerinstruments.com
Cell Analysis GE Healthcare’s IN Cell Analyzer 2200 is a high-speed, flexible, modular imaging system suitable for both investigative microscopy and automated high-content screening of organelles, cells, tissues and whole organisms. The IN Cell Analyzer 2200 can be configured to the specific needs of the researcher, with a wide-range of optional modules and accessories available. The IN Cell Analyzer 2200 can image a two-coloured 96-well plate assay in less than 2.5 minutes and a one-colour 1536 plate in under 20 mins. This speed is possible due to a bright, seven-wavelength solid-state light source and scientific-grade CMOS camera coupled with an optimized stage and efficient, easy-to-use control software. Smart design features such as preview scan also save time in assay set up by enabling the user to locate wells, samples or regions of interest quickly and efficiently. The flexibility of the IN Cell Analyzer 2200 enables the system to be used in multiple modes including whole well imaging, online cell counting, and manual microscope.
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CALENDAR FEBRUARY 2013
Mountain and CEO Summit Venue: Whistler, BC Email: kira.pejemsky@biotech.ca Web: www.biotech.ca/en/ what-we-do/2012events.aspx
February 11-12 BIO CEO & Investor Conference Venue: New York, NY Email: bd_registration@bio.org Web: www.bio.org/events/conferences/ bio-ceo-investor-conference
February 24-26 11th Annual BioPartnering North America Venue: Vancouver, BC Tel: 604.601.8372 Fax: 604.689.4486 Email: contact@techvision.com Web: www.techvision.com/bpn/
February 14-18 AAAS 2013 Annual Meeting Venue: Boston, MA Tel: 202-326-6400 Fax: 202-842-1065 Email: meetings@aaas.org Web: www.aaas.org/
February 26-27
February 17-19 AIMBE’s Annual Event Venue: Washington, DC Tel: 202-496-9660 Email: jayers@aimbe.org Web: www.aimbe.org/programs/annual-event/
BioBasics: Biotech for the Non-Scientist Venue: Toronto, ON Tel: (410) 377-4429 ext. 22 Email: muir@biotechprimerinc.com Web: www.biotalent.ca/upgrade/ biobasics-course
MARCH 2013
February 21-22
March 6-7
2013 Canadian Financing Forum Tel: (587) 350-3309 Email: marc@criticalpathgroup.com Web: www.financingforum.com/
PBIO 2013 Venue: Saskatoon, SK Tel: 306-668-2659 Email: events@agwest.sk.ca Web: http://event-wizard.com/PBIO2013/0/ welcome/
February 22-24 2013 BIOTECanada Whistler Meeting on the
March 17-22 PITTCON 2013: Pittsburgh Conference on Analytical Chemistry and Applied Spectroscopy Venue: Philadelphia, PA Tel: 412-825-3220 Fax: 412-825-3224 Email: info@pittcon.org Web: www.pittcon.org
APRIL 2013 April 4 LifeSciences British Columbia Awards Venue: Vancouver, BC Tel: (604) 602-5228 Web: http://facesofinnovation2013. eventbrite.com
April 6-10 AACR Annual Meeting 2013 Venue: Washington, DC Tel: 215-440-9300 Fax: 215-440-9313 Email: aacr@aacr.org Web: www.aacr.org
April 7-11 245th ACS National Meeting & Exposition Venue: New Orleans, LA Tel: 202-872-6061 Email: nationalmeetings@acs.org Web: portal.acs.org/portal/acs/corg/content
Company & Advertiser Index COMPANY Page
Website
Axela Inc....................................................................................................... 6........................................................................... www.axelabiosensors.com Bereskin & Parr.........................................................................................................11.........................................................................................www.bereskinparr.com Canadian Government Executive Leadership Summit....................................22......................................................................... http://cgeleadershipsummit.ca Cangene Corporation................................................................................... 9....................................................................................... www.cangene.com Cytochroma Inc........................................................................................... 10................................................................................ www.cytochroma.com Genome BC................................................................................................................9................................................................................................. www.genomebc.ca Government of Canada...........................................................................................7........................................................................................ www,publichealth.gc.ca Eppendorf.................................................................................................................32................................................................................................ www.eppendorf.ca Forrest Laboratories Inc................................................................................ 9................................................................................................ www.frx.com GE Healthcare.............................................................................................. 27............................................................................. www.gelifesciences.com Italian Trade Commission......................................................................................15................................................................................................ www.italtrade.com Life Sciences Ontario..............................................................................................19................................................................................. www.lifesciencesontario.ca Medicago...................................................................................................... 9.....................................................................................www.medicago.com Mettler Toledo............................................................................................. 26............................................................................................... www.mt.com Microbix....................................................................................................... 11.....................................................................................www. microbix.com OPKO Health Inc........................................................................................... 10........................................................................................... www.opko.com Paladin Labs Inc........................................................................................... 10................................................................................ www.paladin-labs.com Panasonic/ESBE Scientific....................................................................................5, 26............................................................................... www.TwinGuardSeries.com POI..............................................................................................................................31.............................................................................................................. www.poi.ca Takeda Canada Inc....................................................................................... 10..............................................................................www.takedacanada.com Thermo Fisher Scientific.............................................................................. 10...............................................................................www.thermofisher.com VWR.............................................................................................................................2.......................................................................................................... www.vwr.com 28 BIOTECHNOLOGY FOCUS February 2013
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THE LAST WORD
By Don M. Enns
What drives
a competitive advantage?
I
Don M. Enns, President of LifeSciences BC
n his recent book, Civilization: The West and the Rest, renowned Harvard historian, Niall Ferguson, provides a fascinating account of how western economies achieved their relative position of strength over the last few hundred years. In terms of factors that contributed to this position, he identifies the role of science and the phenomenal impact of modern medicine. There is no dispute that our advances in medical research has positively benefited society and contributed significantly to our current economic well being. However, Ferguson’s work is really a retrospective of the past. The challenge confronting the life sciences field – and to a larger extent – all knowledge-based sectors, revolves around shaping our future in such a manner that we continue to improve social and financial outcomes, and if possible, maintain some form of competitive advantage. Recognizing there are numerous possible “futures,” I would like to comment on six aspects that are critical to our collective future. Evolutionary business models: Gone are the days of proving a concept, seeking venture capital to advance the cause and then undertaking an IPO. Strategic partnerships are and will continue to be the foundation of business success. Furthermore, such success will be predicated upon vertical integration that attempts to add value to each step of the health delivery process. One has to wonder if accessibility to our health care system will be enhanced by dealing directly with the end user (i.e. patient, family, etc.), as opposed to traditional reimbursement approaches, which are currently under financial restraints. Capital formation and access: Federal and provincial governments in Canada have provided strong support to public research institutions in recent years. In British Columbia, approximately $1.9 billion has been allocated to health care research over the last decade. With the collapse of the capital markets in 2008 and changing business models, it has become clear that government has a role to play in bridging the gap between concept and commercialization, which usually involves a significant amount of capital. It is imperative that public and private institutions jointly explore capital formation and access in a manner that promotes entrepreneurship, encourages shared risk and meets the demands of a growing and aging population. Progressive and flexible health policy: Given the risk averse nature of public policy, there is little question that it lags behind scientific capability. For example, we are moving towards a $1,000 human genome sequence, yet Canada has not developed non-discriminatory legislation regarding genetic predisposition. Woven into this issue is the fact that we cannot develop a process which protects individual rights but allows for the mining of anonomized human health data that already exists in provincial databases.
30 BIOTECHNOLOGY FOCUS February 2013
Globalization: The Comprehensive Economic Trade Agreement, currently being negotiated between Canada and the European Union, will be ratified in the coming weeks. It will not only remove significant tariffs, but will also impact the intellectual property ecosystem. This agreement will be a precursor to the Trans-Pacific Partnership, which Canada will become a participant of this year. It is these types of relationships which will define how we interact with our trading partners, and how truly global the macro economy has become. It is entirely possible for a virtual life sciences company to operate from Canada, and literally impact every corner of the globe. Technical convergence: Who would have thought 10 years ago that TELUS would be one of the most significant companies in healthcare today? Although molecules – and in particular, biologics – will continue to grow, the real opportunities are the interface between chemistry, molecular biology, digital media, nanotechnology, wireless technology and ICT. Public engagement: Policy largely reflects public sentiment, and perhaps the shortcomings in policy reveal a lack of public engagement, which may be the result of a lack of understanding and/or miscommunication. If the life sciences community is to realize its true potential, it is imperative that public education efforts are enhanced, sustained and proactive in nature. In an ideal world, the general public would follow progress in health research, much the same way as they do sport scores or movie releases, as opposed to becoming retroactively engaged only when they or a family member are faced with a health issue. It is incumbent upon industry, academia and government to enhance its efforts and engage the public regarding the advances in our sector. In light of recent challenges, it has been suggested that the life sciences community is moving through a desert on its way to a distant oasis. We have accomplished much and have put in foundational elements that will bode well for the future, yet as with any transition, our competitive advantage and contribution to the global community can only be maintained if we undertake deliberate, intentional and collective action. Don M. Enns is a 25-year veteran of British Columbia’s biotechnology sector, and is President of LifeSciences BC.
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