Laboratory Focus September 2011 by Promotive Communications

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Trends in Laboratory Automation in the Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Industry Sector

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R&D News.......................... 1 Appointments..................... 6 Pharma Notes..................... 7 New Products................... 15 Calendar........................... 17 Career Spotlight............... 18

CERVICAL CANCER SCREENING LAB RECEIVES CAP ACCREDITATION

Cytotechnologist examines Pap slide in Cervical Cancer Screening Laboratory (CCSL). Photo: Cameron Heryet, BC Cancer Agency.

The British Columbia Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA) announces that its Cervical Cancer Screening Lab (CCSL) at the BC Cancer Agency has been granted full accreditation status by the College of American Pathologists (CAP). This is the first time CAP has accredited an anatomic pathology laboratory in BC. CCSL, a division of PHSA Laboratories, provides gynecological cytology interpretations. It implemented the world’s first organized cervical cancer screening program. Associated with the provincial Cervical Cancer Screening Program at the BC Cancer Agency, an agency of the PHSA, this laboratory performs the Pap screening for the entire province, with cytotechnologists screening approximately 600,000 smears annually. The lab also tests for Human Papillomavirus (HPV) as needed. CAP is the world’s largest association composed exclusively of pathologists certified by the American Board of Pathology and is widely considered the leader in laboratory quality assurance. The

goal of the CAP Laboratory Accreditation Program is to improve patient safety by advancing the quality of pathology and laboratory services through education, standard setting and ensuring laboratories meet or exceed regulatory requirements. Upon successful completion of the inspection process, the laboratory is awarded CAP accreditation and becomes part of a select group of more than 7,000 laboratories worldwide that have met the highest standards of excellence. “The CAP accreditation standard is regarded as one of the most stringent standards for laboratory accreditation,” says Dr. Dirk van Niekerk, Medical director, CCSL and Medical leader, Cervical Cancer Screening Program. “The CAP Program assures that a laboratory meets the highest standards of excellence by producing high quality test results that positively impact patient care. This achievement has an additional honor for the Cervical Cancer Screening Lab in that it is the first anatomic pathology laboratory in BC to achieve CAP accreditation.”

EDMONTON BECOMES NORTH AMERICAN MICROSCOPE LEADER Thanks to an international collaboration, Canadian companies will now have access to a uniquely configured transmission electron microscope, the first of its kind outside of Japan. It is one of Publications Mail Registration Number: 40052410

three new microscopes that were unveiled at the official opening of the Hitachi Electron Microscopy Products Centre (HEMiC) at the National Institute for Nanotechnology Continued on page 3

September 2011 Laboratory Focus www.bioscienceworld.ca

NEWS MALVERN INSTRUMENTS LAUNCHES CANADIAN OPERATION Materials characterization company Malvern Instruments has established Malvern Instruments Canada, a new direct entity that it says will support its growing customer base in Canada. Malvern’s new

office will be in Montreal, QC. “Establishing direct operations through Malvern Instruments Canada is an exciting development,” said Brian Dutko, president of Malvern Instruments in Westborough,

MA. “Malvern’s business in North America is enjoying rapid growth and the Canadian market has always been very important to us. This additional investment in people and resources will enable us

to provide the highest level of support and response that Malvern customers across the globe have come to expect.” The move follows many years of successful cooperation in Canada with Spectra Research in Mississauga, ON.

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September 2011

NEWS KINEXUS BIOINFORMATICS LAUNCHES ONLINE PROTEOMICS DATABASE

Kinexus Bioinformatics Corp. has expanded its KiNET DataBank (http://www.kinexus.ca/ ourServices/kinet/kinet.html) for the study of cell communication systems with the launch of the KiNET-Antibody Microarray (KiNET-AM) website. KiNET-AM complements the KiNET-Immunoblotting (KiNET-IB) DataBase that was first launched in 2005. An open access, online resource for the scientific community, the website features over 1.5 million measurements of the levels and phosphorylation status of over 400 distinct protein kinases and their targets in over 2000 tissue and cell specimens. All data was generated in-house at Kinexus with its proprietary Kinex™

antibody microarrays with biological samples provided over the last five years by over 600 academic and industrial laboratories from around the globe. Together, KiNET-AM and KiNET-IB provide the world’s largest repository of semi-quantitative proteomics data with antibody probes. Earlier this year, Kinexus also updated its PhosphoNET KnowledgeBase (www.phosphonet.ca) to feature data on over 93,000 experimentallyconfirmed human P-sites and 560,000 additional predicted P-sites, including prediction of which kinases individually target each of these P-sites, and their evolutionary conservation in over 20 other diverse organisms.

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ELECTRON MICROSCOPY LAB OPENS AT NINT IN EDMONTON (NINT) in Edmonton, AB. “Innovation is the key to growing our economy, and this project will allow businesses to capitalize on the benefits of nanotechnology,” said Lynne Yelich, Minister of State for Western Economic Diversification. “That translates to more jobs and more opportunities throughout our communities.” The $15 million partnership expands NINT’s electron microscope capacity and capabilities, and will allow it to assist more Canadian companies in using nanotechnology for their products and processes. The microscopes include: • The Hitachi H-9500 environmental transmission electron microscope (ETEM), which can study chemical reactions of samples in liquids and gases. Its capabilities include the possibility to heat the sample to temperatures exceeding 1500°C while exposed to various gases or study liquid samples at temperatures exceeding 300°C. • The Hitachi S-5500 scanning electron microscope (SEM), which is one of the world’s highest resolution SEMs, which permits morphological observation down to nearly atomic or molecular structures of various materials. • The Hitachi NB5000 focused ion beam + SEM, which combines the capabilities of high resolution scanning electron microscope (SEM) and a focused

ion beam (FIB) column in one instrument. Samples can be simultaneously sliced by FIB and analyzed by SEM, in some cases yielding three-dimensional chemical and structural information at scales smaller than10 nano-metres in length. “Alberta’s strength in nanotechnology is growing on every front from research to commercialization,” said Greg Weadick, Minister of Advanced Education and Technology. “The Hitachi Electron Microscopy Products Centre is a place where talented people can push the boundaries of research, where companies

can develop products and where graduate students can learn using the most advanced microscopes. This is the Alberta Innovates system in action.” To celebrate the partnership, Hitachi High Technologies’ chairman Dr. Hidehito Obayashi travelled from Japan to join the Ministers. Public sector contributions came from Western Economic Diversification Canada ($3.4 million), National Research Council of Canada ($3.8 million), Alberta government ($3.4 million), and the University of Alberta ($1.5 million). A financial contribution to the project was also made by Hitachi High Technologies Canada.

Minister of State for Western Economic Diversification Lynne Yelich meets NINT Technical officer Jian Chen in the lab that houses NINT’s environmental transmission electron microscope. In the second row are: Brian Heidecker, chair of the University of Alberta Board of Governors; Dr. Hidehito Obayashi, chairman of Hitachi High Technologies; and Greg Weadick, Alberta Minister of Advanced Education and Technology.

CANADIAN SOCIETY FOR CHEMISTRY NAMES NEW PRESIDENT

Karen Burke

The Canadian Society for Chemistry (CSC) announces the appointment of Karen Burke as president. Burke takes on this role after serving a one year term as CSC vice-president and will serve as president for 2011 and 2012. The CSC, a component society of the Chemical Institute of Canada (CIC), is the national, not-for-profit, technical association uniting chemistry professionals who

work in industry, academia and government. In 2011, CIC and CSC are leading the Canadian initiatives relating to the UNESCO’s International Year of Chemistry (IYC). 2011 also marks the 100th anniversary of the Nobel Prize awarded to Madame Marie Curie. As CSC President, Burke’s responsibilities include acting as the official spokesperson for the Society, overseeing business management for the Society and contributing to

science policy matters. Burke acquires this role after more than 20 years in the pharmaceutical industry. She holds a PhD in organometallic chemistry from McMaster University and recently completed her tenure as vice-chair of the Regulatory Affairs Committee of Rx&D. Burke actively participates in the Health Advisory Board of BIOTECanada and has previously volunteered as a member of the Board of Di-

rectors for EthicsCentre CA, the Cana¬dian Centre for Ethics and Corporate Policy, a non-profit organization with the mission to champion the application of ethical values in the decision-making process of business and other organizations. In addition to her role as president of the CSC, Burke is the director of Regulatory Affairs, Drug Safety and Quality Assurance, at Amgen Canada.

September 2011 Laboratory Focus www.bioscienceworld.ca

NEWS

PROOF OF CONCEPT PROGRAM TO GENERATE NEW MEDICAL PROTOTYPES AND DIAGNOSTIC TOOLS IN COMMERCIALIZATION PIPELINE

ELA CONFERENCE AND EXHIBITION Event organizers of the first European Lab Automation (ELA) conference and exhibition, which took place in July say the event was an outstanding success. The event held in Hamburg Germany, was attended by 1,500 lab professionals and featured 151 exhibitors and media partners. Feedback was overwhelmingly positive organizers said, adding that the combination of ten conference streams and workshops provided useful and relevant scientific content across a range of applications within laboratory automation.

Ken Browne, Event organizer and director of Select Biosciences commented, “We are delighted with the success of the first ELA conference and exhibition and have received some fantastic feedback from vendors and delegates alike.” He continued, “We are aiming to fill the need for a pan-European Automation event, and establish ELA as the forum for combining scientific content with up-to-date technology. As such, we have already booked the date for the second ELA conference and hope to continue its success.”

Technology development in the life sciences sector received a much-needed boost with the announcement of five projects funded through Genome BC’s Proof of Concept (POC) Program. The Genome British Columbia program is a partnership with Western Economic Diversification Canada (WD) and the Province of British Columbia. It represents a total investment of $8.7 million for new research projects, with $4.35 million provided jointly by and WD and the Province through the federal-provincial Western Economic Partnership Agreement and the remaining $4.35 million provided by other co-funders in each research project. The provincial funding is part of the BC government’s $75-million investment in Genome BC’s current five-year plan. According to Genome BC, through this program researchers will be able to advance their genomics discoveries from innovation to a viable proof-of-concept model or prototype. Ultimately products arising from funding through the POC Program are expected to be distributed into the mainstream market. A small initial pilot program, the Technology Development Innovation Fund (TDIF), made resources available to projects that demonstrated nearterm commercialization potential. The initial intake of projects was successful therefore it warranted a larger strategy, hence the POC Program. Some projects in the initial pilot TDIF have already sold prototypes or engaged in commercial licensing agreements. One of the TDIF projects funded through this program is: A Microfluidic

Nanoparticle Formulator for Systemically Deliverable Genetic Materials. Genome BC’s funding of this project has been applied to the development of proof of concept and prototype materials used in instrumentation for nanomedicine. This work has contributed to technology that is the basis of a recent UBC spin-off company. “Genome BC provided our project with funding for important proof of concept studies. We believe that continued support from Genome BC for funding translational research with commercial potential is critical for growing the local biotechnology industry,” said Dr. Pieter Cullis, professor, department of biochemistry and molecular biology at UBC. For Dr. Cullis and other BC-based scientists, Genome BC’s funding will allow for necessary research and development so that ideas can be brought to full fruition. “The primary challenge associated with commercializing a product in BC revolves around the chasm that exists between idea conceptualization and making it a reality. For the most part, there is no shortage of innovative and creative ideas in BC; however, we continue to observe shortcomings when it comes to translating such ideas, which has been further exacerbated by the recent state of the capital markets. Genome BC’s Proof of Concept Program represents an attempt to ‘bridge’ that chasm in such a manner that that it not only accelerates the overall product development but also increases the probability of a successful launch,” said Don Enns, president of Life Sciences BC.

UBC RESEARCHERS CREATE MORE POWERFUL “LAB-ON-A-CHIP” FOR GENETIC ANALYSIS UBC researchers have invented a silicon chip that could make genetic analysis far more sensitive, rapid, and cost-effective by allowing individual cells to fall into place like balls in a pinball machine. The UBC device, about the size of a nine-volt battery, allows scientists to simultaneously analyze 300 cells individually by routing fluid carrying cells through microscopic tubes and valves. Once isolated into their separate chambers, the cells’ RNA can be extracted and replicated for further analysis. By enabling such “single-cell analysis,” the device could accelerate genetic research and hasten the use of far more detailed tests for diagnosing cancer. “It’s like trying to trying to un-

derstand what makes a strawberry different from a raspberry by studying a blended fruit smoothie,” said Carl Hansen, an assistant professor in the Dept. of Physics and Astronomy and the Centre for High-Throughput Biology, who led the team that developed the device. The device, described and validated in the August 1 issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, was developed by Dr Hansen’s team, in collaboration with researchers from BC Cancer Agency and the Centre for Translational and Applied Genomics. The device’s ease of use and costeffectiveness arise from its integration of almost the entire process of cell analysis – not just separating the cells, but mixing them with chemical reagents to highlight their genetic

code and analyzing the results by measuring fluorescent light emitted from the reaction. Now all of that can be done on the chip. “Single-cell genetic analysis is vital in a host of areas, including stem cell research and advanced cancer biology and diagnostics,” Hansen said. “But until now, it has been too costly to become widespread in research, and especially for use in health care. This technology, and other approaches like it, could radically change the way we do both basic and applied biomedical research, and would make single-cell analysis a more plausible option for treating patients – allowing clinicians to distinguish various cancers from one another and tailor their treatments accordingly.” The research was funded by Ge-

nome BC, Genome Canada, Western Economic Diversification Canada, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the Terry Fox Foundation, and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council.

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TORONTO SCIENTISTS DEVELOP OPENSOURCE WEB-BASED APPLICATION TO TRACK REAGENT COLLECTIONS Researchers at the Samuel Lunenfeld Research Institute of Mount Sinai Hospital, led by Dr. Karen Colwill and Marina Olhovsky, have developed an open-source, web-based tool to track both large-scale datasets and individual reagents, allowing for easy access, sharing and management of data across various projects and research groups. The software is described in the August issue of Nature Methods. Before now, scientists had limited affordable resources to track and manage the rapid growth of large-scale reagent collections. “At the Lunenfeld, we have extensive DNA and RNAi collections that are shared among multiple laboratories,” said Dr. Colwill, senior author of the study and a staff scientist in Dr. Tony Pawson’s lab. “OpenFreezer efficiently manages these reagents and allows us to access them as needed. Designed by biologists and backed by powerful computer technologies, OpenFreezer offers other scientists an affordable and effective route to manage and archive their own reagents.” Currently, the software is being used by more than 150 scientists at the Lunenfeld covering multiple expertise areas including cancer biology, systems biology and proteomics. Dr. Colwill expects that scientists internationally will utilize OpenFreezer for research endeavours across multiple aspects of biomedical research. OpenFreezer offers scientists several advantages including: • Permanent storage and archiving at a single site, with simultaneous access for an unlimited number of users; • Ability to add new reagents and customize existing ones; • Three central modules that allow users to track information on an unlimited number of labs, users and projects; assess the properties of different reagents; and determine the locations of a reagent’s physical preparations.

Laboratory Focus September 2011

“Computer processing power makes a great difference in its potential to expedite genetic research via sophisticated data warehousing and management tools, such as OpenFreezer,” says Marina Olhovsky, a software engineer in Dr. Pawson’s lab and first author of the study. “Open-

Freezer provides a foundation for the operation of a laboratory within an enterprise software application framework. We encourage biologists and computer scientists to assist us with the future development of OpenFreezer.” Olhovsky wished to dedicate OpenFreezer to her

NEWS mother, Larisa Olhovsky, who lost an untimely battle with cancer in 2006. “This is Mom’s legacy. I dedicate this work in her memory as a guiding light for biological researchers on their path towards winning the battle

against cancer and other diseases,” said Olhovsky. The software is freely available for demonstration and download under the GNU General Public License on the OpenFreezer website at www. openfreezer.org.

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APPOINTMENTS

Acasti Pharma Inc., a subsidiary of Neptune Technologies & Bioressources Inc., appoints Dr. Harlan Waksal as executive vicepresident, Business & Scientific Affairs. Dr. Harlan Waksal will be involved in the execution of the company’s clinical development program which will lead to an Investigational New Drug (IND) application with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of the U.S. Dr. Waksal will also be involved in other scientific operations as well as in business development. Dr. Harlan Waksal is a physician, co-founder of ImClone System Incorporated and from 1987 to 2003 he held various positions at the company which included serving on the ImClone board of directors, chief operating officer and executive vice-president, the president and CEO. Dr. Waksal currently serves on the Board of directors of Oberlin College and Senesco Technologies, Inc. He is the author of over 50 scientific publications and has been the inventor of multiple patents and patent applications.

 Continuing

Maker of COLD-FX® Afexa Life Sciences Inc. announces the appointment of Annalisa King, Senior

vice president and CFO of Best Buy Canada Ltd., to its board of directors. Ms. King brings the board complement to eight. Prior to joining Best Buy Canada Ltd., Ms. King was the senior vice president of Business Transformation for Maple Leaf Foods in Toronto, ON. She has

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Isotechnika Pharma Inc. announces the appointment of Daniel Park to the role of chief business officer. Mr. Park will oversee all business development operations at Isotechnika, and will specifically help to lead licensing and partnership discussions and negotiations for voclosporin. As a member of the executive management team, he will also provide guidance and input on other key business issues. In addition to the CBO role Park will remain as a member of the company’s Board of directors. Additionally he will maintain his position as executive vice-president of ILJIN Group, a large conglomerate based in South Korea with 2010 revenue of US$2 billion. He has held senior management roles since 1998 when he was vice president of ETEX Corp., and has since worked in numerous ILJIN Group companies including ILJIN Display Co., Ltd. and ILJIN Diamond Co., Ltd. in senior management positions. He holds a Masters of Business Administration degree from the University of California at Los Angeles, and a Masters degree in Economics from Seoul National University. Miraculins Inc. announces that April Manness has been appointed to the role of chief financial officer Miraculins receives a number of services, including the services of its CFO, through a management services agreement with Genesys Venture Inc. Manness has been an employee of GVI since 2000 and was previously the CFO of Miraculins from 2004 - 2007.

September 19–20, 2011

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Dr. Mark Edwards has joined AlgaeBio as an advisor to its board of directors, effective immediately. Edwards is also now vice-president of Corporate Development and Marketing with Algae Biosciences Incorporated (ABI), a wholly owned American subsidiary of AlgaeBio. Edwards, a professor of strategic marketing and sustainability at ASU’s W.P. Carey School of Business, graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in mechanical engineering, oceanography, and meteorology. He founded TEAMS Intl., an advanced assessment and software company, serving as lead consultant

for more than 600 organizations around the world. He also served as a director for the Greyhound Corporation, which then ranked 27th on the Fortune 500. Owner of MBA and PhD doctorate degrees in marketing and consumer behavior, Edwards has taught strategic marketing, sustainability, leadership, and entrepreneurship at ASU since 1978. He has also published more than 100 articles encompassing business and science disciplines, and the most recent nine of his 18 books are part of the Green Algae Strategy Series, which focuses on sustainable and affordable food and energy (SAFE) production. His ongoing Algae 101 column, meanwhile, was named the No. 1 visited site by Algae Industry Magazine earlier this year. Oncolytics Biotech Inc. appoints Dr. George M. Gill to the role of Chief Medical Officer. He has been senior vice president of Clinical Safety and Regulatory Affairs and an officer of Oncolytics since 2002. Prior to joining Oncolytics Dr. Gill was vice president of Clinical Research and vice president of Medical Affairs at Ligand Pharmaceuticals; senior director and head of U.S. Clinical and Medical Affairs for ICI Pharmaceuticals (now AstraZeneca) and vice president and head of Worldwide Regulatory Affairs for the Bristol-Myers company (now Bristol-Myers Squibb). Dr. Gill began his career in the industry at Hoffman-La Roche, where he held several clinical and regulatory positions, including director of the Clinical Oncology Group and associate director of the Regulatory Affairs Department. Dr. Gill holds a B.Sc. (Chemistry) from Dickinson College in Pennsylvania and an MD from the School of Medicine of the University of Pennsylvania. He is board certified in pediatrics.

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September 2011

PHARMA NOTES Zymeworks Inc. (Vancouver, BC) announces a research collaboration with Merck, known as MSD outside the U.S. and Canada, around Zymeworks’ proprietary Azymetric™ platform for the development of novel bi-specific antibody therapeutic candidates. Bi-specific antibodies are designed to bind to two different drug targets for broad use in clinical applications such as oncology or autoimmune disease. Under the terms of the agreement Zymeworks has granted Merck, through a subsidiary, a worldwide license to develop and commercialize bi-specific antibodies generated through use of the Azymetric™ platform toward certain exclusive therapeutic targets. Both companies will collaborate to advance the technology platform, with Merck working to progress the bi-specific therapeutic antibody candidates through clinical development. Zymeworks will receive an upfront fee and is eligible to receive research, development and regulatory milestones with a potential value of up to US $187 million, as well as tiered royalty payments on sales of products. Merck will have exclusive worldwide commercialization rights to products derived from the collaboration. YM BioSciences Inc. (Mississauga, ON) reports preclinical results for its JAK1/JAK2 inhibitor CYT387 in multiple myeloma (MM). The results demonstrate that CYT387 can inhibit MM cellular proliferation in a timeand dose-dependent manner and induce apoptosis (cell death) in human myeloma cell lines (HMCL). Moreover, when used in combination with the conventional antiMM therapies melphalan and bortezomib, CYT387 synergized in killing HMCL and primary MM tumour cells. CYT387 is an inhibitor of the kinase enzymes JAK1 and JAK2, which have been implicated in a family of hematological conditions known as myeloproliferative neoplasms, including myelofibrosis, and as well

in numerous other disorders including indications in hematology, oncology and inflammatory diseases. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted Orphan Drug Designation to CYT387 for the treatment of myelofibrosis. YM has also received positive opinions from the Committee for Orphan Medicinal Products of the European Commission to grant Orphan Medicinal Product Designation to CYT387 for the treatment of myelofibrosis. Aeterna Zentaris Inc. (Québec City, QC) announces favorable top-line results of its completed Phase 3 study with AEZS-130 as the first oral diagnostic test for Adult Growth Hormone Deficiency (AGHD). The results show that AEZS-130 reached its primary endpoint demonstrating greater than 90 per cent area-under-the-curve (AUC) of the Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve, which determines the level of specificity and sensitivity of the product. The company is currently proceeding with further detailed analyses of the data and preparing for a pre-New Drug Application (NDA) meeting with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the upcoming months, which would be followed by the filing of a NDA for the registration of AEZS- 130 in the U.S.

Theratechnologies Inc. (Montréal, QC) announces results of its independent trial Somatotrophics, Memory, and Aging Research Trial (SMART). The single-centre, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase 2 clinical trial was led by Dr. Michael V. Vitiello of the University of Washington in Seattle to evaluate the effect of tesamorelin on cognitive function in healthy older adults and older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), also known as preAlzheimer’s syndrome. Theratechnologies supplied the tesamorelin for the purposes of this clinical trial. Currently, tesamorelin is not indicated for treatments related to MCI. A total of 152 older adults, half of whom were cognitively normal and half of whom were diagnosed with amnestic MCI, received either tesamorelin or a placebo. Tesamorelin improved executive function (response inhibition, set-shifting, and working memory) in both cognitively normal healthy older adults and in adults with MCI. Tesamorelin also improved delayed verbal recall in adults with MCI. Merck announces that VICTRELIS™ (boceprevir) has been approved in Canada for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C (CHC) genotype 1 infection in combination with the current standard

therapy, peginterferon alpha and ribavirin (peg/riba), in adult patients (18 years and older) with compensated liver disease, including cirrhosis, who are previously untreated or who have failed previous therapy. Boceprevir is a firstin-class oral hepatitis C virus (HCV) protease inhibitor that when added to peg/riba, can significantly increase a patient’s chance of clearing the virus from the body. Two studies, HCV RESPOND-2 and HCV SPRINT-2, published earlier this year in The New England Journal of Medicine, found that boceprevir tripled the treatment response in patients who have previously failed treatment and nearly doubled the treatment response in previously untreated patients. Allon Therapeutics Inc. (Vancouver, BC) announces a U.S. patent has been issued covering the method of use for the company’s lead product davunetide and its associated neuroprotective technology platform as a treatment for schizophrenia. Earlier U.S. patents and pending patent applications cover davunetide and its technology platform for neurodegenerative diseases, including progressive supranuclear palsy, Alzheimer’s disease, and Parkinson’s disease. Alistair Stewart, Allon’s vice president of Commercial Research, said this addition-

al U.S. patent reinforces the commercial market potential of davunetide in disorders outside of dementia which are also associated with neurodegeneration and cognitive decline. Additionally, Allon is more than halfway enrolled in a pivotal Phase 2/3 clinical trial with davunetide in progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), under a Special Protocol Assessment (SPA) with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). PSP is a rapidly progressing and fatal degenerative brain disease which is often misdiagnosed as Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s disease. Valeant Pharmaceuticals International, Inc. (Mississauga,ON) announces that its subsidiary, Valeant International (Barbados) SRL has entered into an agreement with sanofi-aventis Canada Inc. for the Canadian marketing and distribution rights to Zuacta™, a topical cream of zucapsaicin, which is indicated to be used in conjunction with oral COX-2 inhibitors or NSAIDs for the relief of severe pain in adult patients with osteoarthritis of the knee. Under the terms of the distribution agreement, sanofi-aventis will receive from VIB consideration that includes an initial payment payable on the delivery of the first shipment of product and milestone payments based on net sales.

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FEATURE

BY STEPHEN CROSS

Laboratory Wellness:

For the millions of Canadians that take medication each day,the potential for wellness begins first in a laboratory. The practices adopted in laboratory facilities that conduct manufacturing, testing and safety studies—for products produced by pharmaceutical and cosmetic companies—have a direct effect on the health and safety of Canadian consumers. Those facilities that adhere to the principles of Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) prescribed by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) are better equipped to ensure that high quality and reliable test results are being generated, in a consistent manner.Laboratories dealing with data pertaining to the safety of industrial chemical substances, and to preparations for harmonizing of testing procedures, must be especially attuned to concerns of accuracy and reliability. Since the mid-1970s,the OECD has

A Prescription for Consumer Safety been a consistent driving force behind the usage of GLP, consistently encouraging labs to meet their full potential of providing reliable, accurate services. Consisting of 34 countries in North America, Europe and Asia, the OECD is an inter-governmental organization that governments with a forum to share experiences and seek solutions to common problems in order to understand what drives economic, social and environmental change. Among the areas it has championed is the pursuit of international harmonization

in testing methods and good laboratory practices. In Canada the regulatory authority responsible for minimizing the risks associated with the distribution of drug and health products, is Health Canada. Through the Health Products and Food Branch, Health Canada regulates how these types of products make their way from the laboratory into the marketplace. Health Canadafulfills Canada’s obligation to the OECD, of compulsory monitoring, by making GLP adherence an essential legal prerequisite

for sectors that are well studied, supported and standardized, both by industry and its regulatory counterparts internationally. As such, it supportsGLP implementation and the international acceptance of nonclinical safety data generated in Canada for pharmaceuticals, radiopharmaceuticals and biologics. According to Stephane Shank, Media Relations Chief of the Public Affairs, Consultation and Communications Branch at Health Canada, adhering to GLP adds significant value for laboratories hoping to build a reputation for properly testing products such as medication. “GLP compliance makes good business sense because it ensures consistency in the production of nonclinical studies in Canada, which in turn, increases the international competitiveness of the Canadian drug industry,” says Shank. He contends that although the process is rigorous, the rigor is necessary to help avoid a cascad-

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September 2011

FEATURE

“Clinical studies are required by drug regulatory agencies in every country around the world. These studies ensure that any medication taken by Canadians is safe and does its job properly.” — Fabio Garofolo ing chain-reaction of negative effects. “Although it’s a resource and time-intensive task for all stakeholders,” says Shank,“failures in quality systems can affect many products and companies simultaneously, and are very difficult to resolve.” In April of 2010, Health Canada released its final guidance document on mandatory compliance to GLP for all Canadian facilities generating non-clinical study data in support of applications involving pharmaceutical, radiopharmaceutical or biologic drugs for human use. The Standards Council of Canada (SCC) is the actual Monitoring Authority designated by Health Canada for assessing the GLP compliance of Canadian test facilities.SCC also, represents Canada in the OECD GLP Working Group. In its assessments SCC reviews virtually all managerial aspects of the studies conducted by those facilities—from the planning stage, through to archiving and reporting results—and including work conducted in the laboratory and in the field. Given that compliance with OECD GLP principles helps to ensure studies performed on Medical products and chemicals are carried out according to internationally accepted requirements, recognition by SCC under the GLP initiative facilitates acceptance of studies in other OECD member countries. Although it is amandatory requirement in Canada for specific types of testing facilities,many Canadian facilities have alsocome to appreciate the business value and extended market access of adhering to OECD GLP. AlgorithmePharma (AP), which conducts over 275 clinical trials annually, has also adhered to GLP since their creation in 1996 for pre-clinical studies. Because AP requires pre-clinical studies to be accepted outside of Canada, in member countries that fall under the auspices of the

OECD, GLP is a must. “Clinical studies are required by drug regulatory agencies in every country around the world. These studies ensure that any medication taken by Canadians is safe and does its job properly,” says Dr. Fabio Garofolo, Vice President of Bioanalytical Services at AlgorithmePharma. “GLP recognition opens up doors for us to deal with clients at different stages of their drug development,” explains Garofolo. “This ulti-

mately leads to increased opportunities for proposals and increased sales revenues,” he explains. Garofolo concurs that the process of being GLP recognized is indeed rigorous and thorough. He describes the four-day experience as intense, but adds that it “was very positive due to the open and forthright approach followed (by SCC).” Ultimately, the recent mandatory requirement that all Canadian facilities generating non-clinical study data be GLP

compliant has affected APin a positive way. According to Dr. Garofolo,improvements made to the industry as a whole have been beneficial to their laboratory. He attributes the confidence and trust that AP has established with their clients and agencies, and in their studies, with the mandatory requirement to be GLP compliant. GLP-compliant Canadian facilities reap all of the inherent benefits of adhering to a system that addresses the organizational processes and conditions under which pre-clinical health and environmental safety studies are planned, performed, monitored, recorded, archived and reported Ensuring the wellness of laboratory practices by using GLP-compliant facilities is a clear way for Canadian companies operating in the pharmaceutical and health industry to ensure efficiency, credibility and market access while protecting consumer safety and to ensure their studies are accepted by the other OECD member countries.

Stephen Cross is the vicepresident of Accreditation Services at the Standards Council of Canada (SCC). Mr. Cross is responsible for leadership of the division within SCC that verifies the competence of conformity assessment organizations including the accreditation of calibration and testing laboratories and administration of the OECD Good Laboratory Practice initiative in Canada. In addition, the SCC Accreditation Services division delivers programs that are specific to medical laboratories, management systems, personnel and inspection, greenhouse gas validation and verification, as well as product and service certification. SCC accreditation is based on internationally recognized criteria, SCC accreditation provides confidence and credibility for many products, systems or services used both in Canada and abroad. To learn more about the SCC visit www.scc.ca or contact info@scc.ca .

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FEATURE BY KYLE JAMES

Perfect Homogenization of Food Samples with High Reproducibility

In food or nutritional laboratories, in chemical or biological research institutes – homogeneous sample material is required everywhere for the accurate analysis of food and feed materials. The diversity of foodstuffs with their often very different product properties represents a real challenge for food testing laboratories.

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Laboratory Focus September 2011

FEATURE Before the actual analysis, the sample materials – which can vary strongly with regards to hardness and moisture – need to be homogenized and reduced to a sufficiently small particle size. Retsch’s grindomix knife mills are the ideal tools to meet the complex requirements of sample preparation of food. The model GM 200 has proven itself for the homogenization of smaller sample volumes of up to 700 ml. For larger volumes Retsch now offers the new Grindomix GM 300 with a grinding chamber volume of 5,000 ml. Both mills are ideally suited to homogenize substances with a high water, oil or fat content as well as dry, soft, medium-hard and fibrous products. They are often used for the sample homogenization as part of the so-called QuEChERS method (“quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged and safe”) which has been developed by Michelangelo Anastassiades to make sample preparation to pesticide residue analysis more efficient. Test series have proved that the analysis results obtained with the QuEChERS method can easily bear comparison with more common methods, such as DFG S19. For a test according to QuEChERS, 10g of homogenized sample material are extracted with 10ml acetonitrile. After that the organic phase is dried and tested for pesticides with chromatographic analysis. To guarantee reproducible analysis results, it is essential to completely homogenize the sample. Food often occurs in rather inhomogeneous forms (e.g. fruit: flesh, peel, pit) and the 10g have to be representative of the entire initial material. To make sure the sample preparation is reproducible, the homogenization process needs to be carried out with a laboratory mill. Care must be taken that the sample is not warmed during the grinding process, as pesticides are partly volatile substances. This effect can be avoided by cooling the sample with dry ice, for example. Moreover, a finer grind size and greater ho-

mogeneity are obtained with frozen material because the embrittlement improves the breaking properties of the sample. Therefore, it is recommendable to mix the food sample with about twice the amount of dry ice. After the mixture has thoroughly cooled down, it is put into the stainless steel grinding container of the knife mill and pulverized. To let overpressure escape, Retsch’s patented gravity lid should be used. The lid reduces the grinding chamber volume to the size required for homogenizing the sample thoroughly. Even after a grinding time of only 10 to 30 seconds, most of the samples processed by the Grindomix are so homogeneous that a random but nevertheless representative sample can be taken from any location in the grinding chamber. In comparison to samples prepared with common household mixers the analytical results show a standard deviation which is up to 10 times smaller. This applies even to difficult substances such as heterogeneous types of meats. The knife mills were designed with a special focus on simple and convenient operation. The handling is exceptionally comfortable and safe. The grinding container and knife are easily inserted without tools. When the set grinding time is over, the motor automatically stops and the grinding container can

Test series have proved that the analysis results obtained with the QuEChERS method can easily bear comparison with more common methods, such as DFG S19. be removed. Thus the grindomix, unlike many commercial household mixers, allows the filling and emptying of the container outside the mill. This also makes cleaning the mills very simple and helps to avoid cross-contamination by possible sample residues. Moreover, all parts of the GM 200 and GM 300 which come into contact with the sample material are autoclavable.

Eurofins uses grindomix to grind entire packaging units The company Eurofins has built a global network of laboratories and competence centers for food and feed analyses. Their range of services includes simple chemical and microbiological tests, nutritive analyses, trace analyses of residues and contaminants, biomolecular methods, allergen analyses, analyses of authenticity and origin and many more. Retsch mills form an important part of the sample preparation work at Eurofins laboratories. In Hamburg, Germany, the lab is equipped with two grindomix

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knife mills, one ultra centrifugal mill and one cutting mill from Retsch. “We achieve very good results for the size reduction and homogenization of foodstuffs with the Grindomix GM 200”, says Matthias Nickel, team leader sample preparation at Eurofins GfA GmbH, the competence center for POPs, dioxins, PCB, BFR, PFC, etc. in Hamburg. “However, the packaging units are often too big for the GM 200. We are happy that Retsch has now bridged this gap with the new GM 300.” Whereas the container of the GM 200 has a volume of 1,000ml, the GM 300 offers a volume of 5,000ml, so that common retail quantities (e.g. 2,500g French fries, a whole pizza, salad or cabbage) can be processed in one run. “For ultra trace analyses of organic contaminants stainless steel jars, as

available for the GM 300, are an essential accessory”, explains Nickel. “The innovative pre-grinding which is effected by the breaking bar of the knife in the reverse mode accelerates sample preparation of hard feedstuffs such as sugar beet pellets.” “Due to the fact that we process a great number of different samples every day, quick and easy cleaning of the mills is of utmost importance for us”, adds Nickel. “We are highly satisfied with this feature of the GM 300 – all parts can be easily removed and cleaned in the dish washer or autoclaved.”

Kyle James is Vice President of Sales at Retsch Inc. and has been with the company for 5 years. He currently manages the sales operations and applications laboratory in Newtown, PA

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FEATURE BY MALCOLM CROOK, PhD

TRENDS IN LABORATORY

AUTOMATION in the Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Industry Sector, the difficulties for Laboratory Automation Suppliers

The market for laboratory automation equipment and services is large and always changing. The current economic climate and reorganisations in the pharmaceutical industry have led to large quantities of used equipment available on second-hand and auction web sites. A significant number of large drug discovery research sites are closing and the larger pharmaceutical companies continue to acquire smaller companies. Laboratory automation systems consist of hardware, usually from a range of equipment suppliers, plus control software integrated together into a coherent system, Requirements of a modern laboratory automation system The most recent extensive laboratory automation study was conducted by Steven Hamilton for the Association for Laboratory Automation (ALA, now the Society for Laboratory Automation and Screening, SLAS) demonstrated the wide range of user requirements from an automation system. The major problems that users face are limitations in reconfiguring the control software, user interfaces and some hardware limitations. However for the suppliers to deliver systems that are flexible enough to fulfil the requirements for the wide range of applications in biological, analytical and chemical processes, yet are easy to use, is a challenging task. In addition, only 50 per cent of the customer base is re-

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September 2011

FEATURE

ported to have specialist central support groups, leaving the remainder with either a small or non-existent laboratory automation expertise.

Use of automation In a recent survey of its members, SLAS found that the main thrust of automation in their companies was for increased productivity, ahead of improved data quality and reduced operating cost. The ability to study increased numbers of samples in studies with the same number of staff is a very attractive economic proposition. The experience of paa is that customers are moving away from large automated workcells to much

smaller, focused workcells. There are advantages in this approach; in a large workcell component failure can close down the whole process, robots mounted on a track can take significant times to travel the length of a track, the workcells take a long time to set up and it is quicker to complete smaller run processes by hand. In contrast, a stacker or small laboratory robot can enhance the productivity of a single instrument at very low cost.

Safety Requirements One recent major change in safety legislation in Europe is the European Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC.

The aim of this legislation is to make the use of “machinery” safer, and in the laboratory automation context, this means screening of moving equipment. As with all legislation that covers a broad topic, there are sweeping generalisations that require interpretation. For example a machine is defined as “an assembly of linked parts or components, at least one of which moves...”. So a Thermo Multi-drop bulk liquid dispenser and also a Mitsubishi RV-6SDL anthropomorphic robot capable of manipulating 5kg accurately at speeds in excess of 1m/sec are both described as machinery. Clearly a large robot is dangerous to the user, a Multi-drop less so and perfectly safe under most usage conditions. The safety issues are often determined by the user, the receiving company safety officer, and can vary from continent to continent. Although suppliers can meet multiple international standards, a multiplicity of part numbers, each suitable for a different market is expensive to produce.

ed aluminum profiles are becoming available making both modes of construction ascetically attractive, with aluminium offering slightly more flexibility when modifications are required to an existing structure.

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Robot choice The preference of integrators wanting to supply reliable automated workcells is a robot designed with advanced closed-loop servo motor technology. Although safety precautions have to be enhanced to protect the user, the power/accuracy/reliability envelope really makes robots based on these technologies a must. Robots fitted with stepper motor technology have been favourites for many years, although a less reliable option. The ability to stall any motor easily has certainly made them a safer choice for open laboratory use, and cheaper to implement because no shielding has been required. Stepper and servo motor technology produce robots of a similar price, although the price performance for a servo motor controlled robot is much higher, but the requirement for shielding has increased the overall workcell cost. The change of safety requirements in Europe, possible following to the U.S. in the next couple of years, requiring all robots to be screened, will render the stepper motor less cost effective.

Cutting mills are powerful size reduction tools which are used for grinding difficult materials such as electronic scrap, tires or wood down to a final fineness below 1 mm.

RETSCH offer a complete product family of cutting mills: ■ the economically priced basic unit SM 100 ■ the versatile standard model SM 200 ■ the high-performance model SM 300 with additional ﬂywheel mass (RES technology) and variable speed The mills provide maximum operating convenience and safety and are quickly and easily cleaned. The wide selection of accessories, including the cyclonesuction-combination of the SM 200 and SM 300, allow for perfect adaptation to application requirements.

Workcell design Changes in safety requirements are having an effect on workcell design. For Europe, the implementation of emergency stops, tamper proof safety circuits and screening (either physical or light-based) will all add costs as well as safety to an automated workcell. In the U.S., attitudes to safety are moving slowly to coincide to the safety requirements required in Europe. The choice of construction materials, either aluminum or welded steel, is probably less important than it once was. Stylish extrud-

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FEATURE Software The software in a laboratory automation system is the key component, not only because it controls all the equipment in the automated workcell, but also because it is the link between the user and the system. Software needs to be versatile and flexible to allow the most complex system to be controlled yet easy to use. The users need to understand that the software is often the messenger for system malfunction rather than the cause. Error messages are generated from the equipment

failure, often with poor content information describing the failure mode, and this is reported to the user by the control system. Similar to most companies developing laboratory automation control software, paa have developed a hierarchical structure for the control software. Each layer of the software model allows a different requirement of the system to be addressed. The advantage of such a model is that only the top layer, the user interaction level, needs to be customer specific, keeping software code maintenance to a minimum and reducing software bugs. However convincing the customer for the additional investment in this additional software component is often a difficult task.

Future The major trend is for suppliers to offer ascetically attractive workcells with enhanced safety and reliable robots as their standard products. The use of software tailored to user requirements will make the automation tool easier to use.

References: 1. ALA 2008 Laboratory Automation Survey, http://www.labautopedia.org/mw/index.php/ ALA_Laboratory_Automation_ Survey_2008:Section_1 2. ALA 2008 Laboratory Automation Survey, http://www.labautopedia.org/mw/index.php/ ALA_Laboratory_Automation_ Survey_2008:Section_2 3. ALA 2008 Laboratory Automation Survey, http://www.labautopedia.org/mw/index.php/ ALA_Laboratory_Automation_ Survey_2008:Section_3 4. 2006 SLAS survey of members attitudes. 5. http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/ sectors/mechanical/documents/ legislation/machinery/index_ en.htm 6. http://www.mitsubishi-automation.com/products/robots_RV_ content.html 7. http://paa.co.uk/labauto/ products/p-software-index.asp

Malcolm Crook, PhD; Director of Laboratory Automation, Process Analysis & Automation Ltd (paa), Falcon House, Fernhill Road, Farnborough, Hampshire, GU14 9RX, UK

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September 2011

Centrifuge The medium capacity Allegra X-30 Series Benchtop Centrifuge from Beckman Coulter, Inc. is a versatile instrument for general research use and clinical sample preparation. The 18-inch-wide instrument is available individually or packaged with the appropriate rotors and lab ware to provide high-level performance in a range of applications. Additionally, two new rotors are available in conjunction with the Allegra X-30 instruments: the SX4400, a 1.6-litre swinging-bucket rotor and the S6096 microplate rotor that accommodates 3 x 2 microplates or 2 x 1 deep-well plates. With its newest swinging-bucket rotor and 15 and 50 mL conical tube adapters as well as blood sample processing and microplate application packages provide everything needed. Its swinging-bucket rotor’s maximum speed is 4,700 rpm, with rcf of 4,255 x g. In total, the Allegra X-30 accepts 13 different rotors and a range of lab ware to accommodate a variety of samples and run conditions. A refrigerated version of the centrifuge, the X-30R, can be cooled from room temperature down to 4ºC in less than ten minutes.

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Chemistry Systems Syrris offers the Asia range of flow chemistry systems for performing a wide variety of chemical reactions. The portfolio includes the Asia 110 system is ideal for beginners in solution phase flow chemistry. It includes a pump, a chip climate controller, a glass microreactor and a pressure controller. The Asia pump is extremely chemically resistant and designed specifically for flow chemistry. It has two continuous pumps for delivering smooth flow from 1µL/min to 10mL/min. The pump has an integrated pressure sensor which allows it to automatically stop in the case of a blockages or leak. The Asia chip climate controller enables the microreactors to be heated from -15 to +150ºC without the need for a circulator or a cold water supply. The entire system can be upgraded to include automated collection, use of solid phase reagents, temperatures up to 250ºC, kg synthesis, analysis integration, flow liquidliquid extraction and full software control.

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Injector VICI Valco’s introduces its new Cheminert C52 Series Injector. Using its Cheminert HPLC injector design and the 24 volt motor from our popular microelectric actuators, the C52 needs only to be connected to the instrument’s power supply. Control is simplified to require a single contact closure; the injector’s position is determined by whether the closure is held high or low. There’s even an easy way for the instrument to confirm the valve’s position by sensing the output from a built-in sensor. All these features are built into a compact and lightweight package, available in 4, 6, 8, and 10 port configurations, stainless or PEEK.

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NEW PRODUCTS Carton Laser Cutting machine The Spartanics Carton Laser Cutting machine is ideal for the medical/biotech products, equipment and supplies industries, pharmaceutical contract manufacturers and others with carton packaging applications. Features of the Spartanics Carton Laser Cutting Machine include: dual laser head design allows for cutting sheets up to 800 mm (31inches) or greater; unlimited part size length and width up to 400 mm per scan head (16 inches); accurate defect-free cutting of carton stock .75mm or less; equally versatile with virgin or recycled materials; advanced scoring capabilities within parts that perform better in folder-gluer industrial packaging machinery than traditional die cut arts; optional bar code reading to enable change of cut configuration on-the-fly; proprietary fume extraction system; proprietary system for automated slug removal and conveyor belt cleaning; and more.

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Heavy-Duty Glassware The Kimble Chase selection of heavy-duty glassware includes beakers, bottles, centrifuge tubes, and flasks. KIMAX® HeavyDuty Low Form Beakers offer outstanding performance on hot plates and resist mechanical and thermal shock. KIMAX Heavy-Duty Wide-Mouth Volumetric Flasks are durable, have wide-mouth neck openings for easier pipet access, large volume markings and flat interior bottoms for stirring with standard stir bars. Heavy-Duty Volumetric Flasks are also available using KIMAX processed with RAY-SORB® for light-sensitive compounds. KIMAX Heavy-Wall Filter Flasks safely hold 1 atmosphere (29 inches of mercury) of vacuum, and are available in sizes from 25 mL to 4000 mL. Often used in clinical and microbiological laboratory applications, KIMAX Heavy-Duty Screw Thread Centrifuge Tubes are made using a heavier wall tubing to withstand high centrifuge speeds and are offered with tapered or round bottoms. The KIMAX Heavy-Duty Solution Bottle (Carboy) has a five gallon capacity and can be supplied with a two or three-port, platinum cured stopper assembly and sanitary KYNAR clamp for sterile transfer with no extractables.

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Thermometer Control Company’s new Traceable® Infrared Dual Lasers Thermometer with Type-K Probe is simple; turn on, point at sample, and take a reading in less than a second. Dual lasers indicate the outer diameter of the surface area being measured and the white LED light illuminates the surface. Field of view is 12:1 (for example, at a distance of 24 inches the reading spot size is two inches). Unit reads both fahrenheit and celsius of any surface for solids, semisolids, and liquids. Non-invasive, notouch, measurements are ideal for food, life sciences, pharmaceuticals, petroleum products, clean rooms, electronics, and field use. Temperature range is –76 to 1022°F and –60 to 550°C. Resolution is 0.1°. Accuracy is ±2% or 2°C + 2%. For measurement of different types of material, adjustable emissivity may be set from 0.1 to 1.00 in increments of 0.01. Range using Type-K thermocouple jack is –83 to 2552°F and –64 to 1400°C.

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NEW PRODUCTS Freezer The new Thermo Scientific Revco UxF Series ultra-low temperature (ULT) freezers provide sample protection, while maintaining high standards in energy efficiency and capacity per footprint. Equipped with a unique touchscreen control panel that features an event log, health monitoring system and controlled access options, the Revco® UxF Series provides a constant update on the integrity and health of the freezer compartment. Five new capacities range in size from 421 to 949 litres (14.9 to 33.5 cu. ft.) and provide a num-

ber of options to suit any storage and lab space requirements. The freezers’ new cabinet design and vacuum panel insulation allow storage of up to 70,000 2mL tubes or 118,300 1mL Thermo Scientific Cryobank tubes.

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Turbo Pumping Station Vacuum equipment manufacturer Edwards has launched a new compact entry level turbo pumping station which provides users in laboratories and research centres with fast pump down to an ultimate pressure of less

than 5 x 10-8 mbar. The new T-station 75 turbo is the smallest in Edwards’ range of pumping stations at just 395 x 350 mm and achieves the fastest pump down of large chambers (greater than 10 litres in volume) for its size. The T-station can pump a chamber to the required vacuum up to twice as fast as competitive products thanks to higher capacity backing pumps and is simple to use with a single button system to start and stop. The T-station arrives pre-assembled and is easy to install. users just plug it in and begin work.

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COMPANY & ADVERTISER INDEX COMPANY

PAGE

Acasti Pharma Inc.............................6......................... Afexa Life Sciences............................6......................... AlgaeBio...........................................6......................... Allegra.............................................15................4481 BIOTECanada.....................................3......................... BC Cancer Agency.............................4......................... Canadian Science Policy.............................................. Conference.....................................17................4489 Caledon Laboratory Chemicals.........7.................4476 Cervical Cancer Screening Lab............1......................... Chemical Institute of Canada..........3, 6...............4475 Children’s Miracle Network...........14................4480 Control Company..............................15................4486 Edwards..........................................16................4488 Eppendorf.......................................20................4490 Genome BC.......................................4......................... Hitachi High Technologies Canada........3......................... Immunovaccine Inc.............................7......................... Isotechnika Pharma Inc......................6......................... Kimble Chase....................................15................4485 Kinexus Bioinformatics.......................3......................... Malvern Instruments.........................2......................... Miele Professional........................9, 11....4477, 4478 Miraculins Inc....................................6......................... Oncolytics Biotech Inc........................6......................... Retsch............................................13................4479 Samuel Lunenfeld Research Institute...5......................... sanofi Aventis....................................7......................... Select Biosciences.............................4......................... Spartanics.......................................15................4484 Spectra Research..............................2......................... Syrris..............................................15................4482 Thermo Scientific..............................16................4487 VICI Valco.........................................15................4483 VWR................................................2.................4473 Wyvern Scientific............................5.................4474

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SEPTEMBER September 13-15 Stem Cells USA & Regenerative Medicine Congress Venue: Boston, MA Tel: 212-379-6322 Fax: 212-379-6319 Email: enquiry.us@ terrapinn.com Web: www.terrapinn.com

September 16-23

September 2011

Venue: Toronto, ON Tel: 450-505-1406 Email: Convention_ Registration@cvg.ca Web: www.cvg.ca

October 11-13 Biotechnica 2011 Venue: Hannover, Germany Tel: +49 511 89-31028 Fax+49 511 89-33349 Email: katharina.siebert @messe.de Web: www.biotechnica.de

October 27-29

October 20-21 CVG Conference and Exhibition

CAN Annual Scientific Conference Venue: Quebec City, QC Tel: 416-586-4770 Fax: 416-586-8395 Email: can@ arthritisnetwork.ca

CALENDAR Web: www. arthritisnetwork.ca

October 31-November 2 Bio Europe Venue: Duesseldorf, Germany Tel: 760-930-0500 Email: chundschell@ ebdgroup.com Web: www.ebdgroup. com/bioeurope/index.php

NOVEMBER November 8-11 ALMA Conference Venue: New Orleans, LA Tel: 505-989-4683 Email: alma@ labmanagers.org Web: www.labmanagers.org

National Biotech Week Web: www.imagenenation.ca

3rd Canadian Science Policy Conference

September 27-28 HSE Canada 2011 Venue: Toronto, ON Tel: 647-893-8984 Email: nate@hsecanada.ca Web: www.hsecanada.ca

September 29-October 1 BCSLS Congress 2011 Venue: Castlegar, BC Tel: 604-714-1760 Fax: 604-738-4080 Email: bcsls@telus.net Web: www.bcsls.net

OCTOBER October 3-4 Tech Transfer Summit North America Venue: Bethesda, MD Tel: +44 (0)207 263 2858 Fax: +44 (0)207 692 0212 Email: morris@ techtransfersummit.com Web: http:// www.techtransfersummit. com/northamerica2011

October 3-4 Biofuels International Expo & Conference Venue: Calgary, AB Email: rebecca@ horseshoemedia.com Phone: +44 (0) 20 8687 4138 Fax: +44 (0) 20 8687 4130 Web: www. biofuelsinternationalexpo.com/ canada/

October 9-11 BioPartnering Europe Venue: London, UK Tel +1.831.464.4230 Fax +1.831.464.4240 Web: www.techvision.com/ bpe/

October 11-15 International Congress of Human Genetics Venue: Montréal, QC Tel: 301-634-7300 Fax: 301-634-7079 Email: paulinem@ashg.org Web: www.ashg.org/

Building BRIDGES for the Future of Science Policy in Canada

THEMES Science, Politics and Culture in Canada Enabling Private Sector Innovation Exploring the True North, Reflections on Northern Science Policy Special Focus: International Year of Chemistry Major Issues In Canadian Science Policy Workshop on Nuts and Bolts of Science Policy Reply card #4489

5 themes, 16 panels, 1 workshop, more than 60 invited speakers, 2 receptions, & 2 suprise events.

2011

Ottawa Convention Centre Ottawa, ON November 16-18

For more information or to register go to www.CSPC2011.ca Or write to us: info@sciencepolicy.ca

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September 2011 Laboratory Focus

CAREER SPOTLIGHT Bio-economy Career Profile

Your feedback is always welcome! Fall is always a busy time at Laboratory Focus. In addition to putting the finishing touches on our current editorial line-up, we are also planning for the following year. Over the years we’ve found the best way to deliver exciting and engaging content is to consult you our readers! For starters, we want to know what you want to see in Laboratory Focus for 2012. Is it more whitepapers and tech notes; stories about trends in the industry; or more how-to pieces? What can we do better to make your reading experience with us more enjoyable? Two years ago we replaced our ‘website and book review section’, partnering with BioTalent Canada to bring you bio-economy profiles in our career section. As successful as this series has been, we are considering changing it up and are open to your suggestions. However, if you’d like us to continue with this series, we’re willing to do that too. Remember, we’re only an email away, you can contact us at laboratory_focus@promitive.net. Speaking of sharing opinions, November also coincides with our annual Laboratory Focus Readers Choice Awards issue where we again turn to you and our web site visitors, to find out which brand names and lab products are a big hit and which to avoid. We believe your opinions and votes are invaluable in trying to understand the dynamics of the laboratory products market. From now until the end of October you can access the survey at http://www.bioscienceworld.ca/readerchoice, and tell us who makes the best lab stuff – instruments, gadgets, software tools; which resources you trust to do lab research, and for entertainment sake, you can even tell us some of the best lab jokes you’ve heard. And after you’ve taken the survey, we’ll use your answers and compile them into an informative guide highlighting the best Lab products out there. So check back in November when we announce the winners!

Compiled by BioTalent Canada Position: Intellectual Property Manager Name: Kerrie Hayes Company: Genesys Venture Inc.

What I do:

I help scientists with patenting and licensing their inventions, and the company to maintain its intellectual property and review new technology. I work with the prosecution of patents and participate in due diligences for investments in new technologies.

What education and skills do candidates need for this position?

You require a degree in science. Experience with laboratory work is also beneficial for this position. Taking a patent agent or patent law course would also be helpful. The main thing is to have a combination of good scientific and business experience. Experience in a university technical transfer office or an MBA specializing in biotechnology will help. You should like to read and have a good command of language, have a broad knowledge of science, be an effective communicator, and be a good technical writer with the ability to explain complex information to people who have little or no knowledge in that particular area. You should also live in a major city centre; there aren’t a lot of opportunities in smaller cities. Post-graduate, lab, and business experience are helpful.

What are the best parts of your job?

I like that I have the opportunity to be constantly learning. I am on the cutting edge of technology and things change everyday; I can do anything from an initial public offering to participating in science and research meetings. I experience different things that I wouldn’t experience in a large organization, where it can be very compartmentalized.

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Laboratory Focus September 2011

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