Biotechnology Focus Podcast

Q&A with Rory Francis PEI BioAlliance   099| Riding the biotech current to PEI  Welcome to another episode of Biotechnology Focus Radio. I am your host – Michelle Currie. Today, I am joined with a special guest, the executive director of the PEI BioAlliance, Rory Francis, who will be discussing what is happening in the PEI Cluster and with the PEI BioAlliance organization itself.   First, I think it will be important to state what the PEI BioAlliance is and the aim/vision of the organization. Perhaps giving a little bit of the history of the organization as well, then discuss a little bit about what the PEI Cluster is as well.   What is the scale and scope of the PEI Cluster?  Is there a focus of the PEI Cluster? I know that often animal health companies are recruited to the province. Is this something PEI specialises in? What are the incentives that you offer for companies to relocate? What has defined the success of the cluster thus far?  So, coming back to the PEI BioAlliance, what is y

Q&A with CDRD’s President and CEO Gordon McCauley   Taking it up another notch: CDRD discusses the newest addition to their Academy  Welcome to another episode of Biotechnology Focus Radio. I am your host – Michelle Currie. Today, I am joined with a special guest, the president and Chief Executive Officer of the centre for drug research and development, Gordon McCauley, who will be discussing the recent addition of the Executive Institute to CDRD’s Academy.     I will start with asking about the highlights of CDRD – what CDRD does and what they are currently working on now, how they are translating discoveries, etc. (Feel free to elaborate and educate the listeners of Biotechnology Focus Radio of the success and potential of this centre for commercialization.)    I know that you made an announcement earlier this year about adding a new program to the CDRD Academy, but before we delve into that, could you tell me a little bit about the CDRD Academy in general? When and why was it started? Wh

  Welcome to another episode of Biotechnology Focus radio! I am your host – Michelle Currie – here to give you the Canadian biotech rundown from coast to coast. This week there has been some revolutionary research in HIV, and natural killer cells. FACIT – the fight against cancer innovation trust – has invested in three novel cancer therapeutic discoveries, and Oncolytics Biotech enters a clinical collaboration to combat breast cancer. Keep listening to find out more details!  +++++  Researchers at the BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS (BC-CfE) and Simon Fraser University (SFU), in partnership with University of British Columbia (UBC) and Western University, develop a way of dating “hibernating” HIV strains, in an advancement for HIV cure research in the province.  Published in the prestigious journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), the BC-CfE’s first major scientific contribution to the area of HIV cure research confirms that dormant HIV strains can persist in the body for d

  Welcome to another episode of Biotechnology focus radio! I am your host – Michelle Currie – here to give you the rundown on what is happening in the life sciences sector from coast to coast. This week brought new collaborations, new cohorts, and new research. Keep listening to find out more!  +++++  As regenerative medicine grows around the world, topping a whopping $36-billion annually and only expected to rise, it comes as no surprise that more and more international collaborations are happening – especially within Canada.  CCRM and the Japanese Society for Regenerative Medicine (JSRM) liaise to advance the field of regenerative medicine (RM) and cell and gene therapies in Canada and Japan, signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) this week at the Annual Meeting of the Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine International Society (TERMIS) in Kyoto, Japan.  Michael May, president and CEO, CCRM says that CCRM’s mission is to generate sustainable health and economic benefits through global c

  Welcome to another episode of Biotechnology Focus radio! I am your host – Michelle Currie – here to give you the rundown on what is happening in biotech across the country from coast to coast. There have been some interesting developments in the last couple weeks that are changing the scope of the life sciences industry. Some of which I get the pleasure to share with you today. As a first for Canada, Concordia University now houses a facility that will change how synthetic biology research will be conducted; Bioasis Technologies’ promising drug development may have found a way to cross the blood-brain barrier; the Centre for Commercialization of Antibodies and Biologics invests in ImmunoBiochem to advance their therapeutic candidate; and the Canadian government, as well as other investors, allocate $8.8 million to three projects in Ontario.   Keep on listening to find out more details!  +++++  A new facility at Concordia is about to change history. It will house robots that will bring a whole new con

On the line, I have Andrew Casey who is the president and CEO of BIOTECanada. He is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the association and is the primary spokesperson for Canada’s biotech industry communicating on the industry’s behalf of government, regulators, international bodies, media and the Canadian public. He joins us today to share his expertise and what we can expect to see this year during Global Biotech Week.   Show Notes: 1. Canada has always been a powerhouse in biotechnology. The life sciences sector has had such an overwhelming impact on the Canadian economy and shows no sign of slowing down; and with a rapidly growing population and a high demand for resources and better health care, novel ideas are necessary to keep the economy on its feet. Is this something Canada foresaw in 2003 when it created Global Biotech Week? What was the reason Canada created Global Biotech Week initially?  2. Since then it has snowballed to several other countries. Do you expect to see it grow traction in

  This week brings around new research from an international study that claims an average sodium intake does not harm your health; NSERC grants 1.65 million for a new biomedical technology program; Prometic Life Sciences elucidates the mechanism of action of their proprietary drug; and Milestone Pharmaceuticals randomises their first patient in their phase 3 clinical trial.   Keep on listening to hear all the juicy details!   +++++  No need to fret when you ask someone to pass you the salt at the dinner table anymore. New research by scientists of the Population Health Research Institute (PHRI) of McMaster University and Hamilton Health Sciences as well as researchers from 21 countries suggests sodium intake does not increase health risks except for those who eat more than five grams a day – an equivalent of 2.5 teaspoons.  This large-scale international study expresses for most individuals that this is good news. Any health risk of sodium consumption is virtually eliminated if people improve their d

  Even though we have been having a terrific summer, innovation doesn’t just stop when the sun is beckoning, and the cottage is calling our name. It persists through rain and shine, and never has that been truer. Keep listening to find out what’s new this week!  +++++  Vasomune Therapeutics, a Toronto-based spin-out from Sunnybrook Research Institute and MaRS Innovation, and AnGes, Inc., a Japan-based biotechnology company focused on developing biotherapeutics, sign an innovative multi-million-dollar global Co-Development Agreement for the development and commercialization of therapeutics treating diseases associated with blood vessel dysfunction and destabilization.  The collaboration will advance Vasomune’s peptide-based Tie2 receptor agonist program, initially for the treatment of critical care indications, including Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS), into clinical development with the expectation of initiating clinical trials in 2020. Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome is a critical care

Welcome to another episode of Biotechnology Focus radio. I am your host – Michelle Currie – here to give you the lowdown on the Canadian biotech scene. This episode I will be discussing how new biomarkers found in maternal blood could prevent stillbirth, a new therapy for patients with partial spinal cord injuries, an investment from the Government of Canada, and Inversago closes their first series A financing round.   +++++  Researchers from the University of Alberta suggests new biomarkers found in maternal blood may help prevent stillbirth.  David Wishart, lead author and professor in the Department of Biological Sciences says, “When we started analyzing the blood of women who experienced stillbirth and compared them to healthy women, we noticed there’s a chemical difference. This suggested that we could predict and potentially prevent stillbirths.”  Using a mass spectrometer, Wishart and his colleagues identified four chemicals that showed up repetitively in mothers who experienced stillbirth. Co

Welcome to another episode of Biotechnology Focus radio. I am your host – Michelle Currie – here to give you the rundown on the Canadian biotech scene! Coming up we have some inspiring research from the University of Alberta regarding viral pathogen treatment; McMaster researchers have a new hypothesis on Huntington’s Disease; RepliCel solidifies co-development deal in Greater China; scientists discover a way to genetically screen for acute myeloid leukemia; and putting Canada in the limelight when it comes down to artificial intelligence and deep learning.   Keep on listening to find out more of the details!  +++++  The University of Alberta appears to have hit the nail on the head yet again. With so much inspiring research coming out of this campus, it should come as no surprise that they have made a significant discovery that has the potential to treat viral pathogens such as the Zika virus and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).  Scientists from UofA discovered a new and promising class of chemica

    This week we have some encouraging findings on Alzheimer’s as researchers hunt for a cure, there were two research studies released from the University of Toronto: one involving aneurysms, and the other discussing ‘invisible’ pain, as well as, a recent discovery that could change the face of opioid manufacturing. Keep listening to hear all the details!  +++++  The population of the world is steadily living longer, increasing the likelihood of one in three developing a form of Alzheimer’s in their lifetime. Much work has been done to combat this debilitating disease, but as of yet, there is no cure. After a decade of work a team led by Hôpital Maisonneuve-Rosemont researcher and Université de Montréal associate professor Dr. Gilbert Bernier has shed promising light on the origin of the most common and prevalent form of Alzheimer’s hoping to someday help mitigate or even reverse the progress of the disease.  There are genetic variables when it comes to being diagnosed with this disease, but age is th

  Welcome back to another episode of Biotechnology Focus radio! I am your host – Michelle Currie – here to give you the rundown on the Canadian biotech scene. So, as many of you know, we are coming up to a very busy and exciting time of the year, as BIO is just around the corner! And this isn’t just any regular BIO, this year marks the 25th anniversary in its inaugural location – Boston. It’s four days chalked full of keynotes, receptions and networking opportunities that will leave you trying to catch your breath at the end of the week. But if that doesn’t take your breath away, perhaps the performance by Diana Ross might at the largest BIO event of the year!  But bringing the focus back to Canada, a lot has been going on in the last few weeks that is worth mentioning. Keep listening to find out!  +++++  In a world where artificial intelligence has begun to incorporate itself in everything from life sciences to cars, it should come as no surprise that South Korean tech giant, Samsung, is jumping in wi

087 | Shifting thoughts and actions     Welcome to another episode of Biotechnology Focus radio! I am your host – Michelle Currie – here to give you the rundown on the Canadian biotech scene. This week sheds light on antibacterial resistance and how that will change the course of the world on a widespread scale if our patterns do not change, how pharmacogenomics has become a new era in precision health, and how there may be a link between poor muscle health and type 1 diabetes.   Listen on to find out more!  ++++++  Ever consider a world where surgery was no longer an option? It is the unfortunate truth that if society does not slow the progression rate of antimicrobial resistance, life as we have come to know it will no longer be our future.  Antimicrobial resistance threatens the effective prevention and treatment of an ever-increasing range of infections caused by bacteria, parasites, viruses, and fungi. Without such means of effective treatment, it will compromise therapies that have been us

086 | Paving the way of the future      Welcome to another episode of Biotechnology Focus radio! This week Toronto got their socks knocked off by an announcement from Sanofi; a Chinese company expresses interest in some of Canada’s regenerative medicine technologies; the scope of clinical trials in Canada is divulged at the recent Clinical Trials Ontario conference; and Shana Kelley and her team from the University of Toronto use new technology to essentially ‘find a needle in a haystack’ when it comes to prostate cancer. Keep listening to hear the latest news of Canada’s biotech scene!  +++++  French company Sanofi announces one of their largest investments ever in a single building and knocks the socks off the Toronto life sciences community. Sanofi announces that they are investing €350 million (C$500 million) into their Toronto facility to significantly increase capacity to meet the growing demand for pediatric and booster vaccines and demonstrate their commitment to innovation and leadership in

085 | When it sounds more sci-fi than fact  Welcome to another episode of Biotechnology Focus radio! I am your host – Michelle Currie – here to give you the rundown on what’s happening on the Canadian biotech scene! This week we have some revolutionary research happening at the Centre for Drug Research and Development that sounds more sci-fi than fact, a treatment that allows the patient to breathe life back in, therapy that fits like a glove, and an over-the-counter drug that may be able to ward off Alzheimer’s disease. Listen in to find out more!  +++++  Empirical observations over the past many decades have suggested that certain types of virus infections could lead to cancer regression.  However, the use of so-called oncolytic viruses (OV) with the intent to treat cancer had been met with skepticism.  Now, thanks to technological advancements in genetic engineering and virus manufacturing, oncolytic virotherapy has gained considerable attention and demonstrated significant, though perhaps limited

Welcome to another episode of Biotechnology Focus radio – I am your host Michelle Currie. This week I will share with you an interesting article that I came across and then we will move on to the foremost part of the episode with Vatche Bartekian, here to tell us about his upcoming conference.      It was a work in progress, but after eight long years neuroscientists at the University of Montreal discovered a molecular mechanism that helps make sense of how Lou Gehrig’s disease, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), works.  This discovery could lead to a valuable new treatment in the fight to cure this crippling disease.  Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis is a disease that gradually paralyzes people because the brain is no longer able to communicate with the muscles of the body that we are typically able to move at will. Over time, as the muscles of the body break down, someone living with ALS will lose the ability to walk, talk, eat, swallow, and eventually breathe.  While studies such as this do n

Welcome to another episode of Biotechnology Focus radio! I am your host, Michelle Currie, here to give you the rundown on Canada’s biotech scene. This week we have stories about a possible Ebola treatment, how there may be a link between an increase in cholinergic system activity and parkinson’s disease, CRISPR makes its move on RNA, and according to a u of t study, rheumatoid arthritis patients have a higher risk of earlier mortality. So, keep listening to hear what’s going on from coast to coast! +++++ In the wake of the 2014 Ebola outbreak, with more than 11,000 known deaths, researchers are attempting to come up with innovative ways to prevent and cure the disease. Due to the dire nature of the virus, it sheds light on the limitations of the medication currently in circulation. Now, University of Guelph researchers have shown that an innovative antibody delivery method could offer an effective way to prevent and treat Ebola infection. Their goal is to make an antibody-based therapy that can protect agains

082 | Discoveries: contending with the superbugs  Welcome to another episode of Biotechnology Focus radio! I am your host – Michelle Currie – here to give you the rundown on what’s happening on the Canadian biotech scene. This week there have been some novel research discoveries that McMaster University, The University of Alberta, The University of British Columbia, The University of Waterloo and The University of Manitoba have been pumping out that I would like to share with you. So, keep listening and find out what exciting stories are happening from coast to coast!   +++++  Researchers from McMaster University have pinpointed a gene that is the culprit for neurological disorders, including autism.  They found that modifications of the gene thousand and one amino-acid kinase 2, aka TAOK2, has a direct link to these disorders. This gene encodes a serine/threonine protein kinase that is involved in many different processes, including, cell signaling, microtubule organization and stability, and apopto

Welcome to another episode of Biotechnology Focus radio. I am your host – Michelle Currie – here to give you the rundown on the Canadian biotech scene. This week I’ll be discussing how the regenerative medicine community is abuzz, expanding personalized medicine, and the very recent announcement from the Ontario government that brings great news to the life sciences sector.   +++++  The regenerative medicine field, which includes cell and gene therapies (CGTs), is still abuzz with the fall approvals of three CGTs by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration: Novartis’ Kymriah, Gilead/Kite Pharma’s Yescarta and Spark Therapeutics Inc.’s Luxturna.  At the Cell and Gene Therapy World conference in Miami, Florida (January 22-25), many of the talks were either about the approved treatments or congratulating the industry on these significant milestones.  Reni Benjamin, of Raymond James Financial, reminded delegates that the pharmaceutical industry is also feeling confident about cell and gene therapes s. Acqui

080 | Pursuing cures and advancing innovation   Welcome to another episode of Biotechnology Focus radio! I am your host – Michelle Currie – here to give you the rundown on what’s been happening on Canada’s biotech scene. It has been a busy last couple of weeks as the new genomics cloud platform was launched, a researcher from Roche Canada shares her input on future of innovation in cancer care, and the fight against cancer innovation trust invests almost half a mil in Ontario research technologies.   +++++  The world is opening up to the idea of genome sequencing. What was once a far-fetched idea is now beginning to materialize – and we are only at the tip of the iceberg. Information technology like Facebook, Google, Wikipedia and Uber are all prime examples of impactful software platforms that connect people with data that have set the stage for the next act.  When you look at where DNA sequencing began back in the 1970’s with the “Sanger sequencing method” as a process of determining the order of b