Archive for 2020

Bioscience innovation is rapidly growing in Prince Edward Island. PEI BioAlliance is launching two new programs to support the momentum.

According to an independent economic impact assessment of the bioscience sector in Prince Edward Island, revenue, employment, and investment have doubled since 2012. This is due in part to the , a not-for-profit organization that works to develop the province’s bioscience cluster. “Average wages in the bioscience sector are 40% higher than those in other sectors,” says Rory Francis, CEO of PEI BioAlliance. “It’s really a thriving industry in the province and we see nothing but more of the same to come in terms of momentum and opportunity.”

Read the full article on the National Post’s Innovating Canada feature for Global Biotech Week.

Premier Dennis King signs official declaration of Global Biotech Week in the province

Charlottetown, PE – From COVID-19 vaccines and diagnostics, to understanding climate change, producing animal health products, and feeding the world sustainably, life sciences continues to be an area of high-demand in solving the challenges facing our society. Dedicated to celebrating science, innovation and solutions, this year’s Global Biotech Week (GBW) will be held from Sept. 28 – Oct. 4, 2020. The purpose of GBW is to raise awareness of the industry and its global potential among policymakers, policy influencers and the general public more broadly. On Sept. 28, Premier Dennis King signed an official declaration of the observance in PEI.

“Prince Edward Island’s thriving biotech sector has quickly become an important economic driver for our province, earning an international reputation as a key player. Global Biotech Week is an opportunity to celebrate the sector’s accomplishments and recognize their contributions here at home and around the world,” said Premier Dennis King. “Now, perhaps more than ever before, we are turning to science and relying on the expertise and leadership of our biotech sector as they continue to make important advancements and develop new innovations that strengthen Island industries and help us build a more resilient province for the betterment of all Islanders.”

Locally, PEI’s bioscience industry has grown to become a key component of the Island’s economy, employing 2,000 full-time highly skilled workers with an average annual income of $60,900, which is 44 percent higher than the average for all workers in PEI. The PEI bioscience sector has been nationally and internationally recognized for the collaborative economic cluster model that has advanced and grown the sector.

The bioscience cluster, coordinated by the PEI BioAlliance, includes more than 60 bioscience companies as well as research and development organizations such as the National Research Council, University of Prince Edward Island, the Atlantic Veterinary College, Holland College, Agriculture and AgriFood Canada, and BioFoodTech. Through the Emergence Bioscience Business Incubator, the cluster has excelled in helping startups and early stage companies move from research and technology development to commercial success.

“We have established a unique and favourable business environment here in PEI for a thriving bioscience industry,” said Oliver Technow, Board Chair, PEI BioAlliance and CEO, BioVectra. “Our size gives us a competitive advantage, as it allows for a truly effective and collaborative partnership between government, academia and industry that over the past decade has grown the sector to become the second largest industry in the province.”

The rapid growth of the sector has meant finding innovative solutions to address constraints to future growth, including expanding and growing a skilled workforce, as well as increasing incubation, scale-up, and manufacturing infrastructure.

Announced in June 2020, the Canadian Alliance for Skills and Training in Life Sciences (CASTL) is a unique partnership between industry and academia to address the significant future skills needs of the bioscience sector in Canada. It offers a highly innovative approach that combines academic and technical skill development, with industry-supported Workplace Integrated Learning placements that prepare graduates to be work-ready in the bioscience sector. More information on CASTL programs and services will be announced in the coming months.

Additionally, to provide the necessary infrastructure for growth, the new Bioscience Manufacturing Incubator (BMI) will be a 20,000 sq-ft facility comprised of six fully serviced, self-contained units to support pilot-scale manufacturing of bio-based products. Located in the BioCommons Research Park, this project is under construction and is expected to be completed in mid 2021.

For more information on the PEI BioAlliance and the local bioscience cluster, visit peibioalliance.com.

Media Contact
Clara Deacon
Director of Communications and Marketing
PEI BioAlliance
C: 403.701.2815
E: clara@peibioalliance.com

The rapid expansion of PEI’s bioscience cluster brings an increased need for facilities to support the growing sector. With a call for construction tenders earlier this month, the new Bioscience Manufacturing Incubator (BMI) will be a 20,000 sq/ft facility comprised of six fully serviced, self-contained units to support pilot-scale manufacturing of bio-based products.

As mentioned in the recent Economic Impact Assessment, the bioscience industry is now one of the most important sectors of the PEI economy, in terms of GDP contribution, employment and direct economic output.

“The Bioscience Manufacturing Incubator is essential to allow companies moving from R&D stage to commercial manufacturing to do so here in PEI,” says Rory Francis, CEO, PEI BioAlliance. “It’s the first significant public sector infrastructure investment since 2012 in providing the facilities necessary for continued growth.”

The BMI is specially designed and will be built to meet the strict regulatory standards required for the production of health and nutrition products. This includes food and feed ingredients, probiotics, aquatic health products, veterinary products, and natural health products. The majority of occupants will be early stage bioscience companies and companies looking to set up operations in PEI.

The new facility will be located in the BioCommons Industrial Park, and will be owned by the Charlottetown Area Development Corporation (CADC) and operated by the PEI BioAlliance. The construction tender will be awarded in July 2020. Construction is expected to be completed in 2021.

Charlottetown, PE – From June 8 to 12, Atlantic Canadian delegates virtually convened with more than 7,000 conference participants across 64 countries for the first-ever BIO Digital 2020 Conference, organized by the Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO). Typically held as an in-person convention, this year the conference was hosted online, with representatives from 16 Atlantic Canadian bioscience companies, who conducted more than 150 partnership meetings. This year’s theme, Nothing Stops Innovation, inspired thought-provoking discussion and demonstrated the incredible work that the biotechnology industry is doing to combat COVID-19 and beyond.

At BIO Digital 2020, the Atlantic Canada Bio-Industries Alliance promoted the growing bioscience sectors of each the four Atlantic provinces with the aim to increase export sales, get more technologies to market, attract further investments, hire talented employees, and showcase the achievements and capabilities of Atlantic Canada’s sector. Today, Atlantic Canada’s bioscience sector employs more than 3,000 workers and represents $655 million in revenue from upward of 200 companies and at least 50 research organizations.

One of the key highlights was a roundtable with the Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry. Minister Bains recognized Canada’s biotech innovation sector as a strategic economic and social pillar both during and post COVID-19. He also specifically spoke to working with the industry to develop capacity throughout the biotech ecosystem including talent, funding and manufacturing.

Among the delegates was Picomole Inc., an innovative medical technology company based in Moncton, New Brunswick, currently developing a diagnostic test for lung cancer via breath analysis.

“The virtual BIO experience was incredibly valuable. With the preparation support provided by the Atlantic Canada Bio-Industries Alliance, we were able to take full advantage of the ability to meet one-on-one with many similarly interested peers,” said Stephen Graham, CEO, Picomole Inc. “This allowed me to learn more in depth about what they do, and how we can best collaborate. Together we were able to discuss common challenges and solutions that I otherwise would not have been able to address.”

Funding for the mission was provided by the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA) and the four Atlantic provincial governments through the Atlantic Trade and Investment Growth Strategy. The Atlantic Canadian mission was coordinated by the PEI BioAlliance, on behalf of the Atlantic Canada Bio-Industries Alliance. The Atlantic Canada Bio-Industries Alliance is an umbrella organization comprised of BioNB, BioNova, the Newfoundland & Labrador Association of Technology Industries (NATI) and the PEI BioAlliance.

The official delegates of the Atlantic Canadian mission at BIO Digital 2020 were:

• AffinityImmuno Inc.
• Alpha Cognition
• Appili Therapeutics Inc.
• Atlantic Cancer Research Institute
• BioVectra Inc.
• New Brunswick Health Research Foundation
• New Brunswick Innovation Foundation
• New Brunswick Institute for Research, Data and Training
• PEI BioAlliance
• Picomole Inc.
• Sequence Bio
• Solid State Pharma Inc.
• Synapse
• The Center for Aquaculture Technologies
• Torigen
• Université de Moncton

Charlottetown, PE – Today the Future Skills Centre (FSC) announced the investment of $1.5 million to support the establishment of the Canadian Alliance for Skills and Training in Life Sciences (CASTL), a unique partnership among Atlantic industry, academic, and government partners to address the significant future skills needs of the bioscience sector in Canada. CASTL is one of 30 projects, out of hundreds of submissions, to receive funding as part of a $37-million investment to help employers find workers with the skills they need, and to support Canadians in acquiring those in-demand skills.

CASTL is a unique initiative that was collaboratively developed between academia, industry and provincial government. Its founding academic and industry partners are Acadia University, BioTalent Canada, BioVectra, Community College of New Brunswick, Elanco, Holland College, National Research Council, Prince Edward Island BioAlliance, Sekisui Diagnostics, Université de Moncton, and University of Prince Edward Island.

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Charlottetown-based Somru BioScience Inc. is adapting its antibody platform to assist in developing therapeutic and diagnostic solutions for COVID-19 and other infectious diseases.

The company has been developing a range of products centred around antibody technology for research, diagnostic and clinical applications. The products have been mainly used so far in research, with clients in 27 countries.

Read full story on Entrevestor

Economic Impact Assessment measures impact of bioscience research, development and manufacturing

Charlottetown, PE – Findings of a recent Economic Impact Assessment (EIA)confirm that the province’s bioscience industry has grown to become a key component of the Island’s economy. Carried out by Jupia Consultants of Moncton, NB, the EIA measured the contribution of the bioscience sector to the provincial economy between 2012 and 2018.

The study’s results demonstrate that bioscience has become one of the most important sectors of the provincial economy, directly contributing $214 million in GDP in 2018, employing 1,900 people and doubling its direct economic output to $405 million in 2018. The bioscience cluster now accounts for 4.4 percent of the entire provincial economy, second only to the agri-food sector in export-focused industries.

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