Archive for 2023

Two PEI Bioscience Cluster companies Island Abbey Nutritionals and Somru Bioscience have both been selected as finalists for the Greater Charlottetown Area Chamber of Commerce 2024 President’s Excellence Award in the category of Innovation Excellence. The Innovation Excellence Award, sponsored by BIOVECTRA, recognizes a business that has demonstrated outstanding performance and achievement through innovative and creative approaches, resulting in new or improved programs, products, services or initiatives. The finalists are: Island Abbey Nutritionals, Somru BioScience, and Check Point Software Technologies.

On Wednesday, January 24, 2024, the GCACC will host the 2024 President’s Excellence Awards at the Delta Hotel in Charlottetown. Sponsored by Atlantic Lottery, the Chamber’s biggest night of the year will recognize and celebrate twenty-six finalists across nine award categories.

“It’s an honour for us to host our business community for this prestigious awards night where we celebrate excellence, innovation, service, and workplace excellence for our community,” said Kim Griffin, GCACC President. “Our members are truly partners in prosperity for our community today and for the future.”

About Island Abbey Nutritionals
Island Abbey Nutritionals™ is an innovative food science company based out of Prince Edward Island, Canada. With an impressive library of proven formulations, our state-of-the-art facilities specialize in manufacturing technology for gummy and lozenge production. As industry leaders, we provide full contract manufacturing, bottling, and packaging capabilities for a variety of supplementary and natural health-focused dietary needs.

About Somru Bioscience
Somru Bioscience is an emerging biotechnology company dedicated to developing breakthrough antibody technology for research, diagnostic and therapeutic applications. The company utilizes a unique and proprietary Somru™ technology which produces antibodies with superior binding affinity and bioactivity in a wide variety of biological assays in a short period of time.

Read full article on Page 28: https://www.biotech.ca/news/insights-magazine/

Montreal, QC – The Canadian Alliance for Skills and Training in Life Sciences (CASTL) unveiled its new biomanufacturing training facility in Montreal, Quebec yesterday afternoon. Located at the Angus Technopole in east Montreal, the new facility responds to the demand for highly skilled personnel in Quebec’s growing biomanufacturing sector by offering a wide range of technical bioprocessing training.

“This is a major milestone in CASTL’s mission to enable the growth of the biomanufacturing and life sciences sector. Thanks to the incredible support of the Quebec Government, our national lead partners adMare BioInnovations, and various other partners, CASTL will deliver industry-informed technical training, preparing the current and future workforce for the growth and innovation of Quebec’s fast-growing biomanufacturing sector,” said CASTL’s Executive Director, Penny Walsh-McGuire.

The new CASTL biomanufacturing training facility contains state-of-the-art pilot-scale bioprocessing equipment that will allow employees to gain practical skills that are immediately transferable to the operations and workflows used in biomanufacturing. The facility is equipped with laboratories and classroom spaces built to deliver biomanufacturing training at the highest level of quality. The facility mimics biologics production processes such as those used to manufacture monoclonal antibodies, vaccines, viral vectors and other biopharmaceutical products of cGMPs. This includes upstream, downstream and supporting equipment, including a solution and preparation area, a cell culture laboratory, bench-top and pilot-scale single-use bioreactors, chromatography and filtration systems and other equipment.

The establishment of this training facility was made possible through an investment of $2.5 million dollars from the Quebec government.

“Today’s investment will help ensure Quebec’s growth and autonomy in drug manufacturing. The creation of the CASTL biomanufacturing training centre in Montreal consolidates Quebec’s position as a leader in the strategic biomanufacturing sector,” added Pierre Fitzgibbon, Minister of the Economy, Innovation and Energy, Minister responsible for Regional Economic Development and Minister responsible for the Metropolis and the Montreal Region.

According to BioTalent Canada’s 2021 labour market research, Quebec’s bioeconomy will require more than 15,500 additional employees by 2029, with some of the highest demand being in biomanufacturing. CASTL will help fill the demand for skilled individuals.

“As CASTL’s National Lead Partner, adMare is delighted to welcome CASTL to the Quebec life sciences ecosystem,” says Kristy Lonergan, Senior Director of the adMare Academy. “CASTL’s new biomanufacturing training facility is a critical step forward in growing the sector by addressing the talent gap through providing Canadian life sciences talent with the skills needed to develop their careers and simultaneously attracting new talent to Quebec.”

With this new facility, CASTL will deliver on-site customized hands-on and theoretical training for entry-level employees through to senior management and post-secondary students. Courses are set to start in January 2024.

“CASTL’s training facility is a critical asset, nurturing skills for the dynamic biomanufacturing sector and fueling innovation. Cutting-edge science requires cutting-edge talent. We at Moderna recognize the value of this initiative, which promises to foster a robust talent pool, ready to contribute not only to our advanced mRNA manufacturing facility, but also to the broader biotechnology industry,” stated Roger Ngassam, Manufacturing Site Head Canada, Moderna

CASTL is the exclusive provider of the National Institute for Bioprocessing Research and Training (NIBRT) licensed training programs in Canada. Based in Ireland, NIBRT develops and delivers state-of-the-art training and education programs for the world’s leading biopharmaceutical manufacturing companies.

“NIBRT is proud to partner with CASTL in its mission to advance biomanufacturing training in Canada. The unveiling of CASTL’s new biomanufacturing training facility in Montreal marks the next exciting step in this journey. NIBRT’s collaboration with CASTL is a testament to our shared dedication to equipping individuals with the skills and knowledge needed to thrive in the field of biopharmaceutical manufacturing. The provision of biopharma workforce skills remains a huge global challenge, and we at NIBRT are delighted to share our world-leading training capability to the support the development of the Canadian life sciences sector through this cutting-edge facility, which will play a pivotal role in shaping a highly skilled workforce for the future,” said NIBRT’s CEO Darrin Morrissey.

For more information on CASTL training programs visit www.castlcanada.ca or contact info@castlcanada.ca

The innovative program will train 400 future biomanufacturing workers with in-demand skills

Charlottetown, PE – Today, the Canadian Alliance for Skills and Training in Life Sciences (CASTL) announces the launch of its national biomanufacturing skills and training program – CASTL Elevate. CASTL Elevate is powered by Upskill Canada, and is part of the first wave of partnership programs that are taking an industry-informed approach to supporting workers in Canada’s fast-growing biomanufacturing sector. Support from Upskill Canada will allow CASTL to train up to 400 new biomanufacturing workers with the in-demand technical and essential skills training for careers in this innovative sector.

As part of the 10-week program, CASTL will prepare participants for biomanufacturing technician roles through a series of self-directed and instructor-led learning, along with hands-on experience at one of CASTL’s state-of-the-art biomanufacturing training facilities. The comprehensive training program is designed to present technical skills and knowledge in good manufacturing practices (GMP), good documentation practices (GDP), following standard operating procedures (SOPs), gowning for work in a biomanufacturing environment, cleaning in a biomanufacturing environment, using basic and foundational equipment, and understanding various roles and processes in a biomanufacturing environment. In addition to technical training, participants will benefit from professional development, job search coaching,  and networking opportunities with industry experts.

The program is designed to assist younger workers, new Canadians, diverse populations, and others in recognizing transferable skills, acquiring new knowledge and launching new careers in Canada’s biomanufacturing sector.

Supported by funding from Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada’s (ISED) Upskilling for Industry Initiative, more than 15,000 Canadian workers will benefit from an innovative approach to skills training. Central to the Upskill Canada initiative is the role of community training providers, who work closely with local and national employers to identify precise suites of skills being sought by industry. Equipping workers with these skills will create new career pathways for Canadians and better position Canadian companies to compete both domestically and internationally.

Quick Facts

• CASTL is a national skills and training organization formed to address the talent needs of Canada’s life sciences sector.
• Specializing in biomanufacturing, CASTL delivers on the economic and sectoral demand for individuals who have the technical skills to enter, thrive and meet the needs of the fast-growing Canadian biomanufacturing industry.
• With headquarters in Prince Edward Island, CASTL operates GMP-like biomanufacturing training facilities in Charlottetown, PE and Montreal, QC. In partnership with the BC Institute of Technology, CASTL will open a third facility in Richmond, BC in Summer 2024.
• CASTL is the exclusive Canadian provider of the globally recognized National Institute for Bioprocessing Research and Training (NIBRT) licensed training programs. Based in Ireland, NIBRT develops and delivers state-of-the-art training and education programs for the world’s leading biopharmaceutical manufacturing companies.
• CASTL’s Elevate program will be delivered between December 2023-March 2025. Through this program, CASTL will training up to 400 new workers with the in-demand technical and essential skills training for careers in the biomanufacturing sector.
• The 10-week CASTL Elevate program will prepare participants for biomanufacturing technician roles through a series of self-directred and instructor-led learning along with hands-on experience at one of CASTL’s state-of-the-art biomanufacturing training facilities. English and French programs will be available to participants.
• Individuals interested in applying for the CASTL Elevate program can learn more and register at www.castlcanada.ca/en/elevate-program
• According to BioTalent Canada’s 2021 national labour market information study, Canada’s bioeconomy will require more than 65,000 additional workers by 2029, with some of the highest demand being in biomanufacturing.

Quotes

“We’re so proud to formally launch Upskill Canada with our inaugural class of workers and training service providers. This is a big first step – but it’s only the beginning. We’re looking forward to working with our supporters in government and industry to upskill many more Canadians, so they can transition into high-demand roles in the modern workforce – and help fast-growing companies achieve their full potential.”

– Rhonda Barnet, CEO of Palette Skills, which was chosen by ISED to run the Upskill Canada initiative

“CASTL is thrilled to present this new training program that will bring industry-informed skills and training to develop a much-needed talent pool for Canada’s fast-growing biomanufacturing sector. Thank you to Upskill Canada Canada and ISED for investing in this initiative and enabling us to support and develop the future workforce of Canada’s biomanufacturing industry.”

– Penny Walsh-McGuire, Executive Director, Canadian Alliance for Skills and Training in Life Sciences, a fund recipient and partner program of Upskill Canada.

Join us November 16 for a BioNetworking Session featuring the National Research Council Canada / Conseil national de recherches Canada. This event will feature informative presentations followed by lunch and networking, and the option to book 1:1 meetings with the NRC in the afternoon. You won’t want to miss it!

Thursday, November 16
⏰ 10 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Holman Grand, Charlottetown
✉ RSVP: https://lnkd.in/ei23yGcU

Schedule:

1 0 – 10:15 a.m. – Coffee and Networking

1 0:15 – 12 p.m. – Presentations and Q&A

1 2 – 12:30 p.m. – Lunch and Networking

1 :30 – 5 p.m. – Office Hours (Book a 1:1 Meeting with the NRC)

With presentations from:

Vice-President’s Office, Life Sciences

• Dr. Lakshmi Krishnan, Vice President of Life Sciences, National Research Council

Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre

• Dr. Sue Twine, Director General, Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre

Aquatic and Crop Resource Development Research Centre

• Denise LeBlanc, Director General, Aquatic and Crop Resource Development
• Dr. Jim Johnston, Director, Research and Development
• Dr. Stephen O’Leary, Research Officer and Team Lead, Algal Genomics & Synthetic Biology
• Dr. Anja Vogt, Research Officer and Team Lead, Analytical and Down Stream Processing

Medical Devices Research Centre

• Dr. Amaya Arcelus, Director General
• Dr. Priyum Koonjul, Director, Business Development

Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre / Business Team

• Dr. Paul Payette, Director, Business Development

An established manufacturer of gummies and honey lozenges in the health and wellness space, Island Abbey has been contract manufacturing for some of the industry’s leading brands for over 13 years. In the Summer of 2023, the company brought their newest manufacturing capabilities online with considerably increased capacity and new technology including a heavy suspension skid, enabling market-leading loads of active ingredients within a gummy, and increased capacity for their unique honey gummies.

To continue the forward momentum, the company has decided to clearly indicate its specialization as a manufacturer of gummy vitamin, mineral and supplement products by changing its name from Island Abbey Foods® to Island Abbey Nutritionals™.

“This is an exciting time for Island Abbey Nutritionals. Our change of name cements our strategic focus on the health supplements industry and ushers in a new era of gummy manufacturing for the company,” said CEO Dean Williams . “We have invested considerably in order to increase our production capabilities and to broaden the opportunity for brands to benefit from our new capabilities. Our new gummy line has a heavy suspension skid that enables us to manufacture great tasting gummies containing higher volumes of active ingredients that are traditionally difficult to manufacture in gummy form, e.g., calcium and magnesium gummies.”

Island Abbey Nutritionals’ new manufacturing capabilities were made possible by the installation of top-of-the-line gummy production equipment commissioned from Tanis. The Island Abbey Nutritionals team was closely supported by the Tanis team in all elements of the new line, from R&D to design, installation, and production. Victor Tanis , spokesperson from Tanis said “Island Abbey Nutritionals has recently installed an outstanding confectionery production line in their new facility. We have found their team extremely professional, knowledgeable, and collaborative to work with. This has been a project undertaken over several years, so we had the additional strains that the Covid-19 pandemic contributed to the project, but the team at Island Abbey Nutritionals has been proactive and positive throughout and we are very pleased to see the line up and running so well.”

The company, based on Prince Edward Island, Canada, has undertaken a capex expansion to meet the demand for new, innovative and delicious gummies in the health and wellness market. They have tripled their production space in recent years, and now have a state-of-the-art facility stretching over 70,000 square feet. The facility is certified GMP by NSF and is certified SQF under the GFSI scheme.

As a major employer on the island, Island Abbey Nutritionals worked closely with the Prince Edward Island BioAlliance, a private sector-led not-for-profit organization dedicated to building the bioscience industry on Prince Edward Island.

Rory Francis, CEO of the PEI BioAlliance said “Island Abbey Nutritionals is a great success story of the growing bioscience sector in PEI. They have expanded their markets to dozens of international countries and are continually innovating new products, and we look forward to working together and supporting them as a key organization in our PEI bioscience cluster.”

Williams said “Our increased production capacity and capabilities is not our only news, our Innovation team here at Island Abbey Nutritionals is working on some exciting new ingredients and benefit-driven gummies for our clients. From adaptogens to botanicals, energy to sleep, workout prep to immunity boosts, we are confident that our range of gummies, our high -volume high-efficiency manufacturing facility and our professional and experienced team here at Island Abbey Nutritionals will prove to be innovative disruptors in the gummy vitamin industry.”

A team from Island Abbey Nutritionals will be at Supply Side West 2023. Anyone wishing to learn more about Island Abbey Nutritionals’ capabilities can get in touch via the website to arrange a meeting at SSW or virtually.

For more information on Island Abbey Nutritionals, please visit the company website www.islandabbey.com.

BIOVECTRA and Acuitas Therapeutics, Inc. today announced that they have entered into a technology transfer service agreement under which BIOVECTRA will accept, on a non-exclusive basis, Acuitas’ best-in-class LNP technology platform for manufacturing mRNA-based therapeutics.

“We are thrilled about this partnership with Acuitas Therapeutics, a global leader in LNP delivery systems,” stated Marc Sauer, Ph.D., Chief Science Officer, BIOVECTRA. “Our work together will provide their licensed partners with faster market access to cGMP-quality LNPs for early and late-stage products. BIOVECTRA looks forward to continuing to make a difference in patients’ lives by supporting GMP and commercial-ready LNP formulation at our new mRNA biomanufacturing facility in Atlantic Canada.”

Read full article.

Revolutionary all-natural breast prosthesis Comfort ‘n’ Confidence improving quality of life for breast cancer survivors

Au Naturel Solutions is partnering with organizations across North America to transform lives by providing access to an all-natural breast prosthesis. Comfort ‘n’ Confidence is Au Naturel Solution’s silicone-free breast prosthesis, crafted from all-natural materials, offering a remarkable, comfortable, and safer solution for individuals who have undergone mastectomies or breast-related surgeries. Au Naturel Solutions is a client of Emergence Bioscience Incubator and a member of the bioscience sector community.

Driven by a strong sense of social responsibility, Au Naturel Solutions is supporting the Cancer de Mama clinic, extending its impact to breast cancer survivors in La Penita, Mexico, who have had mastectomies as a treatment for breast cancer. Au Naturel Solutions plans to donate prostheses to the 2024 campaign and has created a Go Fund Me to raise contributions in support of these efforts.

Simonne Cormier, CEO and Founder of Au Naturel Solutions says that Cancer de Mama’s mission of “helping women in Mexico survive breast cancer with comfort and dignity” aligns very well with her own mission and why she began this journey.

“Our goal is to send 100 or more Comfort ‘n’ Confidence all-natural breast prostheses to Mexico to support this initiative,” said Cormier. “We are dedicated to improving the quality of life of these women and look forward to contributing a more comfortable and safer prosthesis, one that is lightweight, breathable, hypo-allergenic and easy to care for.”

Based in Prince Edward Island, Au Naturel Solutions has made significant strides in the last year in the development of the Comfort ‘n’ Confidence breast prosthesis. With 80% of breast cancer diagnosis being hormone receptor-positive with sensitivity to estrogen stimulants, external breast prosthesis made of all-natural, plant and animal-based materials show promise as a healthy alternative and closer to the body’s own physiology, eliminating risk otherwise experienced with silicone-based prosthesis.

“It was important for me to ensure that the prosthesis closely emulated the natural feel and density of the breast,” said Cormier. “Because our prostheses are made of all-natural materials, it also addresses concerns associated with long-term exposure to silicone, including the possibility of endocrine disruption, skin irritation, and even relapse.”

Au Naturel Solutions is also proud to partner with the Canadian Cancer Society, donating 5% of their profits to CCS contributing to their ongoing investment into world-leading research and the delivery of compassionate support programs for people diagnosed with the disease, their families, and caregivers.

The Comfort ‘n’ Confidence prosthesis is available to purchase through the Au Naturel Solutions website and at select retail partners including Murphy’s Pharmacies, select Jean-Coutu Pharmacies in Quebec and Eastern Ontario and New Brunswick. The prostheses will also soon be available at 11 Lawtons Home HealthCare locations across Atlantic Canada, with plans for expansion in 2024 through other distribution channels across Canada and into the United States.

Collaboration remains at the heart of Au Naturel Solutions’ journey. By continuing to partner with medical professionals, prosthetists, and users, they are ensuring that the Comfort ‘n’ Confidence prosthesis delivers patient satisfaction by empowering the wearer to adjust the fit according to their own need.

“Together we aim to embrace the future with comfort and confidence,” said Cormier.

Prince Edward Island BioAlliance the first in North America to receive gold label recognition

Charlottetown, PE – As Canada celebrates Global Biotech Week, the Prince Edward Island bioscience cluster continues to establish its reputation nationally and internationally. The Prince Edward Island BioAlliance has been awarded the Gold Label of Cluster Management Excellence by the European Secretariat for Cluster Analysis (ESCA). The ESCA provides benchmarking and quality labelling of cluster management organizations worldwide.

The PEI bioscience sector has been recognized nationally and internationally for the collaborative economic cluster model that has advanced and grown the sector to 60 companies earning more than $600 million annually, employing 2,200 people and attracting $100 million in investment in 2021. The BioAlliance is a partnership of private sector companies, academic and research agencies, investors, and federal and provincial government partners strongly aligned through a shared vision for the sector and a unique strategy for growth.

“This international recognition is a testament to the hard work and dedication of all of our cluster partners, who together have established the bioscience sector as a key pillar in the economic foundation of the province and Atlantic Canada,” said Oliver Technow, Chair of the Board of Directors, PEI BioAlliance, and CEO, BIOVECTRA. “The BioAlliance has proven the value of an aligned strategy for cluster development, creating an innovation ecosystem that addresses priorities such as infrastructure, access to a talented workforce, and attraction of technology, people, and capital.”

The ESCA began the audit process earlier this year and evaluated the BioAlliance against 31 indicators and numerous sub-indicators. Strengths noted in the report praised the sector’s strategic planning and execution, the degree of cooperation and participation within the cluster, and the quality of services provided to cluster participants.

Based in Berlin, the ESCA provides hands-on advice to cluster managers on cluster development and supports cluster policy makers and program owners with advice on program development. They offer three quality labels: Bronze, Silver and Gold. Of the more than 1,500 clusters evaluated by ESCA in 46 countries, PEI is the first from North America to have received this recognition, with only 144 clusters worldwide who have received gold (three in bioscience).

“The PEI Bioscience Cluster has great momentum and unlimited opportunity,” said Rory Francis, CEO, PEI BioAlliance. “The BioAlliance team and our collaborative cluster development model have been essential elements in catalyzing key initiatives that have created the enabling conditions for new business attraction, technology commercialization, and business success.”

Dedicated to celebrating science, innovation and solutions, this year’s Global Biotech Week is being held from Sept. 24 – 30, 2023. The purpose of Global Biotech Week is to raise awareness of the industry and its global potential among policymakers, policy influencers and the general public more broadly.

Save the date for VetHealth Global, the premier international animal health and nutrition business conference, being held in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada, from June 24-26, 2025 and hosted by the PEI BioAlliance.

Mark your calendars and join us! Want to learn more? Check out our conference video to hear about the unique experience from some of our delegates.

The PEI BioAlliance has released the Annual Report for 2022-23 (April 1, 2022 – March 31, 2023) with key highlights and milestones from the year. Our BioAlliance Annual Report presents an important opportunity to highlight the achievements and milestones accomplished by the dynamic and growing bioscience sector here in Prince Edward Island.

Thank you to the over 2,300 executives, scientists, technicians, support and operations staff in businesses, research and academic institutions, investment firms, and government agencies, who together as a community have made these achievements possible. Our bioscience cluster has already surpassed 2025 growth targets and is well on its way to becoming a billion-dollar industry by 2030. In 2021, private sector company revenues reached $575 million, a $200 million increase over 2020.

It is the combination of strong growth of the cluster’s larger companies and the commercial success of earlier stage companies which has been an excellent recipe for sustained development of the cluster. It has been truly remarkable to see the range of breakthrough technologies and products coming from our cluster companies that are bringing new solutions to global challenges in human, animal, and fish health. Collaboration and cooperation among businesses, academic and research partners, and governments at all levels continues to make PEI a great place to grow bioscience-based businesses.

Read the full report to learn more about the growing biosciences cluster in PEI.

Seven of Canada’s accomplished agricultural champions will take the stage on November 4 as the 2023 inductees into the Canadian Agricultural Hall of Fame. CEO of the PEI BioAlliance Rory Francis was named as one of the inductees and is only the third Prince Edward Island resident to have received this recognition alongside Premier Walter Jones (1962) and Premier Walter Shaw (1980). Other 2023 inductees include Garnet Altwasser, John Bragg, Marcel Groleau, Ron Helwer, Robert Irving and Ray Robertson.

“This year’s inductees come from across the country and across a wide array of sectors of the Canadian agricultural landscape, and we are so excited to welcome them into the Canadian Agricultural Hall of Fame,” says President Ted Menzies. “These Canadian agricultural ambassadors have made lifelong contributions at the farm, regional, national and international level that support the long-term sustainability and success of our industry.”

Rory Francis has dedicated his career to the agriculture and life science sector in Canada with a particular passion for island agriculture. His work and vision as a dedicated public servant and business founder have changed the commercial landscape of PEI, where he is CEO of PEI BioAlliance.

Rory is the Founder and Board Chair of the Eastern Canada Oilseed Development Alliance which has facilitated over 50 multi-year agricultural research projects valued at over $20 million connecting industry partners from Ontario, Quebec and Atlantic provinces with researchers from Saskatchewan to the Maritime provinces. He was a Board Member of the Canadian Agri-Food Policy Institute from 2010-2019 and a Board Member of the Vineland Research and Innovation Centre from 2013-2019. Rory has been a long-standing Board Member, and current Chair of the Advisory Board for the National Research Council of Canada’s Aquatics and Crop Resource Development Centres. He is also the founder in 2007 of VetHealth Global, one of the leading international veterinary business conferences.

Rory Francis was nominated by the PEI Department of Agriculture and Land, and Byron Beeler. The 2023 induction ceremony will be held on Saturday, November 4 in Charlottetown, PEI.

Delegates from six continents and more than 20 countries to participate in the premier animal health and nutrition business conference

Charlottetown, PE – For the first time since 2019, more than 200 senior international animal health and nutrition business executives, investors and innovators will gather for VetHealth Global 2023 from June 26-28 in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. VetHealth Global is the premier international animal health and nutrition business conference that has been recognized for its stellar list of presenters, innovative emerging company sessions, professional business partnering programming and top-rated networking events.

This is the eighth VetHealth Global conference since 2007, hosted every two years by the Prince Edward Island BioAlliance. Due to pandemic restrictions, the last VetHealth Global conference was held in 2019. This year’s exceptional program features speakers from six continents and more than 20 countries including Kenya, Uruguay, France, Netherlands, Japan, Australia and more.

“VetHealth Global is a unique event for animal health and nutrition companies, large and small, to gain insight from well-seasoned leaders and identify new business opportunities,” said Rory Francis, CEO, PEI BioAlliance and VetHealth Global Chair. “It is an ideal environment for business-to-business networking and we are very pleased to welcome this global delegation to PEI.”

Four panel discussions will bring together global leaders to discuss areas of significance to the industry: the animal health industry in Africa, the investment environment, digital technologies and AI, as well as regulatory policy perspectives from five leading jurisdictions around the world. Additionally, there are three keynote speakers and 24 presentations by outstanding innovators, providing valuable insight into the global animal health industry.

This year’s Honourary Chair is Sébastien Huron, CEO of Virbac, an animal health pharmaceutical manufacturer, that provides innovative solutions to veterinarians, farmers and animal owners in more than 100 countries around the world, covering more than 50 species.

Other large multi-national companies that will be in attendance include Ceva Santé Animale, Elanco, Meiji Animal Health, Zoetis, Merck, Vetoquinol, and more.

VetHealth Global focuses international attention on PEI’s fast-growing bioscience cluster and innovations in veterinary health products, animal feed additives, diagnostics and fish vaccines. Animal health and nutrition is a key pillar of the growth of the bioscience sector in PEI.

“PEI is a center of expertise in animal and fish health product commercialization,” said Francis. “VetHealth Global has become a must-attend event for animal health executives and gives bioscience companies in PEI the connections they need to advance their business.”

VetHealth Global is supported by the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA) and the Government of Prince Edward Island.

“The connections made this week will build upon the pillars of Canada’s Biomanufacturing and Life Sciences Strategy, strengthening research systems, supporting emerging areas of growth, and improving access to capital,” said Sean Casey, Member of Parliament for Charlottetown, on behalf of the Honourable Ginette Petitpas Taylor, Minister of Official Languages and Minister responsible for ACOA.”The Government of Canada is pleased to invest in these important business growth opportunities in the biosciences here in Atlantic Canada.”

“The bioscience sector is one of the most exciting and promising areas of economic growth in Prince Edward Island,” said the Honourable Gilles Arsenault, Minister of Economic Development, Innovation and Trade, Government of Prince Edward Island. “Hosting the VetHealth Global conference is a unique opportunity to give an international audience a chance to discover how our province is a prime environment for innovation in the biosciences, especially in the areas of animal health and nutrition.”

42 organizations promote region’s products and innovation at BIO International Convention

“Once again this year, the region’s biosciences industry demonstrated they have earned their place as leaders in the global innovation ecosystem at Bio 2023. The Atlantic Canada delegation successfully showcased new initiatives in research, innovation, skills and training, and infrastructure within the region that are helping to advance Canada’s Biomanufacturing and Life Sciences Strategy. Our strong presence at the conference is a testament to the achievements and capabilities of the bioscience industry in Atlantic Canada, and ACOA is proud to support these outreach and growth opportunities for our region.”

• The Honourable Ginette Petitpas Taylor, Minister of Official Languages and Minister responsible for ACOA

 “The Atlantic Canadian delegation to BIO 2023 successfully highlighted new initiatives in research, innovation, skills and training and infrastructure in the region that are advancing Canada’s Biomanufacturing and Life Sciences Strategy. Our strong presence at the conference is a testament to the achievements and capabilities of the bioscience industry in Atlantic Canada.”

•  Rory Francis, CEO, Prince Edward Island BioAlliance

BIO International Convention to be held in Boston, MA from June 5 – 8, 2023

Charlottetown, PE – The Atlantic Canada Bio Industries Alliance (ACBA) is leading a group of more than 30 Atlantic Canadian bioscience and life sciences companies, research, health and education institutions and business accelerators to BIO 2023 from June 5-8, 2023 in Boston, Massachusetts.

The annual BIO International Convention, hosted by Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO), is the world’s largest industry gathering and brings together thousands of global biotechnology and biopharmaceutical leaders. The four-day, in-person event includes networking, programming, and partnering opportunities.

“This year, Atlantic Canada is bringing the largest delegation we’ve ever had to BIO,” said Jennifer Lenentine, Manager, Corporate Services, PEI BioAlliance and Atlantic Canadian Delegation Lead, ACBA. “This international conference is an opportunity to promote the growing bioscience sectors of each of 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.”

In addition to business meetings and networking opportunities at BIO 2023, the Atlantic Canadian delegation will also have an exhibition presence within the Canada Pavilion, which unifies companies and research organizations from other regions of the country.

Atlantic Canada’s thriving bioscience and life sciences sector is a rapidly expanding economic engine, encompassing approximately 300 businesses, employing over 5,000 individuals, and generating an impressive $1 billion in annual revenue.

Expertise in the region includes human and animal health clinical trials, fermentation-based biomanufacturing (CDMO and CMO infrastructure and services), and biopharma skills and training. Market targets address unmet needs in human, animal, and fish health, offering a wide array of products including pharmaceutical APIs, bio-pharmaceuticals, natural products, medical devices, and diagnostics. The Atlantic Canadian bioscience sector also excels in the specialized field of blue bio-economy resource development.

Support for the Atlantic Canadian delegation was provided in part through the Atlantic Trade and Investment Growth Agreement, a federal/provincial agreement between the Government of Canada and the governments of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and Labrador. The Atlantic Canadian mission is being 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 BioNova, PEI BioAliance, ResearchNB, and TechNL.

About the Atlantic Canada Bio Industries Alliance
The Atlantic Canadian Bio Industries Alliance (ACBA) leads the organizations responsible for bioscience industry development in Atlantic Canada and bridges the gap between scientific research and business development in each of their respective provinces through collaborative processes and regional cooperation. ACBA is comprised of four agencies: BioNova, PEI BioAlliance, ResearchNB, and TechNL who together support the growth of the bioscience sector in the region.

The Center for Aquaculture Technologies Canada (CATC) announced the expansion of their Canadian laboratory services receiving both the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) recognition and EU Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) certification effective immediately.

This GLP recognition provides CATC the ability to conduct aquatic safety studies at both the Souris and Victoria facilities in PEI under the OECD GLP principles, the highest quality standard required for determining safety of products destined for regulatory approval. CATC is the only Canadian Aquatic Contract Research Organization with this recognition.

The CATC facility in Victoria PEI has also received GMP certification from the German EU monitoring authority for batch release testing of aquatic vaccines. The GMP batch release testing ensures the highest quality of products, minimizes risks associated with release to market and facilitates international recognition of the products in the countries that require GMP certification.

CATC is also fully compliant with the International Cooperation on Harmonization of Technical Requirements for Registration of Veterinary Medicinal Products (VICH), Good Clinical Practice (GCP) guidelines and offers the same level of quality for clinical efficacy studies.

The Center for Aquaculture Technologies (CAT) is a global, full-service, Contract Research Organization that is focused on the application of technologies to improve productivity, efficiency, and sustainability in the aquaculture industry. CAT is home to a unique combination of world-class scientists, bringing together complementary expertise in fish health, nutrition, feed & laboratory technologies and genetics working in state-of-the-art facilities to deliver innovative, tailor-made solutions for organizations in the sector.

Consortium led by Open Practice and IPS – Integrated Project Services successful contractors

Charlottetown, PE – Following the recent announcement of provincial and federal financing for the BioAccelerator, a new 75,000 sq. ft. biomanufacturing center of expertise, the contract for detailed engineering design and project management has been awarded to a consortium led by Open Practice and IPS – Integrated Project Services.

Earlier this year, the Governments of Canada and Prince Edward Island announced a $50 million investment in the BioAccelerator, the largest single investment in economic development infrastructure in PEI history. Situated in the BioCommons Research Park in Charlottetown, the BioAccelerator will be a unique multi-function facility with 75,000 sq. ft. of biomanufacturing space that will provide facilities and services to researchers, entrepreneurs, and bioscience-based companies operating along the full continuum from research and product development, process development, manufacturing scale-up, and biomanufacturing skills and training. The BioAccelerator will become a centrepiece for biomanufacturing and fermentation-based business development in Atlantic Canada and a national asset.

Following an extensive basis-of-design development stage and RFP process, five high quality proposals were received from firms and consortia across Canada. The consortium of Open Practice and IPS were the successful proponents for the design tender.

Open Practice is a design-led firm offering services in community and urban planning, feasibility studies, and sustainable architecture. IPS is a global leader in developing innovative solutions for the consulting, architecture, engineering, project controls, procurement, construction management, and commissioning, qualification and validation of technically complex facilities worldwide. Both Open Practice and IPS have employees based in PEI, working on a number of projects including bioscience engineering projects.

“We were pleased with the excellent proposals received to carry out the detailed engineering design for the BioAccelerator and are now moving forward with the next steps on this project,” said Rory Francis, CEO, PEI BioAlliance. “We are committed to keeping the momentum going as the BioAccelerator will provide essential biomanufacturing facilities and services for businesses across the region and beyond.”

Tenants in the BioAccelerator will include early-stage companies, small, and medium size enterprises from Atlantic Canada, across Canada, and from international locations. It will also include the facilities and expertise of the National Research Council of Canada’s atypical fermentation labs as well as CASTL, providing hands-on biopharmaceutical manufacturing training for the talent pipeline that will be essential to Canada’s Biomanufacturing and Life Sciences Strategy. The BioAccelerator will be CASTL’s national headquarters and expanded lead training facility.

The BioAccelerator will be owned by the Charlottetown Area Development Corporation (CADC) and operated by the PEI BioAlliance. Once engineering design services are complete, the construction tender will be issued and awarded, with construction expected to be completed by fall 2025.

For more information on the BioAccelerator, visit peibioalliance.com/bioaccelerator.

Please join us Thursday, May 11 for our next BioNetworking Session – The PEI Bioscience Cluster: A Biomanufacturing Centre of Expertise. This event will feature informative presentations from: BIOVECTRA, Croda Canada and Elanco. You won’t want to miss it!

📅 May 11, 2023
⏰ Presentations: 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
⏰ Networking Lunch: 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.
📍 Victorian Room, Rodd Charlottetown Hotel
✉ Please RSVP

On Tuesday, April 18, the Society of Chemical Industry (SCI) held the annual SCI Canada Awards Dinner, bringing together key members of the chemical and industrial community in Canada. The Awards dinner is a prestigious networking event that is pivotal in bringing science and business together by enhancing connections between industry, chemical science and engineering professionals across the board.

CEO of the PEI BioAlliance Rory Francis received the Purvis Memorial Award, which is presented to an individual for significant strategy development and successful implementation within the Canadian chemical industry. Congratulations to Rory on this recognition!

Rory is a native of Prince Edward Island. He earned a BSc in geology and chemistry from Mount Allison University, as well as an MSc in Hydrogeology from the University of Waterloo.

Since 2004 he has been CEO of the Prince Edward Island BioAlliance, a not-for-profit partnership of bioscience businesses, academic and research organizations, and government agencies that includes 60 companies earning over $600 million in annual sales, making the bio sector the second largest industry in the province. He is a founder of the Emergence Bioscience Business Incubator, Natural Products Canada, a national natural products ecosystem and business accelerator, and the Canadian Alliance for Skills and Training in Life Sciences (CASTL).

Prior to the award presentations, a panel discussion took place around the theme of ‘Unlocking the potential of Science Talent enabling impact on Canada’s economic growth.’ This seminar explored specific Canadian government programmes, the policies that help promote Canada’s science talent development and how these enable economic growth, whilst also positioning Canada as a global leader in technology and innovation.

Panellists included Rory Francis, CEO, PEI BioAlliance (Purvis Memorial Award winner, 2023); Dr. Alison Ewart, Dean of Centre for Research & Innovation at Fanshawe College; Professor Howard Alper, Distinguished Professor at University of Ottawa; and Dr. Fiona Hess, Process Chemist and Member of the SCI Canada Committee.

2023 Award Winners:

• Canada Medal: Dr Paul Smith, Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics
• Purvis Memorial Award: Rory Francis, PEI BioAlliance
• LeSueur Memorial Award: Dr Rupert Spence, DuPont Canada
• International Award: Dr Vaikuntam Iyer Lakshmanan OC, Process Research ORTECH Inc
• Julia Levy Award: Prof. Pieter Cullis, The University of British Columbia
• Kalev Pugi Award: Prof. Francesca Kerton, Memorial University
• Outreach Award: Grenfell Campus, Memorial University – Prof. Geoffrey Rayner-Canham, Chaim Christiana Andersen, and Rosalina Naqitarvik

Join seasoned entrepreneur and Emergence Team Mentor Kent Summers for a sales bootcamp, you won’t want to miss. Perfect for startups looking to learn the basics of sales or increase their sales performance, this workshop is held over the course of 5 half-day sessions, in person and online. This workshop is hosted by Emergence, Atlantic Canada’s bioscience business incubator that accelerates the growth of startups and early-stage companies moving from ideation to commercialization.

Session topics include developing an effective sales toolkit, the dos and don’ts of prospecting, end-to-end sales, identifying market segments, direct vs. channel sales, value proposition framing, stakeholder mapping, measuring sales performance, and more!

BUY TICKETS

In Person and Online: May 18-19, 2023
Online: May 23, 25 and 30, 2023
Cost: $200 per company

About Kent Summers
Kent Summers is a seasoned entrepreneur with four successful startups and a 30-year contribution to the Boston entrepreneurship community in operating, volunteer and board roles.

Kent is an Emergence Team Mentor and teaches the B2B Sales for Startups course at MIT and is a regular lecturer at the Harvard Business School.

Hosted by the PEI BioAlliance, VetHealth Global, the premier international animal health and nutrition business conference, is pleased to announce that registration is now open! VetHealth Global will be held in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada, from June 26-28, 2023.

Register Now!

Visit the VetHealth Global website to check out the full conference program as well as the list of outstanding speakers who will be presenting at the 2023 conference.

For those travelling to PEI, it’s never too early to book your accommodations using the special VetHealth Global rate at the Delta Prince Edward.

VetHealth Global is a must-attend event for animal health and nutrition business executives, investors, and innovators. Since 2007, it has been recognized for its outstanding list of presenters, innovative emerging company sessions, professional business partnering program, and top-rated networking events.

Following the recent announcement of provincial and federal financing for the BioAccelerator, a new 75,000 sq. ft. biomanufacturing center of expertise, the RFP – Detailed Engineering Design has now been issued.

Situated in the BioCommons Research Park in Charlottetown, the BioAccelerator will be a unique multi-function facility with 75,000 sq. ft. of biomanufacturing space that will provide facilities and services to researchers, entrepreneurs, and bioscience-based companies operating along the full continuum from research and product development, process development, manufacturing scale-up, and biomanufacturing skills and training. The BioAccelerator will become a centrepiece for biomanufacturing and fermentation-based business development in Atlantic Canada and a national asset.

For more information on the RFP for Detailed Engineering Design, interested parties can apply through the Government of PEI portal.

For more information on the BioAccelerator, visit peibioalliance.com/bioaccelerator.

Members of the bioscience community are invited to join us on March 29 from 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. for the first BioNetworking Session of 2023. This event will feature presentations from: Pegasus Biotech, Sekisui Diagnostics and BioSpa (Quann) Cosmeceuticals, as well as an update from the PEI BioAlliance. Presentations will be followed by a networking lunch.

Date: March 29, 2023
Presentations: 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Networking Lunch: 12:30 – 1:30 p.m.
Location: Rotary Auditorium, Charlottetown Library Learning Centre

Please RSVP.

Federal investment to expand facility will support high-skilled job growth and strengthen the bioscience sector in PEI. 

For over a decade, a family-owned biotechnology company in Prince Edward Island has been making a name for itself around the globe, developing innovative and affordable pharmaceutical solutions. With Government of Canada support, Somru BioScience Inc. is expanding operations to provide enhanced research and laboratory support for clients developing biotherapeutic treatments.

Innovative Research Services

On February 16, the Honourable Ginette Petitpas Taylor, Minister of Official Languages and Minister responsible for ACOA, announced a total federal investment of $1,950,000, through the Regional Economic Growth through Innovation (REGI) program for two projects with Somru BioScience Inc.

The contribution will help the company launch a contract research services division in Charlottetown, P.E.I. in response to increased market demand in the biologics and biosimilar drug market. With the help of this federal investment, the company will proceed with a 15,000 square foot expansion that will further position the company as a global leader. Along with new, advanced equipment, this will give Somru the capacity to offer large molecule bioanalytical services to pharmaceutical development companies in North America and Europe.

This announcement demonstrates the Government of Canada’s commitment to advance Atlantic Canada’s bioscience sector in a globally competitive market, and attract more highly-skilled workers to the region.

Read more.

On Feb. 2nd, members of the Island business community came together to celebrate the 2022 Greater Summerside Chamber of Commerce Business Excellence Awards at the Loyalist Country Inn. The event, sponsored by Innovation PEI, honoured finalists and winners in eight different categories: Business Excellence in an organization with 1-10 Employees, Business Excellence in an organization with 11+ employees, New Business of the Year, Innovator of the Year, Community Impact, Employee of the Year, Accessibility & Inclusivity, and Lifetime Business Achievement.

The winner of the Business Excellence Award (1-10 Employees), sponsored by Microtel Inn & Suites by Wyndham, was BioSpa (Quannessence Skincare). BioSpa is a PEI company that manufactures and distributes a novel professional skincare line – Quannessence Skincare – with botanical based technologies that improve skin conditions and assist in reducing the effects of aging.  Guided by traditional knowledge and cutting-edge science, each product is exclusively made on Prince Edward Island and several of the ingredients used in the products are derived from PEI-based extracts.

Today the Canadian Alliance for Skills and Training in Life Sciences (CASTL) announced an important milestone in addressing the future skills needs of the bioscience sector. The PEI BioAlliance founded CASTL as part of our strategy to ensure a skilled talent pipeline to support cluster growth.

The Government of Canada and the Government of British Columbia have just announced a combined $7.2-million investment to create a new biomanufacturing training centre at BCIT, where in partnership with CASTL biomanufacturing training will be delivered to build the talent pool to meet the needs of the growing life sciences and biomanufacturing businesses

The new National Biomanufacturing Training Centre (NBTC) will be the first of its kind in B.C. It will give more people access to hands-on training courses to help them get skills for careers in life sciences and biomanufacturing. The NBTC will be part of CASTL’s national network of training facilities that offer industry-recognized curriculum from CASTL’s global partner, the National Institute for Bioprocessing Research and Training (NIBRT). Based in Ireland, NIBRT is a global centre of excellence for developing state-of-the-art training and research in bioprocessing.

“CASTL is excited to work with BCIT and others to help build a talent engine to power a growing biomanufacturing sector,” said Penny Walsh-McGuire, Executive Director, CASTL. “The launch of this new facility will provide industry employees and post-secondary students with access to theoretical and hands-on training from a globally recognized curriculum. We appreciate the support of the Government of Canada and the Government of British Columbia as well as our network of industry and academic partners.”

The new facility will contain state-of-the-art pilot-scale bioprocessing equipment that will allow learners from industry and academic programs to gain practical skills that are immediately transferable to process scale-up and clean room environments.

It will be equipped with laboratories and classroom spaces built to allow our industry-informed trainers to deliver the highest quality training programs in a realistic GMP-simulated operational manufacturing environment.

CASTL training facilities are designed to allow employees and trainees a learning environment where they can make mistakes safely – avoiding deviations, lost time or lost batches in a real manufacturing setting.

“This National Biomanufacturing Training Centre is a natural extension of BCIT’s expertise in workforce development to support Canada’s Life Sciences sector,” said Paul McCullough, BCIT Interim President. “With funding support from the Province of British Columbia and the Government of Canada, we are excited to move forward in collaboration with the Canadian Alliance for Skills and Training in Life Sciences to develop a state-of-the-art facility and suite of programs to respond to industry need. British Columbia has long been recognized as a leader in biosciences and today marks another important milestone in creating a home for biomanufacturing workforce development and offering a portfolio of programs to support the growth of this sector.”

CASTL is supported by lead national partner, the adMare Academy. Together, CASTL and adMare Bioinnovations adMare Academy work to facilitate the development, delivery, and growth of training programs across the country.

“adMare is proud to partner with CASTL to develop biomanufacturing talent across Canada. The opening of the British Columbia Biomanufacturing Training Facility strengthens the national network essential to develop talented employees, which form the core of a strong life science industry,” said Gordon McCauley, President & CEO of adMare BioInnovations.

The facility at BCIT’s campus is expected to open in Spring 2024 with the first biomanufacturing training program delivered later that summer.

In October 2022, CASTL opened its first Biomanufacturing Training Facility in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. In January 2023, CASTL announced its second Biomanufacturing Training Facility would open in Montreal, Quebec, in Fall 2023.

For more information on CASTL training programs, visit castlcanada.ca.

$50M government investment in major infrastructure in PEI will support Canada’s rapidly expanding bioscience industry

Charlottetown, PE – The Governments of Canada and Prince Edward Island today announced a $50 million investment in the BioAccelerator, the largest single investment in economic development infrastructure in PEI history. The Honourable Ginette Petitpas Taylor, Minister of Official Languages and Minister responsible for ACOA, and Premier Dennis King made the announcement in support of Canada’s Biomanufacturing and Life Sciences Strategy and the province’s strategic plan for the bioscience sector.

Spearheaded by the PEI BioAlliance, this new 75,000 sq. ft. biomanufacturing centre of expertise is unique in Canada in its design and service delivery components. It will enable Canadian bioscience companies to carry out research and new product development, process development, manufacturing scale up, as well as provide access to biopharmaceutical  manufacturing skills and training.

Situated in the BioCommons Research Park in Charlottetown, the BioAccelerator builds upon recent public and private sector investments such as BIOVECTRA’s expansion into the development of mRNA-Vaccines and bio-manufacturing facilities, the Canadian Alliance for Skills and Training in Life Sciences (CASTL), and the BioManufacturing Incubator. It will provide much-needed biomanufacturing infrastructure to advance the bioscience and life sciences ecosystem at both the regional and national level.

The BioAccelerator will provide capacity and expertise to support fermentation and downstream bioprocessing in areas of biologics, probiotics, natural product chemistry-derived products, and animal and fish health products. These are areas where capacity is extremely limited in North America and especially so in Canada.

“Today’s announcement is an exceptional endorsement of the hard work and vision of leaders from our cluster’s business, research, and government organizations and their commitment to sustainable economic growth,” said Rory Francis, CEO, PEI BioAlliance. “The BioAccelerator will provide essential biomanufacturing facilities and services for businesses across the region and beyond, that are critical to business growth and biomanufacturing self-sufficiency for Canada.”

PEI’s bioscience community is recognized across Canada for the success of its collaborative economic cluster model in advancing and growing the sector. With the guidance of PEI BioAlliance partners from business, academia, research, and governments at all levels, the sector has quadrupled in size since 2012 to include over 65 bioscience companies earning over $600 million per year in sales. The sector is now one of the top three industry contributors to the provincial economy. The PEI bioscience cluster has surpassed 2025 growth targets and is well on its way to becoming a billion-dollar industry by 2030.

Tenants in the BioAccelerator will include early-stage companies, small, and medium size enterprises from Atlantic Canada, across Canada, and from international locations. It will also include the facilities and expertise of the National Research Council of Canada’s atypical fermentation labs as well as CASTL, providing hands-on biopharmaceutical manufacturing training for the talent pipeline that will be essential to Canada’s Biomanufacturing and Life Sciences Strategy. The BioAccelerator will be CASTL’s national headquarters and expanded lead training facility.

“Prince Edward Island continues to play a key role in expanding Canada’s bioscience innovation ecosystem,” said Minister Petitpas Taylor. “Attracting more leading bioscience companies to Atlantic Canada is a key opportunity to grow and strengthen the bioscience cluster in our region. This will bring new high-skilled jobs, opportunities for advanced training, and the development of innovative new ideas and cutting-edge research.”

The bioeconomy is an important economic driver for Atlantic Canada, and critical to PEI’s economic diversification. The Atlantic sector consists of approximately 900 organizations, including commercial businesses, hospital and university research institutions, and employed 10,800 people in 2019. The private sector alone employs approximately 5,500 people in a diverse range of companies, from start-ups to multinationals.

“By investing in today, we’re preparing for a stronger tomorrow that will have a positive and lasting impact on the Island’s economy and people,” said Premier Dennis King. “This facility demonstrates what we can accomplish when we work together, believe in the possibilities, and share a vision for a prosperous Prince Edward Island.”

The BioAccelerator is a key element in the PEI BioAlliance’s plan to build out the province’s capacity and reputation as a national centre of expertise in biomanufacturing.

“The BioAccelerator will create a unique space for bioscience businesses to flourish, accelerating new product development and commercialization to advance solutions that can improve health and food security,” said Oliver Technow, Board Chair, PEI BioAlliance, and CEO, BIOVECTRA. “This investment positions Atlantic Canada as a leading force in Canada’s bio-revolution.”

The BioAccelerator is expected to be completed in fall 2025.

On Wednesday January 25, Pegasus Biotech was celebrated at the 2023 Greater Charlottetown Chamber of Commerce President’s Excellence Awards winning in the category of Emerging Business Excellence.

“Our success and rapid growth are due to the hard work put in by Pegasus’ employees, and the support of the PEI and Canadian biotech ecosystem over the past two years of operation,” said Dr. Yimy Mena, CEO of Pegasus Biotech.

Over the past 24 months, Pegasus Biotech has experienced a 10-fold growth in revenue and size, signing contracts with clients in North America, South America, Europe and Asia. This has established the company as a global player in the biotechnology CRO industry and the CRO of choice for DNA vaccine development services.

The mission of Pegasus Biotech is to enable their clients to bring cutting edge innovation to the global human and animal health markets. Their area of expertise is ensuring that client biopharmaceutical and vaccine development activities result in commercially viable products that are compliant with global regulations.

To learn more about Pegasus’ services, visit their website.

About Pegasus Biotech Inc: Pegasus Biotech Inc. is a full-service biotechnology contract research organization. They offer both process and analytical development services to the global pharma industry. They specialize in vaccine and biopharmaceutical development and are global leaders in DNA vaccine development.

Seasoned cohort of business professionals will bring wealth of expertise

Emergence is pleased to announce that five new mentors have joined the incubator program as part of the MIT-inspired Team Mentorship Program. These seasoned business professionals join the existing mentors who are experts in their fields and provide practical advice on key issues and strategic support to companies to advance their business objectives. The new mentors joining Emergence are Cathy Bennett, Tanya Chapman, Branko Jankovic, Kent Summers, and Tom Turi.

“Emergence is delighted to welcome such a highly-skilled group of experienced individuals to join our Team Mentorship Program,” said Jason Cleaversmith, Director of Incubation, PEI BioAlliance. “Our clients will benefit tremendously from the wealth and breadth of their knowledge and professional advice.”

Led by the PEI BioAlliance, Emergence is a bioscience incubator that accelerates the growth of Atlantic Canadian startups and early-stage companies moving from ideation to commercialization. Emergence provides companies with business incubation services including the Critical Path program, one-on-one and team mentorship, business strategy and advisory services, as well as access to the Emergence Performance Network.

Learn more about our new mentors:

Cathy Bennett
An award-winning former CEO and seasoned entrepreneur, Cathy’s focus today is innovation and growth. With over 35 years of business leadership, Bennett Group of Companies, grew from a small group of service businesses to operations in commercial construction, industrial manufacturing, HR support, service, retail, industrial supply, and real estate investments and operations. Cathy is currently an Independent Board Director with Vigilant Management, Marathon Gold and the Business Development Bank of Canada, and TaskForceNL. Read more.

Tanya Chapman
Tanya is CEO of the The Chapman Group, an organization that she founded to help individuals, teams and organizations transform to perform. Her boutique consulting company tailors custom solutions for each client, aligning strategic HR practices with the overall organizational vision. Tanya is committed to leading positive, progressive, and sustainable growth in NB and across Atlantic Canada. She encourages leaders to think big about their businesses, teams, plans and purpose, and she leads by example. Read more.

Branko Jankovic
Branko has been a CPA since 1985 and has spent much of his career in senior financial roles for various companies and organizations. He has been the Chief Financial Officer of two TSX-V listed companies focused on the development, manufacturing, and sale of ingredients to the global personal care, cosmetic, and food industries. He has served on the board of a TSX listed biotechnology company focused on the development of plasma based and oral therapeutics. Read more.

Kent Summers
Kent Summers is a seasoned technology entrepreneur with four successful startups and a 30-year contribution to the Boston entrepreneurship community in operating, volunteer and board roles. Kent’s passion is working with talented founders to navigate early-stage company formation and growth challenges. Since 2002, he has been an active volunteer mentor with MIT Venture Mentoring Service (VMS), and a volunteer Instructor with the VMS Outreach team, where he works closely with organizations around the world to successfully adopt the VMS Team Mentoring model. Read more.

Tom Turi
Thomas Turi, Ph.D. currently serves as the Chief Scientific Officer for Flagship Biosciences developing and implementing Spatial Biology and Digital Pathology solutions to accelerate drug development programs. He previously served as the Chief Scientific Officer for Nexelis where he assisted in the development of multiple approved and authorized COVID vaccine programs in addition to overseeing R&D activities in biomarkers and preclinical sciences. Read more.

Today the Canadian Alliance for Skills and Training in Life Sciences (CASTL) announced an important milestone in addressing the future skills needs of the bioscience sector. The PEI BioAlliance founded CASTL as part of our strategy to ensure a skilled talent pipeline to support cluster growth.

Charlottetown, PE and Montreal, QC – The Canadian Alliance for Skills and Training in Life Sciences (CASTL) announced today its expansion into Quebec with the location of their future Biomanufacturing Training Facility in Montreal.

Located at 4100 Molson Street, in the heart of the Technopôle Angus, the new 4544 square foot training facility will contain leading-edge pilot-scale bioprocessing equipment that will allow employees to gain practical skills that are immediately transferable to process scale-up and clean room environments. The facility will be equipped with laboratories and classroom spaces built to deliver the highest quality bioprocessing training. With this new facility, CASTL can deliver on-site customized hands-on and theoretical training for entry-level employees through to senior management and post-secondary students.

“CASTL is excited to buildout partnerships with academia, industry, and government in Quebec to address the future skills needs of the bioscience sector. This new facility located in Technopôle Angus responds to the demand for highly skilled personnel in Quebec’s growing biomanufacturing sector. We’re pleased to partner with Société de développement Angus on this initiative,” said Penny Walsh-McGuire, Executive Director, CASTL.

Located just a few kilometres from downtown Montreal in the heart of the Rosemont-La Petite-Patrie borough, Technopôle Angus is a significant health care hub in East Montreal and houses public and private medical clinics and many organizations offering research, health, and wellness services.

“The arrival of the CASTL Biomanufacturing Training Facility at Technopôle Angus marks a step forward in our efforts to establish the Personalized Healthcare Zone in eastern Montreal. We are looking forward to trainees coming to the facility and discovering everything this site has to offer,” said Christian Yaccarini, CEO of la Société de développement Angus.

In April 2022, CASTL announced the intent to establish a biomanufacturing training facility in Quebec. The facility development is made possible through a contribution of $2.5 million from the Quebec Government. It is expected to open in Fall 2023.

“This new training centre will strengthen our province’s expertise in the areas of health and innovation, as well as bolster Quebec and Montreal’s position as leaders in the life sciences field. It’s a major asset to develop and attract new talents in the east end of Montreal,” said Pierre Fitzgibbon, Minister of Economy, Innovation and Energy, Minister Responsible for Regional Economic Development and Minister Responsible for the Metropolis and the Montreal Region.

A national initiative supporting Canada’s life sciences ecosystem, CASTL offers training specializing in biopharmaceutical manufacturing. CASTL is supported by National Lead Partner adMare BioInnovations and its adMare Academy.

“As a major hub of biotechnology and innovation, Montreal is a phenomenal choice for CASTL’s new biomanufacturing training facility,” says Christine Allen, adMare’s VP of Ecosystems. “adMare is thrilled to welcome CASTL to Montreal, where we can continue to work closely together to train the talent in the Canadian life sciences ecosystem, as their national lead partner.”

In September 2022, CASTL opened its first biomanufacturing training facility in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. Additional facility locations within Canada are being considered to ensure broad geographic access to this type of critical training.

For more information on CASTL’s Biomanufacturing Training Programs visit www.castlcanada.ca or email info@castlcanada.ca.