Charlottetown, PE and Ahmedabad, India – Ingenuity BioSciences Pvt. Ltd – Veeda Clinical Research, one of India’s leading and largest independent contract research organization (CRO) companies, and Somru BioScience Inc., a leading Canadian-based biotechnology company based in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, are proud to announce the establishment of an innovation-centric bioanalytical laboratory in Ahmedabad, India.

Veeda and Somru announced the launch of their premier global centre of excellence lab under the flagship of Ingenuity BioSciences Pvt. Ltd. The Board of Directors of both companies have made a strategic alliance to expand their specialized service offerings, complementing their well-established portfolio in clinical services and bioassay kit development. This collaborative joint venture aims to capture the growing market needs of the global biosimilars market projected to grow from USD 28 billion in 2020 to USD 103 billion in 2026, with a CAGR of 24.2%. Somru BioScience and Veeda Clinical Research will have an equal partnership in the new joint venture.

“I am delighted with the fruition of our partnership with Somru BioScience which combines the strengths of our organizations to reinforce our vision of becoming the preferred research partners for innovative biopharmaceutical companies globally. The joint venture will bring Somru’s global standard, integrated bioassay capabilities to service the rapidly growing biosimilars industry in the region and, combined with Veeda’s strong clinical research credentials, will provide complete clinical development solutions to our clients,” said Ajay Tandon, Managing Director, Veeda Clinical Research.

Ingenuity BioSciences will be established as a premier and agile bioanalytical laboratory. Somru BioScience’s proprietary automation platform and cloud based Aegryris™ bioanalytical and productivity software suite will be a potential game-changer in the innovation-based drug discovery industry.

“This relationship will allow us to leverage our extensive experience as a biosimilar solution provider in this fast-emerging Asian market,” said Mohammed Moin, CEO of Somru BioScience Inc. “We are very impressed with Veeda’s track record as an excellent clinical service provider in India and are excited to be working with them.”

Ingenuity BiosSciences aims to offer end-to-end and modular technical services, encompassing both pre-clinical and clinical domains. The Ingenuity BioSciences scientific team is comprised of talented scientists with in-depth and extensive knowledge of bioassay method development and sample analysis, clinical trial management, and global regulatory requirements. Business development and technical teams are enthusiastic and excited to collaborate and serve Indian and International clients across pan-Asia and European markets. Ingenuity BioSciences’ website will be soon available and provide detailed information on service offerings.

Ingenuity BioSciences will be led by Mohammed Moin, CEO of Somru BioScience and Dr. Ravi Krovidi, CEO of Ingenuity BioSciences Pvt Ltd. The location of Ingenuity BioSciences in Ahmedabad, India, gives its clients a unique advantage of sharing the years of trust, regulatory expertise and reputation established by the Veeda Clinical Research services ecosystem.

“We look forward to closely working with biosimilar and biotherapeutics companies. Our vision is to become a preferred CRO clinical partner in product development’s success journey from early inception to product launch. The Biosimilarization wave is gaining significant traction, with several important monoclonal antibodies going off patent. We are very excited to partner with Somru team,” said Dr. Ravi Krovidi, CEO of Ingenuity BioSciences Pvt Ltd.

About Somru BioScience Inc.
Somru BioScience Inc. is an innovative biotechnology company based out of Prince Edward Island, Canada. Somru has developed a portfolio of reagents, ELISA kits, innovative biosimilar comparability tools and a cloud based Aegryris™ software suite to enable companies to significantly reduce the cost and timeline for biosimilar development. Somru technologies reduce early development risk by identifying clinically meaningful differences prior to running expensive clinical trials. The company has customers throughout North and South America, Europe, Australia, and Asia.

somrubioscience.com

About Veeda Clinical Research
Veeda is a leading independent Clinical Research Organization in India conducting a diverse range of clinical studies including bioavailability and bioequivalence (BA/BE) studies, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, early to late phase clinical development and clinical endpoint studies for generic molecules, new chemical entities (NCE), and biopharmaceuticals. Veeda strives for excellence in quality and has been the partner of choice for many global pharmaceutical companies over the last 16 years. Veeda is reputed for its best-in-class scientific expertise, quality, and ethics. Veeda has an exemplary regulatory record of successfully completing USFDA, ANVISA, WHO, MHRA, AGES, ANSM, MCC, DCGI and NPRA audits to date.

veedacr.com

Looking to find a job in bioscience? There are a number of avenues through the PEI BioAlliance to stay up to date on the latest opportunities and also get connected with the right people.

Jobs in the bioscience sector can range from research scientists, lab technicians, quality control managers and chemical process engineers, to maintenance and production technicians, or even business administration roles including accounting, marketing, HR, and sales.

Here are five ways to support your pursuit in finding a job in the growing bioscience sector:

1. Send in your resume

The PEI BioAlliance keeps an online resume library which is shared with hiring managers in the PEI bioscience cluster. If you are currently seeking employment, upon graduation, or for the summer months, send your resume to vivian@peibioalliance.com. Resume should be in PDF format with the file name “Resume – Your Name – Education/Credentials” and the email subject line “Add my resume to the 2021 PEI Bioscience Cluster Library.”

2. Check out the job board

Updated as positions become available, the PEI BioAlliance website has a job postings page which consolidates all open positions across the cluster, including direct links to apply. The website also provides links to learn more about the companies that are hiring.

3. Sign up for email alerts

If you’d prefer to receive real-time alerts directly in your inbox, sign up for our email notifications, where you’ll receive ongoing updates on the latest opportunities in bioscience. Sign up today by filling out our form.

 4. Follow us on LinkedIn for our weekly job round-up

At the end of every week on the PEI BioAlliance LinkedIn, we post a summary of all of the new jobs that were made available the week prior. Follow us on LinkedIn, for these updates as well as all of the latest local news in the sector.

 5. Stay up to date on the latest news and company expansions

One way to increase your likelihood of getting a job in the sector is to learn about all of the latest news and company expansions. Follow the PEI BioAlliance on Twitter and read the Latest News section on our PEI BioAlliance website to stay up to speed on all news, events and networking opportunities.

Takaya Technology’s PPE innovation supports fight against COVID-19

It started with an idea, a purpose, and a cause.

At the onset of the global pandemic, there was an immediate need for additional personal protective equipment (PPE) to support in the fight against COVID-19. Health care workers required not only a large supply of PPE, but one that would meet regulatory requirements and help keep frontline workers safe.

Noticing challenges with the available equipment, the Takaya team set out to innovate and create a more effective solution. Using their solid mix of expertise alongside their wide professional network, Nova Scotia-based Takaya Technology Inc. was formed.

The challenge with wearing masks

 To protect themselves from job-related exposure risks, healthcare workers wear N95 masks which filter at least 95% of airborne particles. That said, in order to maintain this level of effectiveness, the N95 masks must fit the user’s face properly, creating an effective seal, to eliminate particles bypassing the filter material. 

The problem observed by Takaya, was that some traditional N95 respirators were ill-fitting, and the ones that did fit properly caused significant discomfort and facial bruising. Seeing this, Takaya created an innovative mask design to serve the medical community, and ultimately the general public.

Their solution focuses on creating a better fitting respirator, that requires less force than traditional models. Their product also creates added comfort and increased breathability, providing a fit that isn’t compromised by the daily demands of clinical life, or even something as simple as speaking or smiling.

“Simple acts of humanity, like smiling or expressions of comfort, that often provide much needed warmth and support to vulnerable patients, can compromise the seal of traditional respirators. In a more drastic measure, we are learning that in some cases surgeons are instructed not to move their heads for the duration of their surgeries, to ensure their mask stays in place,” said Andrew MacKean, CEO, Takaya Technology. “We aim to remove unnecessary worry that these basic actions could be a threat to the care provider’s personal safety, so that focus can return to the priority of patient care.” 

Takaya has filed a patent on its design and the team is focused on continuing to execute its commercialization strategy to bring the product to market.

“We had this idea that we knew would help people and address a critical challenge in this pandemic and in healthcare overall, but the key was knowing what to focus on and how to execute successfully,” said Erin MacKean, Chief Operating Officer, Takaya Technology. “Part of what has helped propel us forward so quickly is our ability to bring together the right people and access the appropriate financial, regulatory and commercialization expertise.”

That expertise is also available in-house at Takaya.

Chief Operating Officer Erin MacKean has a decade of experience commercializing medical devices, and a background in life sciences operations, marketing and product management. On the other hand, her brother, CEO Andrew MacKean is an entrepreneur with experience in finance, management consulting, operations, and product commercialization in regulated industries. Additionally, their sister Chief Medical Officer Dr. Susan Ripley, is an Acute Medicine Hospitalist and part of a group of attending physicians caring for COVID-19 patients, along with many other key contributors on the team who have helped drive the company forward.

“The medical device industry can be difficult to navigate as it is heavily regulated,” said Andrew. “At Takaya, we know that if you take the time to understand the best path, and assemble the right team, you can be successful.”

Takaya is the latest company to join Emergence, an Atlantic bioscience business incubator dedicated to assisting start-ups and growth-stage bioscience companies in efficiently bringing their products and services to market.

“We are very grateful to be working with the Emergence team as we move forward with Takaya’s plans for commercialization,” said Erin. “The team has been very responsive and supportive, and we look forward to working together to bring our product to market and make it available to serve medical communities around the world.”

For more information on Emergence, visit emergencebioincubator.com.

As a result of the global COVID-19 pandemic and with our intention to have an in-person conference, VetHealth Global, North America’s premier animal health and nutrition industry conference, has adjusted the original date and will now be hosted in Charlottetown, PEI from October 25 – 27, 2021. The preliminary conference program is available on the website.

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

Showcase your company

VetHealth Global is still seeking expressions of interest from early stage and emerging companies to present to strategic partners, investors, and collaborators during one of three showcase presentation sessions:

• Innovation Spotlight: Emerging companies with breakthrough technologies at the late pre-commercial, or early commercial phase, who are seeking investment or strategic partnerships (12 companies)
• New Products for Global Aquaculture: Health and nutrition products that address market opportunities in the rapidly expanding aquaculture industry (6 companies)
• Future Focus: High-potential start-ups and early stage companies with disruptive technologies aimed at unmet industry needs (6 companies)

Applications to present must be received by March 15, 2021. Short-listed applicants will be contacted for further assessment by the selection committee, before final decisions.

For questions, please contact jennifer@peibioalliance.com.

Canada’s Ocean Supercluster recent announcement a one-time Call for Proposals for projects under their new Ocean Supercluster Resilience Program.

Through the Ocean Supercluster Resilience Program (OSCR), the OSC will invest up to $15 million in ocean projects that create strong collaborations and focus on the growth of multiple Canadian innovation-based companies. The OSCR acts as a hybrid of the OSC’s core programs in Technology Leadership and Innovation Ecosystem and intends to tackle significant challenges in Canada’s ocean industries and build relationships in the ocean sector.

The Ocean Supercluster Resilience Call for Proposals is an opportunity for projects that can be completed in less than 30 months. It is a deadline-driven and competitive program that aims to generate a diverse set of project ideas that:

• Address challenges impeding the launch of ocean-focused offerings into new markets;
• Leverage digital innovation and business reform to improve customer value, global competitiveness, and connectivity across and between ocean sectors; and
• Advance the ocean innovation ecosystem by creating and strengthening relationships between Canada’s private and public sectors.

Successful OSCR projects will:

• Identify a compelling industry relevant challenge;
• Solicit required industry investment;
• Identify appropriate private and public sector partners;
• Deliver direct commercial benefits to the project consortium; and
• Make a positive impact on Canada’s ocean innovation ecosystem.

The application process is now open and begins with Expressions of Interest which must be submitted by February 19, 2021 at 4 p.m. Atlantic time to be considered. For complete details, visit the OSC website.