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News from PAAB
Learn the regulations and guidelines that embody the pharmaceutical industry’s commitment to the highest standard of professional conduct. Pharmahorizons is the authorized training partners of the PAAB and Rx&D.
Read the April 2008 PAAB Newsletter:
News from Montreal InVivo
Montreal is Canada’s largest life science cluster. Each month, Pharmahorizons will showcase news, trends and events in the greater Montreal area.
Montréal InVivo Life Sciences Career Fair
19-20 September, 2008
Holiday Inn Midtown and Sherbrooke St
Don’t miss this annual career fair targetted specifically for Quebec’s Life Sciences industry!
For employers interested in attending this event (sponsoring, renting a booth, adverstising), contact Andrew Gregory at 1-877-751-9415 for details.
Montréal InVivo announces that over $340 million was invested in 2007 in the Greater Montréal region
In its first annual report, Montréal InVivo, the life sciences and health technology cluster of metropolitan Montréal, announced that the Greater Montréal region benefited in 2007 from over $340 million of investments from its members, representing billions of dollars in combined annual sales. Montréal InVivo represents over 41,000 employees working in more than 620 organizations, including about 150 research centres and 80 subsidiaries of foreign corporations.
Predicting Breast Cancer Patient Outcome: New Genes Identified
New studies from a team of researchers from the Research Institute of the MUHC and McGill University show that the environment surrounding breast cancer cells plays a crucial role in determining whether tumor cells grow and migrate or whether they fade away.
Their study is the first to identify the genes behind this environmental control and correlate them with patient outcome. Their findings are published in this week’s issue of Nature Medicine. “A tumour cannot exist on its own. It has to be supported and nourished by the cell types around it, the microenvironment,” says senior author Dr Morag Park, Director of the molecular oncology group at the Research institute if the MUHC. “When we began this study there was little known about the importance of this microenvironment on cancer initiation and progression.
We now know that this environment is pivotal; different patients have distinct tumour microenvironments at a gene level. Our findings show that the gene profile of these distinct microenvironments can be used to determine clinical outcome — who will fare well and who will not.”
www.mcgill.ca
Life Sciences Industries News Briefs © 2008
495 Health Research Grants Awarded in Quebec
In March, the Honourable Michael M. Fortier, federal Minister of Public Works and Government Services, announced the recipients from across Quebec of 495 health research grants worth more than $125 million. The funding includes a wide range of projects in the areas of mental health, hospital-acquired infections, cancer, heart health and wait times. It is part of a larger package worth $377.5 million for 1,604 projects across Canada announced last December. The funded research projects will be carried out over five years.
“Through the government’s S&T Strategy, we will translate today’s investments in health research and innovation into the products and services of tomorrow. To do this, we must keep generating knowledge, supporting talented researchers, and fostering entrepreneurial partnerships,” says Dr. Pierre Chartrand, Acting President of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). “We believe that CIHR’s commitment to supporting health research will lead to job creation, economic growth and a higher quality of life.”
Source: BioBusiness News 14
World first: researchers develop completely automated anesthesia system
Researchers at McGill University and the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC) have performed the world’s first totally automated administration of an anesthetic.
Nicknamed “McSleepy,” the new system developed by the researchers administers drugs for general anesthesia and monitors their separate effects completely automatically, with no manual intervention. “We have been working on closed-loop systems, where drugs are administered, their effects continuously monitored, and the doses are adjusted accordingly, for the last five years,” said Dr. Thomas M. Hemmerling of McGill’s Department of Anesthesia and the Montreal General Hospital, who heads ITAG (Intelligent Technology in Anesthesia research group), a team of anesthesiologists, biomedical scientists and engineers.
“Think of “McSleepy” as a sort of humanoid anesthesiologist that thinks like an anesthesiologist, analyses biological information and constantly adapts its own behavior, even recognizing monitoring malfunction.”
The anesthetic technique was used on a patient who underwent a partial nephrectomy, a procedure that removes a kidney tumor while leaving the non-cancerous part of the kidney intact, over a period of three hours and 30 minutes. To manipulate the various components of general anesthesia, the automated system measures three separate parameters displayed on a new Integrated monitor of anesthesia (IMA™): depth of hypnosis via EEG analysis, pain via a new pain score, called Analgoscore™, and muscle relaxation via phonomyography™, all developed by ITAG. The system then administers the appropriate drugs using conventional infusion pumps, controlled by a laptop computer on which “McSleepy” is installed. www.mcgill.ca
Life Sciences Industries News Briefs © 2008
LAB Research closes $21.1 million financing to expand Canadian facilities
LAVAL, QC, CNW Telbec/ - LAB Research Inc. (”LAB Research” or the “Company”), a Canadian-based global non-clinical contract research organization, announces the execution of the financing agreement entered into on January 31, 2008 with National Bank of Canada Health Group (”NBC”), pursuant to which NBC granted the Company a $21.1 million financing to expand its Canadian facilities. Estimated at $40 million, the expansion project will double this site’s capacity, thereby increasing its floor space from 87,000 to 170,000 square feet and the vivarium from 36 to 80 rooms. The construction phase will be completed in the fall of 2008.
Read more: http://www.montreal-invivo.com/sciencesdelavie/site/fiche/19951
News from IMS Health
Learning Solutions and Change Management Seminars.
IMS courses make use of the latest learning tools combining conceptual content, sophisticated computer-based simulation work, and exercises with real data to ensure maximum impact and retention.
Click here to download the IMS Health brochures with 10 new courses
IMS Canada Recognizes Quebec Health Professionals for their Contribution to the Appropriate Use of Medicines
Montreal, Quebec– IMS Health Canada (IMS) is pleased to announce the recipients of the IMS Canada Awards, recognized at a ceremony held today. The IMS Canada Awards recognize Quebec physicians and pharmacists for their contribution to the continuing education of their peers. The award recipients were recognized for their published works on the appropriate use of medications. In addition, scholarships were presented to medical students with the highest academic standing in pharmacology and to the top pharmacy students from each of the faculties of pharmacy in Quebec. A total of $30,000 was shared by the recipients of the IMS Canada Awards.
Warning over drug trial’s effects on testing
By Andrew Jack in London
A pioneering clinical trial launched this year by a US-backed research institute may fundamentally reshape relations between payers and the pharmaceutical industry, IMS Health, the healthcare consultancy, warned on Tuesday.
The National Eye Institute-sponsored $16m ”head to head” trial will compare the effectiveness of two drugs produced by Genentech, the biotech company controlled by Roche of Switzerland, and could lead to a much cheaper way to treat Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD), which causes blindness.
IMS says the study, called CATT, opens ”a Pandora’s box” for the drug industry by taking testing out of the hands of the companies, changing the rules of development and potentially undermining a blockbuster long before it comes off patent.
It describes CATT as one of the top seven ”harbingers of change” for 2008 highlighted in its yearly analysis of significant events likely to affect the evolution of the pharmaceutical sector.
Read the full report
©Financial Times
Cancer drug sales could hit $80 billion by 2011: IMS
Sales of cancer drugs will grow at nearly double the rate of the global pharmaceutical market and could reach $80 billion by 2012, according to IMS Health, which tracks prescription drug sales.
Expensive new treatments, an increasing number of patients on chemotherapy in major markets and evidence that more people in emerging markets are gaining access to modern targeted therapies will contribute to sales of cancer drugs growing at a compound rate of 12 to 15 percent, IMS said.
In 2008, sales of oncology products will exceed $48 billion, contributing nearly 17 percent of global pharmaceutical sales growth this year, according to the IMS Global Oncology Forecast released on Thursday.
“Double-digit sales growth in oncology drugs will be fueled by increased use of targeted therapeutic agents introduced over the past 10 years, along with first-time innovations coming to the market and longer treatment periods for growing numbers of patients,” Titus Plattel, IMS vice president for oncology, said in a statement.
IMS expects growth to be fueled by the introduction of 25 to 30 new chemical entities between 2008 and 2012, as expensive new biotechnology drugs and the increasing use of combination therapies contribute to the exploding cost of treatment.
Data from clinical studies of many of the newest cancer drugs will be presented and discussed at the nation’s largest oncology meeting later this month in Chicago. Much of the data will be unveiled on Thursday ahead of the American Society of Clinical Oncology meeting.
Several factors could serve to moderate growth over the next five years, IMS said. They include financial constraints of payers, slowing growth of some current blockbuster therapies and patent expirations of four cancer drugs with annual sales exceeding $1 billion, including Eli Lilly’s Gemzar and Taxotere from Sanofi-Aventis .
(Reporting by Bill Berkrot; editing by Carol Bishopric)
© Reuters News
About IMS:
Operating in more than 100 countries, IMS Health is the world’s leading provider of market intelligence to pharmaceutical and healthcare industries. With US$2.2 billion in revenue in 2007 and more than 50 years of industry experience, IMS offers leading-edge business intelligence products and services that are integral to clients’ day-to-day operations. IMS information is also used by researchers, academics, government and other stakeholders to advance health through informed decision-making.
IMS and Pharmahorizons are partners.
News from Toronto’s BioPharma Community
Sanofi Pasteur, the vaccines division of sanofi–aventis Group, announced that it is investing 100 million Canadian dollars in a new, state–of–the–art research facility at the company’s historic Connaught Campus in north Toronto, Ontario, Canada, to boost innovation in vaccine research for the benefit of global health. The investment includes the construction of an 80 million Canadian dollars facility, the purchase of specialized research & development (R&D) equipment, and the support of high–value R&D jobs over the next five years. www.sanofipasteur.ca
Life Sciences Industries News Briefs © 2008
$20 million invested in new brain centre at Baycrest
TORONTO – Baycrest has been awarded $10 million from the Ontario Government to create the Centre for Brain Fitness –- a commercialized enterprise to tackle the problem of cognitive decline in an aging population. The province’s $10-million investment matches $10 million from private donors. “The Ontario government and our donor families understand how important it is to invest in brain research and development of innovative products for the future benefit of all Canadians,” said Mark Gryfe, president of the Baycrest Foundation.
Read more: http://www.canhealth.com/News827.html
Source: Canadian Healthcare Technology
Astronaut to lead medical robotics at McMaster
HAMILTON, Ont. – Dave Williams, a physician and astronaut who has logged a Canadian record of almost 18 hours performing space walks, is landing in Hamilton as a physician scientist for McMaster University and St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton. As the Director for the new McMaster Centre for Medical Robotics at St. Joseph’s, he will lead a team dedicated to developing innovative technologies that will change the future of surgery in local and remote patient care.
Read more: http://www.canhealth.com/News830.html
Source: Canadian Healthcare Technology
$60 million invested in Ontario cancer research
TORONTO – Dr. Tom Hudson, President and Scientific Director of the Ontario Institute for Cancer Research (OICR) has announced the investment of $60 million in the Institute’s key programs as well as institutional awards for equipment to find new and better ways to fight cancer. “One of Ontario’s biggest strengths is our people and the ideas they generate. Ontario is recognized as an international leader in cancer research because of people like Dr. Tom Hudson and his team of researchers. That is why we continue to attract the best and brightest minds in health science,” said Minister of Research and Innovation, John Wilkinson.
Read more: http://www.canhealth.com/News834.html
Source: Canadian Healthcare Technology
News from the OCRI Life Sciences
Liponex Inc. (Ottawa) and ImaSight Inc., a commercial stage medical device company marketing an innovative, cost effective digital radiology solution, updated the status of the proposed transaction to combine their respective businesses that was announced on March 3, 2008. The acquisition agreement was to expire April 30, 2008 in accordance with its terms, but the parties have agreed to amend the agreement to extend the expiry date until May 7, 2008 in order to allow for certain conditions to be fulfilled. Assuming fulfillment of the conditions the parties intend to further extend the agreement and have revised the target closing date to June 30, 2008. www.liponex.ca
Life Sciences Industries News Briefs © 2008
PharmaGap reports positive early results for next drug compound
PharmaGap Inc. (Ottawa) announced successful in vitro or “bench” testing of a new compound designed to be a selective inhibitor of Protein Kinase C Theta showing indication of selectivity to and inhibition of PKC theta. This new compound follows on the successful completion of the research and development phase of preclinical testing for the Company’s selective inhibitor of PKC alpha, PhG–alpha–1, announced last week. PKC theta was selected as the target for the Company’s next compound on the basis of interest expressed by Dr. Gary Schwartz of Memorial Sloan–Kettering Cancer Institute of New York in working with the Company to develop a selective inhibitor of PKC theta for use in treatment of sarcomas, cancers of supportive and connective tissue (i.e. bone, cartilage, fat, muscle and blood vessels). Dr. Schwartz is chief of Sloan Kettering’s Melanoma and Sarcoma service. In vitro testing of the new PKC theta inhibitor will continue at PharmaGap and in Dr. Schwartz’s laboratories at Sloan–Kettering. www.pharmagap.com
Life Sciences Industries News Briefs © 2008
News from BioAlberta
BioAlberta is the central voice and the organizing hub for the bio-industry in Alberta.
Angiotech’s Corporate Partner Reports Canadian Approval for TAXUS(R)
Angiotech Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Vancouver), a global specialty pharmaceutical and medical device company, reported that its corporate partner, Boston Scientific Corporation has received approval for the sale of its TAXUS Liberté paclitaxel–eluting coronary stent system in Canada. BSC reported that Health Canada’s Therapeutic Products Directorate (TPD), the authority that regulates pharmaceutical drugs and medical devices, has approved its use. BSC said it plans to launch the product immediately in Canada. www.angiotech.com
Life Sciences Industries News Briefs © 2008
Government backs on-the-job experience for young researchers
A new program will provide unique research and training opportunities for graduate students across Canada, thanks to an $8.6-million funding boost from the Government of Canada.
The program, called ACCELERATE Canada – Canada’s Graduate Research Internship Program – will connect up-and-coming researchers with companies across the country through research internships. The program is managed by MITACS, a federally-funded national Network of Centres of Excellence (NCE) based at Simon Fraser University in Burnaby, and delivered in collaboration with 14 other national organizations and NCEs.
This funding will support 1,200 internships nationally over the next two years. The announcement follows a pilot project conducted by MITACS over five years which saw the organization successfully place over 530 graduate students in internships from coast to coast.
Under ACCELERATE Canada, internships are four months in length. Graduate students spend about half their time on site at a Canadian company, undertaking research on a project of mutual interest to the student, a supervising professor and the company. Their goal is to develop an in-depth understanding of the identified research challenge, collect data and interact with company employees. The balance of the student’s time is spent at the university, developing techniques, tools or approaches required to accomplish the project’s goals.
Each four-month internship is valued at $15,000 which is co-funded by the partner company, the province where the company is situated and the Government of Canada through the Industrial R&D Internship Program (IRDI).
Source: BioBusiness #15
BC set to build $500 million children’s hospital
VANCOUVER – BC Premier Gordon Campbell joined mining executive Don Lindsay to announce plans to rebuild BC Children’s Hospital –- a project that’s expected to cost in excess of $500 million. About $50 million will support Child Health BC, an initiative aimed at ensuring all B.C. children have access to a consistent standard of care, no matter where they live. The new hospital will include an emergency department, pediatric intensive care unit, advanced diagnostic and imaging areas and a cancer ward.
Read more: http://www.canhealth.com/News828.html
Source: Canadian Healthcare Technology
Cold-Fx® Chosen Canada’s # 1 Pharmacist Recommended Natural Cold Remedy For The Third Year In A Row
Edmonton, AB (CVQ – TSX) Sixty-nine percent of Canadian pharmacists polled recommend COLD-fX as their first choice among natural cold remedies to their customers – up from 55% in 2005 – according to the 14th annual Pharmacy Post and L’actualité pharmaceutique Survey of Pharmacists on OTC Counselling and Recommendations.
The survey also reveals that COLD-fX topped the recommendation’s list of Quebec pharmacists in the natural cold remedy category for the second year in a row. CV Technologies Inc., maker of COLD-fX, said that 31% of Quebec pharmacists surveyed recommend COLD-fX ahead of all other natural cold medicines – 50% more often than its nearest competitor.
The survey was completed by 976 pharmacists between October 17 – December 10, 2007. The margin of error is ±2.6%, 18 times out of 20.
The findings was published in the April issue of Pharmacy Post and the May issue of L’actualité pharmaceutique. The on-line survey was conducted by the research division of Rogers Business and Professional Publishing for Pharmacy Post and L’actualité pharmaceutique – the key industry publications in Canada.
Across Canada, COLD-fX has been the # 1 pharmacist-recommended natural cold remedy for three years in a row. It has also been ranked as the number one selling cold and flu remedy in Canada since October 2004. (ACNielsen’s MarketTrack Drug Service for Cold Remedies, Natural Supplements & Vitamins categories).
Source: BioAlberta.com