PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND BIOSCIENCE CLUSTER COMING OF AGE

Rose FitzPatrick
Manager, Marketing and Communications
Prince Edward Island BioAlliance

While still maybe not as much of a household name as Oprah, many working within Canada’s bioscience sector would acknowledge that the Prince Edward Island Bioscience Cluster has become an important component of Atlantic Canada’s growing and diversifying economy.  Over the past decade the Prince Edward Island Bioscience Cluster has tripled in size, employing almost 1200 people and generating more than $124 million in annual export sales. With a growing group of 38 companies, expanded research organizations, aligned government partners, and growing international networks, the Chair of the Prince Edward Island BioAlliance says that he expects to see an acceleration of the growth in revenues and job opportunities in the years ahead.

“We have really established a solid foundation of technical capacity and successful companies here in our region,” says Dr. Russ Kerr. “The private-public partnership that we have in place has been an essential part of our success to date.”

Prince Edward Island companies range from contract manufacturers for pharmaceutical products, to businesses developing natural health products and functional foods, personal health care and cosmetics, to whose working on neurological diseases, and therapeutic and diagnostic technologies for human, animal, and fish health. The local Cluster includes some innovative startups like Island Abbey Foods, Neurodyn Inc., and Somru BioScience, as well as some of the world’s most highly regarded bioscience companies, including BioVectra, Novartis Animal Health, and Sekisui.

An ambitious multi-year strategy for the growth of the local Cluster is currently being executed that could provide 1500 jobs and generate more than $200 million in annual revenues by the end of 2015.

The Cluster’s focus on the research, development, and commercialization of bioactives-based human and animal health and nutrition products has produced tangible results.  This strategy, developed and coordinated by the Prince Edward Island BioAlliance, has prioritized the Cluster’s choices as they relate to research platform development, company attraction, human resource development, infrastructure priorities, and support services. 

Growth of the local industry in 2013 has come in threes. Over this past year alone, Prince Edward Island has experienced the expansion of three of its largest biotech companies - BioVectra, Novartis Animal Health, and Sekisui, while three early stage companies moved to the next level of infrastructure growth; Somru BioScience Inc. - moved from its lab space at the National Research Council’s (NRC) Industrial Partnership Facility to its new home in the West Royalty Industrial Park; Solarvest Inc. - now operates out of its new research and production facility in Summerville, PEI; and Halibut PEI recently completed a 20,000 square foot expansion of its land-based aquaculture facility in Victoria, Prince Edward Island. Over the past year, three companies were successful in raising significant private investments.

Significant investments in research infrastructure are advancing Prince Edward Island’s position and accelerating success in attracting new companies and human resources to the province.  In 2013, the National Research Council Canada announced its Natural Health Products Program supporting Canadian companies developing natural health products and functional ingredients, using the expertise and equipment at a network of NRC facilities across Canada. During this time, The University of Prince Edward Island completed the expansion of its aquaculture research facilities at the Atlantic Veterinary College and Holland College expanded Canada’s Smartest Kitchen to help small and medium-sized businesses test and develop food products for consumer markets.

The BioCommons Research Park located in Charlottetown is home to Island Abbey Foods’ new 12,000-square-foot manufacturing operation and OmniActive Health Technologies’ R&D facilities. Both of these companies have enjoyed considerable growth and successes over the past year. Moving forward, the Prince Edward Island Bioscience Strategy proposes the development of a Bioscience Commercialization Accelerator within the Park to provide local companies the infrastructure, business incubation and scale up services necessary to realize their development and commercialization goals.

Establishing hiqh quality, bioscience-based conferences in Prince Edward Island has helped attract the attention of global companies, researchers, and investors. In 2013, the Prince Edward Island BioAlliance and partners hosted two major international conferences – both focused on areas of expertise and growth within Prince Edward Island’s bioscience industry: VetHealth Global 2013– the International Animal Health and Nutrition Business Conference, one of the only animal health conferences of its kind in the world, and the Biotechnology and Human Health Symposium, which annually attracts world- leading researchers and businesses focused on the treatment of neurological diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and ALS. The BioAlliance will once again host the Biotechnology & Human Health Symposium in Prince Edward Island July 13-15, 2014.

Prince Edward Island BioAlliance Executive Director Rory Francis says people are one of the keys to driving the Bioscience Cluster forward. “One of the challenges within a rapidly growing industry, such as our bioscience sector is to keep up with the increase in demand of qualified human resources - in management, technical, process engineering, and scientific knowledge areas,” says Francis. “Programs, such as Holland College’s two-year bioscience technology program, the University of Prince Edward Island MBA Biotechnology Management stream, and a proposed new engineering program at the University of Prince Edward Island, are important initiatives to develop the local talent pool, and we have very successfully recruited nationally and internationally when the required skills are not available locally.”

Francis says that the PEI Bioscience Cluster has established an outstanding innovation ecosystem that has become very good at helping early stage companies commercialize. Now the Cluster wants to quickly build on that momentum and reputation. “It’s a global competition for market share, capital, and bright minds,” says Francis, “but Prince Edward Island is on that global map, and we intend to keep it there.”

Triphase: Trailblazing a unique, capital-efficient drug development business model with ties to Canada and the U.S.

Frank Stonebanks

Founder, President and CEO, Triphase Accelerator Corporation

 I’ve always had ties to both Canada and the U.S. given my dual citizenship, so when forming my next business, it was natural for me to take advantage of having my company have “dual citizenship,”’ as well. In 2010, I formed Triphase Accelerator Corporation as a spin-out of the Ontario Institute for Cancer Research (OICR) in Toronto, one of the world’s leading oncology translational research institutes, where I served as chief commercial officer.

Triphase is a private drug development accelerator with a primary focus on oncology. We acquire and in-license promising drug candidates that have potential as products and accelerate them from pre-IND through Phase 2 proof-of-concept. Our goal is to advance compelling, well-differentiated drugs in order to bring more effective, affordable treatments to patients.

We have operations in both Canada and the U.S. – specifically in the MaRS Discovery District, an innovation hub, in downtown Toronto and in the Johnson & Johnson Innovation Center in San Diego --- and we have several team members with ties to both countries. Our chief medical officer, Robert Corringham, M.D., and I are dual citizens, and our Board of Directors includes Kevin Leshuk, who serves as vice president and general manager of Celgene Canada.

MaRS Centre Phase 2 in Toronto

Johnson & Johnson Innovation Center in San Diego

We are unique in that we offer a straightforward, translational science-based, high-quality drug development model that focuses all of our financial and human resources on accelerating compounds from pre-IND to clinical proof-of-concept. We leverage the scientific and drug development expertise of our highly experienced senior executive team to efficiently make data-driven decisions about moving compounds forward.

Our capital-efficient model is faster and more cost-effective than the traditional biotech/pharmaceutical approach, which spends disproportionate resources on infrastructure and fixed costs. We maintain very low overhead so we can direct the vast majority of the capital we use into product development. Specifically, we spend 95 cents of every dollar directly on drug development, and utilize a semi-virtual model in which we employ reputable, top-quality contract research organizations (CROs) and contract manufacturing organizations (CMOs).

Our process is straightforward:

·         We seek out promising drug candidates by drawing on our network of personal relationships across North America and around the world, and tapping into the people, skills and infrastructure in Toronto and San Diego.

·         We select and in-license innovative, high-risk drug candidates based on their scientific merit, unmet medical need, and ability to rapidly achieve clinical proof-of-concept in selected patient populations.

·         We run the key early-stage studies that provide the high-quality scientific data that companies need to make decisions about whether to advance candidates through further development or to abandon them.

Our first strategic collaboration is with Celgene Corporation, which is seeking to enable rapid proof-of-concept for important new cancer therapeutics to strengthen its oncology pipeline. Celgene has rights of first refusal on the first three oncology products that we advance to clinical proof-of-concept, and the right of first negotiation on three additional subsequent products. The novel, highly potent proteasome inhibitor marizomib is the first product to move forward within this collaboration. We are currently evaluating an intravenous (IV) formulation of marizomib in a Phase 1 study in combination with pomalidomide and dexamethasone in relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma, and in a  Phase 2 clinical trial in combination with dexamethasone in a highly refractory multiple myeloma population, including patients refractory to carfilzomib. We also are evaluating an oral formulation in IND-enabling studies.

We believe that we fill a significant need for the biotech/pharmaceutical industry by helping companies offset the time and costs of early drug development so they can efficiently reach go/no go decisions. With our capital-efficient model of de-risking drug candidates, we are not driven by binary events or investors and venture capitalists. Rather, we work strategically on behalf of our biotech/pharmaceutical partners to help them make critical decisions about drug candidates in a timely and cost-efficient manner.

For more information, please visit our website at www.triphaseco.com or our profile on LinkedIn.

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A Competitive Advantage: Does Canada Have One?

Paul A. Barran, Ph.D.
Industrial Technology Advisor | Conseiller en technologie industrielle
Industrial  Research Assistance Program | Programme d’aide a la recherché industrielle
National Research Council of Canada | Conseil national de recherches Canada

 

In 2013 Don Enns, then President of Life Sciences BC, wrote an article discussing 6 aspects he felt drive competitive advantage. In this article I would like to re-visit those six aspects and ask the question:

How does Canada stack-up on each?

Evolutionary business models: In recent years it has become increasingly challenging to build a biotech company using the traditional model: angel financing to get proof of concept, venture capital (VC) financing to get into the clinic, and an Initial public offering (IPO) to get to market. Companies now have to be creative in their business models in order to survive, and Canada has a strong history of innovative business models. For example, Aspreva International Ltd. was one of the first companies in the world to reposition an approved drug as a faster way to get to market; the Centre for Drug Research and Development (CDRD) and the Quebec Consortium for Drug Development (CQDM) pioneered the concept of incubating technologies in the academic system longer to increase the chance of success upon spin-out; and Xenon was an early adopter of the partnership model to get big pharma to help fund its research programs.

 Capital formation and access: Access to capital is a chronic issue for life sciences companies and all levels of government in Canada are stepping up to try to help fill the gap between concept and commercialization. Federal programs include: Scientific Research & Experimental Development (SR&ED) program provides a rebate of approximately 30% on eligible R&D expenditures, National Research Council Industrial of Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC-IRAP) which provides non-dilutive research funding to companies, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) which funds academic-industry collaborations, and the regional economic development agencies such as Western Economic Diversification Canada (WDP) and the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA).

Provincial programs include: Provincial SR&ED-like tax credits, Ontario Centres of Excellence (OCE), and Centre de recherche industrielle du Québec (CRIQ). Municipal programs include: MaRS in Toronto,

 
Progressive health policy: Canada has a publically funded universal health care system administered at the provincial level. This type of system has allowed provinces to implement policies such as province-wide screening programs for diseases such as cervical cancer or to establish treatment standards where everyone gets the current standard of care. As a result Canada has extensive provincial databases of anonymized human health data which in the new era of big data and data mining provides a remarkable resource for clinical research.

Globalization: It is widely accepted that successful companies must think globally in all aspects of their business. Canada may be geographically large, but we have a relatively small population and are not considered a major market. As a result Canadian companies have to think globally from inception.

Technical convergence: Electronic medical records and telemedicine are examples of what can happen when there is convergence between different technologies and disciplines. The real opportunities of the future will be found at the interfaces between chemistry, molecular biology, nanotechnology, digital media, and Information and communications technology (ICT) - including wireless. Genomics is an example of how all of these technologies can be brought together from sequencing to bioinformatics to data mining, personalized medicine, and translation into patient care. Canada has one of the world’s top genomics centres in the Michael Smith Genome Sciences Centre at the BC Cancer Agency.

Public engagement: It is said that public policy reflects public sentiment and engagement. Canada has one of the best educated populations in the world with over 14% of people in the workforce having university or college degrees. Outreach is also a big part of our culture with many programs to educate the public and school children in particular about the opportunities, benefits and of course risks of modern life sciences technologies.

So, looking at the six drivers of competitive advantage, I think Canada stacks up very well.

Canada has an innovative business culture, government programs are in place to help fund corporate R&D, health policies create unique opportunities, Canadians think globally, and we have an informed and engaged population.

Canada: An emerging global innovation hub for life sciences companies

Ilse Treurnicht, CEO of MaRS Discovery District, Toronto, Canada

The key ingredients for sustaining a thriving life sciences innovation ecosystem are well known. There has to be a balance between the global market demand for innovative products, services & solutions, and the supply of the right knowledge, talent & technologies to address the market’s unmet needs.  

Canada has built a competitive advantage on several vital supply-side elements of this ecosystem. We have a highly educated population in the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) disciplines, globally competitive academic institutions across all life sciences disciplines, and a single-payer healthcare delivery system with robust health data repositories.

However, when it comes to seamlessly linking these supply-side assets to demand-side markets, and cultivating a robust local health industrial complex, Canada has lagged behind peer jurisdictions globally.

That is, until now…

Long-term thinking coupled with audacious bets by both national and regional players (industry and government) are now coming together to make Canada a global address for life sciences innovation.

 
Here are a few examples of the ways in which Canada is rebalancing its life sciences innovation ecosystem and maximizing value for the global corporate and investment community:

•         An increasingly strong business environment including SR&ED (Scientific Research and Experimental Development) tax credits, new venture capital flows, and a strong set of framework policies, including intellectual property changes through the Comprehensive Economic Trade Agreement (CETA);

•         Creative public-private discovery, translational research and development initiatives such as the Centre for Drug Research and Development (CDRD) in British Columbia, the Ontario Institute for Cancer Research (OICR) and the Ontario Brain Institute (OBI) in Ontario, and the NEOMED institute and Quebec Consortium for the Discovery of New Medicines (CQDM) in Quebec;

•         Major investments made to address the first major “valley of death” bottleneck and create turnkey solutions for the commercialization of IP (such as the Centre for Imaging Technology Commercialization [CiMTEC], the Centre for Commercialization of Regenerative Medicine [CCRM] and MaRS Innovation in Ontario), as well as support for high-potential health startup companies (at MaRS Discovery District and elsewhere); and

•         Policies and new public-private partnerships created to overcome the second major “valley of death" bottleneck and accelerate the adoption of technologies into health systems, at scale. Several new initiatives that align Canada’s single-payer health systems with regional innovation agendas are underway. For example, new strategic health innovation procurement policies in Alberta, and the world first MaRS EXCITE pre-market technology assessment program in Ontario.

With these policies, investments and initiatives now in place, a coherent health innovation system – from discovery to validation to adoption – is taking shape. And the world is paying attention. Global life sciences companies and venture capital investors are increasingly finding Canada to be an attractive destination for breakthrough R&D collaborations and for exploring new partnership models across the full continuum of innovation.

Canada is now well positioned as a global hub for innovators in the life sciences. We have significant capacity in the traditional domains of pharmaceuticals, devices and digital health technologies. And we can help innovative companies accelerate the shift in technology development from a centralized, “bricks and mortar” R&D engine to a variable R&D model, unlocking the true value of the technologies these companies bring to market by converting them into "health solutions providers" capable of partnering with health systems.  

Canada has laid the foundation for a vibrant life sciences innovation ecosystem that can help health systems around the world address their most pressing needs for maintaining the health of individuals and populations in their markets. Now, we invite members of the global pharmaceutical, medical device and health IT communities to partner with us in developing the next frontiers of innovation.

Canada: A country built for success in the bio-economy

Genome Canada President and CEO, Dr. Pierre Meulien
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Their work days look very different — the aquaculture producer hauling in a full net, the farmer harvesting a bumper crop, the mining technician maximizing extraction, the biomedicine researcher developing a new therapy, the forester protecting trees from pests or the auto-parts maker using green materials.

But there’s a common link. At their core, all of these pursuits are about the nature of life itself. And that means solving the mysteries of the genome can lead to a competitive edge for these and other Canadian industries.

At GenomeCanada, it’s our job to ensure Canadians benefit from our country’s strengths in genomics research. Since 2000, $2.3 billion has been invested in genomics, with 56 per cent secured from partners. It’s an investment that’s well-spent and achieving results. The modern bio-economy will contribute some 2.25 per cent to Canada’s GDP by 2017. Canadian excellence in applying genomics research could also generate significant export opportunities. The global bio-economy market will be worth $1 trillion by 2030, as estimated by the OECD.

It’s not surprising that Canada would become a leader in the science and application of genomics. We’re a vast country with diverse habitats, distinct regional economies and great universities and research institutes in every province. There’s a growing entrepreneurial spirit, especially among younger Canadians, and we have a highly educated workforce that can make the most of technological progress.

Canada has always been about diverse regions helping each other succeed in their key industries, while cooperating to build a national economy that offers a good quality of life right across the country. In similar fashion, the Genome Canada model combines national leadership with an ability to respond to regional and local needs and priorities. Six independent regional Genome Centres foster genomics research and its applications in sectors of strategic importance to Canada. Five world-class Science and Technology Innovation Centres deliver the most advanced technologies and expertise to the research community.

We recently developed genomic sector strategies to advance Canada’s core economic areas: Forestry, Agri-food, Energy and Mining and Fisheries and Aquaculture. We have a unique opportunity to protect and expand Canada’s traditional life science-based industries by integrating new technologies (including genomics) and thus making them more competitive, productive and profitable.

BIO International is a valuable opportunity to showcase Canada’s growing genomics advantage to the world. At this annual gathering, we can see how Canada’s diverse application of genomics is a true strength. With whoever we meet — decision-makers from nearly every U.S. state and other places around the world — we can discuss shared challenges and opportunities. Genome Canada can offer international partners access to a deep talent pool, one with expertise encompassing a wide range of industrial priorities, environmental conditions and community needs.

Now, to further expand the use of genomics knowledge within industry, we’re making strategic investments through the Genomic Applications PartnershipProgram. This new program is further stimulating investment from private and public partners to address real-world challenges and opportunities through genomic-derived solutions.  This will strengthen the hand of Canadian companies as they compete internationally, and it will produce goods and services we can sell to the world to create more jobs at home.

Few places have as much opportunity and potential as Canada does in tailoring genomic solutions to a diverse range of policy goals and economic interests. Genome Canada is determined to realize this potential for the benefit of Canadians. And we look forward to furthering this effort by promoting Canada’s genomics experience and expertise to global leaders at BIO International in San Diego.

I look forward to seeing you there …

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Le Canada : un pays qui a tout pour réussir dans la bioéconomie

Leurs journées de travail semblent à première vue fort différentes : l’aquiculteur récolte un filet plein; l’agriculteur fait une récolte exceptionnelle; le technicien minier maximise l’extraction; le chercheur en biomédecine met au point une nouvelle thérapie; le sylviculteur protège les arbres des insectes ravageurs et le fabricant de pièces automobiles utilise des matériaux écologiques.

Un lien pourtant les unit tous, car la nature de la vie elle-même se trouve au cœur de toutes ces activités. En résolvant donc les mystères du génome, le Canada pourrait bénéficier d’un avantage concurrentiel dans ces secteurs d’activité et d’autres encore.

Chez Génome Canada, nous nous assurons que les Canadiens profitent des atouts de notre pays en recherche en génomique. Depuis 2000, 2,3 milliards de dollars ont été investis en génomique et 56 % de cette somme proviennent de partenaires. C’est là un investissement judicieux et rentable. La bioéconomie moderne représentera quelque 2,25 % du PIB canadien d’ici 2017. L’excellence dont fait preuve notre pays par ses applications de la recherche en génomique pourrait aussi créer d’importantes possibilités d’exportations. Selon les estimations de l’OCDE, le marché mondial de la bioéconomie vaudra 1 billion de dollars d’ici 2030.
 

Il n’est pas étonnant que le Canada devienne un chef de file de la science génomique et de son application. Notre vaste pays est constitué d’habitats diversifiés, d’économies régionales distinctes et d’universités et d’instituts de recherche renommés dans chaque province. L’esprit d’entreprise prend de l’ampleur, en particulier chez les jeunes Canadiens, et nous disposons d’une main-d’œuvre hautement scolarisée qui peut tirer le meilleur parti possible des progrès technologiques.

Depuis toujours, le Canada se caractérise par des régions d’une grande diversité qui s’aident les unes les autres à réussir dans leurs secteurs clés, tout en coopérant à l’édification d’une économie nationale qui offre une bonne qualité de vie d’un bout à l’autre du pays. De la même manière, le modèle de Génome Canada allie un leadership national apte à réagir aux priorités et aux besoins régionaux et locaux. Six centres de génomique régionaux indépendants appuient la recherche en génomique et ses applications dans les secteurs d’importance stratégique pour le Canada. Cinq centres d’innovation de science et de technologie de calibre mondial mettent à la disposition des chercheurs des technologies et une expertise de pointe.

Nous avons récemment élaboré des stratégies sectorielles en génomique pour faire progresser les secteurs économiques de base du Canada : la foresterie, l’agroalimentaire, l’énergie et les mines, les pêches et l’aquaculture. Nous avons une occasion unique de protéger et de développer les secteurs traditionnels canadiens basés sur les sciences de la vie en intégrant les nouvelles technologies (dont la génomique) pour en accroître ainsi la compétitivité, la productivité et la rentabilité.


BIO International est une occasion importante de faire connaître au monde l’avantage grandissant du Canada en génomique. À cette rencontre annuelle, nous voyons comment l’application diversifiée de la génomique au Canada s’avère une force véritable. Nous pouvons, avec tous ceux et celles que nous rencontrons — les décideurs de presque tous les États américains et d’ailleurs dans le monde — discuter de possibilités et de défis communs. Génome Canada peut offrir à ses partenaires internationaux un bassin considérable de professionnels talentueux aux compétences spécialisées pour un large éventail de priorités industrielles, de conditions environnementales et de besoins communautaires.

Pour que les connaissances génomiques soient encore plus utilisées dans l’industrie, nous mettons en œuvre le Programme despartenariats pour les applications de la génomique afin d’investir de manière stratégique. Ce nouveau programme stimule les investissements de partenaires des secteurs public et privé qui contribueront à résoudre des difficultés et à exploiter des possibilités bien réelles, grâce aux solutions issues de la génomique. Il aidera des entreprises canadiennes à exercer leur concurrence sur la scène internationale et contribuera d’une part à la production de biens et services que nous pourrons vendre au monde et d’autre part, à la création d’emplois, ici au pays.

Peu d’endroits ont autant de possibilités et de potentiel que le Canada pour l’adaptation des solutions génomiques à un éventail très diversifié d’objectifs stratégiques et d’intérêts économiques. Génome Canada est résolue à réaliser ce potentiel au bénéfice de la population canadienne. Nous sommes aussi impatients de poursuivre ces efforts en faisant valoir l’expérience et l’expertise canadiennes en génomique auprès des chefs de file mondiaux à BIO International à San Diego.

Il me tarde de vous y rencontrer…

 

 

CQDM: an engine of open innovation....

CQDM: enabling drug discovery

CQDM was created in 2008 as one of the new R&D models to address the productivity crisis in the pharmaceutical industry, what some have called the innovation gap. Five years later, CQDM has become a true engine of open innovation, creative partnerships and collaborations which benefit all stakeholders, creating value greater than the sum of its parts.

CQDM is a pharma-based consortium active in precompetitive research whose mission is to identify, fund and support breakthrough technologies which will significantly enhance the biopharmaceutical R&D productivity and accelerate the development of new safer and more efficacious drugs, thereby reducing the cost and time needed to market the best healthcare solutions. Research projects funded by CQDM are conducted by top researchers in academia as well as SMEs throughout Canada. Some of the projects, depending on the funding programs, are also carried out in collaboration with research entities in the Massachusetts region, in the United States, as well as in France.

 A unique business model

CQDM is a neutral ground which brings together academia, biotechs, governments and the pharma industry to work collaboratively on complex medical challenges. Since its inception, CQDM has managed to raise contributions of $CAN 65 M from seven of the world’s largest pharmaceutical companies (Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Merck, Boehringer Ingelheim, GlaxoSmithKline, Eli Lilly and Novartis), as well as from the Government of Canada’s Business Led-Networks of Centres of Excellence Program (BL-NCE) and from Quebec’s Ministry of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology (MESRST).

 All CQDM partners share the costs of research and benefit from its results. They can use the tools and technologies equally in their R&D process. CQDM’s unique business model generates a financial leverage of up to 20x (each dollar invested in CQDM generates up to 20 dollars in research projects), de-risking research and allowing funding for research projects which could not be funded if individually carried out.

 A win-win mentorship program

One of the innovative aspects of CQDM is its unique mentorship program which serves primarily to create strong links between researchers funded by CQDM and scientists from CQDM pharma members. Each research project benefits from the involvement of up to 7 mentors from the industry. Coming from the United States and Europe, these mentors are the ultimate end-users of the tools and technologies which are being developed. They are well positioned to help the researchers better align the technologies with the needs of the industry. They provide industry-specific expertise, offer valuable resources to the investigators and sponsor the projects in their respective organizations. To date, more than 70 mentors around the world have contributed to the development of these enabling tools, technologies and platforms.

 Conclusive Results

As of today, CQDM has established six funding programs, launched 18 competitions and reviewed 436 projects, totalling over $CAN 500 M in funding requests. By promoting synergy between academia and the industry and by creating an international exchange network, CQDM strengthens Canada’s leadership in biopharmaceutical research and opens new avenues for in translational research whose impacts are significant for the industry and our society.

 Out of all the research projects received, CQDM started 32 outstanding ones for a total of $CAN 37,3 M in more than a dozen of areas (from biologics to cardiology, diabetes, drug delivery technologies, GPCR platforms, infection, inflammation, imaging platform, neurology, oncology, peptide therapeutics, software for drug design, tissue engineering). These projects are carried out by a network of 400 researchers from 46 different research institutions (25 public institutions and 21 private companies) with a milestone-driven approach.

 Results speak for themselves: the emergence of technologies which accelerate the discovery and the development of drugs and significant economic benefits for Canada and the whole pharmaceutical industry, namely:

·         a success rate of 90%. Ten out of 11 projects completed to date have produced the proposed deliverables;

·         80% of the new technologies are used by CQDM pharma members;

·        two CQDM pharma members have committed to provide significant additional investment or in-kind contributions to further develop new technologies;

·         the acceleration of technology maturation in 12 SMEs in the life sciences;

·         the founding of 5 start-ups in the life sciences;

·         more than 50 disclosure discoveries;

·         25 cooperation agreements, licenses or strategic partnerships with the private sector;

·         the creation of 256 high-level jobs;

·         $CAN 14.5 million in additional contributions (collaboration and in-kind) to researchers.

Engaging Canadian researchers in international networks

CQDM is now well-recognized as a reference and key player in the Canadian life sciences ecosystem. Its vision is to become a global leader actively involved in creating Canadian and international networks dedicated to advancing drug discovery and bring better cures to patients.

For more information, please visit our website at www.cqdm.org or follow-up on Twitter (@CQDM_Canada) or Linkedin.

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Le CQDM: accélérer la découverte du médicament

Le CQDM a été créé en 2008 comme l’un des nouveaux modèles de R&D afin de répondre à la crise de productivité rencontrée par l’industrie pharmaceutique, que certains appelleront le fossé de l’innovation. Après cinq ans d’existence, le CQDM est devenu un véritable moteur d’innovation ouverte, de partenariats créatifs et de collaborations profitables pour toutes ses parties prenantes en créant une valeur plus grande que la somme de ses parties.

Le CQDM est un consortium de recherche précompétitive qui a pour mission d’identifier, de financer et de soutenir le développement d’outils et de technologies novatrices qui stimuleront la productivité de la R&D biopharmaceutique et accéléreront le développement de nouveaux médicaments plus sûrs et plus efficaces, réduisant ainsi le coût et la durée nécessaires pour la mise en marché des meilleures solutions de soins de santé. Les projets financés par le CQDM sont menés par les meilleurs chercheurs du monde académique et des PME au Canada. Certains projets, selon les programmes de financement du CQDM, sont menés en collaboration avec des entités de recherche de la région du Massachusetts aux États-Unis, ainsi qu’en France.

Un modèle d’affaires unique

Le CQDM est un carrefour où convergent le milieu universitaire, les gouvernements, l'industrie pharmaceutique et celle des biotechnologies afin de relever ensemble les nombreux défis médicaux complexes. Depuis sa création, le CQDM a rassemblé des contributions de  65 M $CAN provenant de 7 des plus grandes sociétés pharmaceutiques au monde (Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Merck, Boehringer Ingelheim, GlaxoSmithKline, Eli Lilly, Novartis) en plus de celles du Programme des réseaux de centres d’excellence dirigés par l’entreprise (RCE-E) du Gouvernement du Canada et du ministère québécois de l’Enseignement supérieur, de la Recherche, de la Science et de la Technologie (MESRST).

Tous les partenaires du CQDM partagent les coûts de la recherche et profitent de ses résultats. Ils ont tous un droit d’utilisation, dans leur processus de R&D, des outils et des technologies développés. Le modèle d’affaires unique du CQDM permet de générer un levier financier jusqu’à 20x (chaque dollar investi au CQDM permet de générer jusqu’à 20 dollars en recherche) et de diminuer largement le risque assumé par chaque partenaire, tout en permettant de financer des travaux de recherche qui ne pourraient être financés autrement.

Un programme de mentorat qui bénéficie à tous

Un des aspects novateurs du CQDM réside en son programme de mentorat unique qui permet surtout de créer des liens privilégiés entre les chercheurs financés par le CQDM et des scientifiques issus des entreprises pharmaceutiques membres du CQDM. Ainsi, chaque projet financé bénéficie de l’implication de jusqu’à 7 mentors en provenance de l’industrie. Situés aux États-Unis et en Europe, les mentors sont les utilisateurs finaux ultimes des outils et technologies en développement. Ils sont donc bien positionnés pour aider les chercheurs à développer des technologies qui répondent de façon concrète aux besoins de l'industrie. Ils fournissent une expertise propre à l'industrie, offrent de précieuses ressources aux chercheurs et parrainent le projet dans leur organisation respective. À ce jour, plus de 70 mentors d’un peu partout dans le monde ont contribué au développement de ces outils, technologies et plateformes.

Des résultats probants

À ce jour, le CQDM a mis en place 6 programmes de financement, lancé 18 concours et évalué 436 projets, pour un total de plus de 500 M $CAN en demandes de fonds. En favorisant une synergie entre les milieux universitaires et industriels et en créant un réseau international d’échange, le CQDM renforce le leadership canadien en matière de recherche biopharmaceutique et ouvre de nouvelles avenues de recherche translationnelle dont l’impact est significatif pour l’industrie et la société.

De tous les projets de recherche reçus, le CQDM a démarré 32 projets  exceptionnels pour un total de 37,3 M $CAN dans plus d’une douzaine de domaines (des produits biologiques à la cardiologie en passant par le diabète, les technologies d’administration de médicaments, les plateformes RCPG, l’infection, l’inflammation, les plateformes d’imagerie, la neurologie, l’oncologie, les peptides thérapeutiques, les logiciels de conception de médicaments et le génie tissulaire). Ces projets sont réalisés par un réseau de 400 chercheurs provenant de 46 établissements de recherche différents (25 institutions publiques et 21 entreprises privées) avec une approche axée sur l’atteinte de jalons.

Les résultats parlent d’eux-mêmes : des technologies qui accélèrent la découverte et le développement de médicaments et des retombées socioéconomiques importantes pour le Canada et toute l’industrie pharmaceutique, à savoir :

·         un taux de succès de 90 %, 10 des 11 projets terminés à ce jour ont livré les résultats attendus;

·         80 % des technologies développées sont utilisées par les membres pharmas du CQDM;

·         deux membres pharmas du CQDM se sont engagés à fournir des contributions supplémentaires importantes afin de mener encore plus loin les nouvelles technologies;

·         l’accélération de la maturation technologique dans 12 PME en sciences de la vie ;

·         la création de 5 start-ups en sciences de la vie ;

·         plus de 50 divulgations de découvertes;

·         la conclusion de 25 ententes de collaboration, licences ou partenariats stratégiques avec le secteur privé ;

·         le soutien à la création de 256 emplois de haut niveau;

·         des retombées de 14,5 M $CAN en investissements additionnels pour les chercheurs (en collaboration et en nature).

Impliquer les chercheurs canadiens dans les réseaux internationaux

Le CQDM est maintenant reconnu comme référence et acteur clé dans l'écosystème canadien des sciences de la vie. Sa vision est de devenir un chef de file mondial œuvrant activement à l'établissement de réseaux canadiens et mondiaux consacrés à l'avancement de technologies de prochaine génération qui se traduiront par le développement de meilleurs traitements pour les patients.

 Pour plus d’information, visitez notre site Web à www.cqdm.org ou suivez sur Twitter (@CQDM_Canada) et Linkedin.